Cusco is situated in the Urubamba valley of the Andes mountain range. Cusco is one of the highest inhabited cities in the Americas. Cusco is situated at the elevation of 3400m. Most tourists visiting Machu Picchu spend at least 3 days in Cusco for acclimatization. Cusco is a great place for high altitude acclimatization before your long 5 days hike to Machu Picchu. Cusco is a small town but it is very touristy. There are frequent flights to all major tourist destinations in Peru from Cusco. Most hotels in Cusco are located near the Plaza. The plaza is about 3 km away from the Airport. My flight from Lima arrived at Cusco airport early morning. I was alone so I decided to walk from the Airport to My hostel located near the Plaza. It was a uphill walk but I felt very exhausting because of the high altitude. I will strongly recommend to take Dimox if you are visiting Peru. The medicine will help you to reduce the impact of high altitude sickness. Cusco is the hiking center of Peru. Apart from Machu Picchu you can do other hikes such as Rainbow mountain and Sacred Valley. June, July & August is the best time to visit Cusco. The weather is more predictable during this time of the year. Winter months can be cold around Cusco but it offers great weather for outdoor adventure. During summer months the weather is more unpredictable because of rain.
Qorikancha
Qorikancha was one of the most important temples during the Inca Empire. The interior of the temple was decorated with gold walls. Most of the gold was taken by the spanish empire during the colonization era. The temple was demolished by spanish and they built Santo Domingo church on it’s foundations. I will strongly advise to visit the place with a guide because this will help you know more about the ancient Inca empire and the history of the temple. You have to pay small entry fee for entrance to the temple. The temple is situated about 15 minutes walk from Plaza de Armas. The size of church is huge and only some parts of the church is open for access to the tourists. I was able to see parts of old inca walls from within the church. A spectacular garden is situated in front of the the church. Qorikancha is a must visit tourist attraction in Cusco.
Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas is the main square and the historic center of Cusco. The plaza is surrounded by shops and cathedral. Most hotels and restaurants are located near the Plaza. I will strongly recommend to book your hotels or hostel close to the Plaza. You will also see lot of tour operator offering various tours near the Plaza. The plaza was very touristy and overpriced. There is a small garden situated at the center of the plaza. The statue of Incan ruler pachacuti is situated at the center of the plaza.
Cusco Cathedral
You just can’t miss Cusco cathedral from Plaza de Armas. The cathedral is clearly visible from the plaza. It was built in the 17th century and the architecture of the cathedral is similar to Spanish architecture. You can visit the cathedral during day time. If you are visiting the cathedral at night, then you can see beautiful lighting of the cathedral. Cusco cathedral is the most prominent building in Cusco. The façade of the Cathedral is one of the most photographed spots in Cusco. The architecture of the façade was similar to renaissance –style and the interior of the cathedral was constructed in baroque style. There is a broad collection of engraved silverwork and exquisite paintings inside the cathedral. Photography is not permitted inside the cathedral
Streets of Cusco
I completely loved walking around the narrow streets of Cusco. Carmen Alto is one of my favorite streets in Cusco. The small lane is surrounded by stone buildings on both sides. The narrow lanes give perfect opportunity for street photographers to take some nice shots. You will find lot of shops selling beautiful handicraft items. Most of the old stone houses are converted to hostels these days.
San Blas
San Blas is located near Plaza de Armas. You will definitely spot musicians around San Blas area. It is a popular place among street food vendors and souvenir shops. San Blas is situated about 15 minutes walk from Plaza de Armas. The path from Plaza de Armas to San Blas is very steep. San Blas is not that crowded like Plaza de Armas. If you are looking for some peaceful time, then you should visit the Plaza.
You can try some authentic Peruvian cuisine from the restaurants situated near San Blas area. The gift shops located near the San Blas area seemed more authentic than the souvenir shops located near the Plaza. You get the feeling of ancient Inca civilization by walking on the remarkable cobble-stone constructed road. Iglesia de San Blas church is situated in the San Blas neighborhood. The church is small in size but it is very picturesque. A beautiful square is situated in front of the church
Saksaywaman
Saksaywaman is in ‘Quechua’ language and it means ‘Satisfied Falcon”. The complex is situated in the northern part of Cusco city. Saksaywaman is situated on the top of a hill overlooking Cusco city. I will strongly recommend to visit the place in the afternoon for sunset. Most tourists opt for tours for visiting Saksaywaman because it is situated on top of a hill. I decided to visit Saksaywaman on my own. It is very difficult to climb at an altitude of 3700m because of high altitude. I started from my hostel at about 3 pm.
My hostel was situated in between Plaza de Armas and Saksaywaman. You can easily reach the site by following google maps. It took me about 1 hour to reach the site from my hostel. The walk was very tough and you need to be physically fit in order to attempt it. I had to climb lot of stairs in the first half of the trail. I finally reach a main road and the second part was all about following the road up to Saksaywaman. I will strongly recommend to visit the place as a group because instances of theft have occurred in this area. Lot of people will try to sell you overpriced horse ride till the holy site. The walk was very pleasant because of the insane view of Cusco and the surrounding mountain. I stopped couple of times on the way for photography. I noticed group of llamas and a lady dressed in indigenous attire. The lady asked me to take some photographs with the llama. I paid USD 1 tip and took some nice photos with baby llama.
You need to pay entrance fee in order to enter the site. The place was very touristy. The area was full of guides trying to get tip from tourists for photos with llama. Saksaywaman was a former Incan military fortress. The architercture features some large interlinked granite stones. All the stones are carved in perfect square or rectangular pieces. The measurement of the stones was very identical. Saksaywaman is the perfect example of traditional Inca architectural style without using any kind of mortar. The site had witnessed number of battle between Inca empire and Spanish empire. If you are keen to know about the Inca Empire then I will strongly recommend to take a guide with you during your trip to the site.
Cristo Blanco
Cristo Blanco is located by just 15 minutes uphill walk from Sacsayhuaman. Cristo Blanco is a huge statue of Jesus Christ and it looks very similar to Christ de redeemer situated in Rio De Janerio. The place is not that popular among tourists. I visited the place during sunset time and it was not that crowded. The statue is around 8 meter tall and I got some great panoramic views of Cusco from its platform. The Statue is gifted from Palestinian refugees. Please don’t miss Christo Blanco If you are coming all the way till Sacsayhuaman.
Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus
The cathedral is situated next to Cusco Cathedral. The architecture of the cathedral is very unique. The cathedral displays beautiful workmanship. The cathedral has beautiful blend of ancient Spanish architecture and Incan architecture. The interior of the cathedral Is covered with gold leaf. Lot of efforts must have been made for construction for the construction of this beautiful masterpiece.
San Pedro Market
San Pedro market is a great place to try some local foods. It is a popular place for tourists and locals. You can get some nice local food from the restaurant at a very affordable price. You should visit the market early morning for the best experience. Most shops located at the market provide English menu. San Pedro market is the biggest market in Cusco and you get all kinds of fruits, vegetables, meat and dried products from the market.
Andean Themed Souvenirs
Your visit to Peru will be incomplete if you don’t buy souvenir from Cusco. I bought 2 Peruvian style winter caps from the market. The items are little bit pricey if you buy them from the main tourist locations. You can always bargain for the better price. Cusco is a perfect place to buy some colorful winter jackets. You will find shops selling bags, alpaca jackets, beanies, silver jewelry and glasses.
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