"Cusco - "Navel of the Earth"" Cusco by jackfruit

Once the capital of the Inca dynasty and gateway to the Sacred Valley and now, the Andean capital of Peru, this city exudes charm and splendour. In spite of the tourist crowds that throng the streets, the city still seems very appealing, cozy and full of character.

Q'osqo which means "Navel of the Earth" is where the city gets it's name. The Inca emperors made this city thier political, cultural and military capital, a majestic city from which they ruled over an empire that stretched from Ecuador to Bolivia.

Some of the Incan stone structures still stand, but majority of the Incan buildings were demolished by the Spanish and replaced by colonial architecture. It is not surprising to see most of these spanish buildings constructed over Incan stone foundations. Most of Cusco was destroyed in the earthquake of
1650 and what stands today is a harmonious mix of old and new.

Cusco is now a premier destination in Peru because of its various offerings.

-Depending on when you visit, you could witness the festival of Inti Raymi (Winter Solistice) where a lot of blood is shed and ancient rituals are replayed.

-The historic Camino Inca trail to Machu Pichu can be easily undertaken from Cusco, making it a trek base teeming with backpakers and hikers year round.

-The Sacred Valley area is easily explored from Cusco

Cusco is the seat of one of Peru's largest universities - National University San Antonio Abad del Cusco - making it a university town. Because of the large concentration of students, there is abundant nightlife in the form of bars and clubs all over town, with most of them around the main square.

First taste of Perivian Fare at the Cusco Airport

If you fly into Cusco from Lima, it is a moment of astonishing wonder when this little town nestled among the mightly Andes suddenly comes into view. All doubts in my mind about the supreme aeronautical skills of Peruvian pilots that I had read about were put to rest when just (after the pre-landing announcement) as I was looking for the township of Cusco to appear in the mountainous landscape beneath us, the pilot veered sharply to the left to enter a tiny airgap between the mountain peaks, banked the plane to navigate through a narrow chasm of ridges and as he leveled out, up ahead was the little landing strip at Cusco airport. Had the pilot taken a shortcut? If not, I can only imagine how difficult this landing must be in bad weather!

The natural setting of the town in an altiplano of the Andes (at @3350m asl, it is higher than Machu Pichu!) gives it a feel of calm and serenity. It was hard for me to imagine a handful of spanish conquistadores headed by Pizzarro crushing the entire Inca empire in these surroundings.

Roasted Guinea Pig - Fresh out of the oven!

Exploring the city on foot is the only way to experience Cusco. As I ambled the bustling streets of this city, it was thrilling to witness the local mestizo culture mingling and co-existing with the historic Incan and Spanish heritage.

Staples in the local diet are potato and quinoa, a local grain that tastes very much like semolina. Roasted Guinea pig ('cuy' in quechua) is the local delicacy. Although I wasnt brave enough to try it myself, I ventured close enough to the oven where a freshly prepared batch was ready to be served to a hungry and adventurous diner. Mate de coca is the local beverage of choice. Believed to help alleviate symptoms caused by high altitude, this brew is served everywhere in Cusco. Gulping down cups of coca leaf tea will only aid acclimatization according to legend, so I say, most definetly indulge! Most restaurants are concentrated around or off the Plaza de Armas area. I recommend walking past these without a second glance and surprising yourself with the wonderfully delicious fare whipped up by some of the hole-in-the-wall restaurants found a few blocks away from the main square.

Locals are called mestizos - a race that was started by the Colonial Spanish breeding with the local Andean Indians.

Rich in Pre-Incan, Incan & Spanish architecture and brimming with mestizo allure, Cusco is a great base to explore the surrounding Sacred Valley region, including the lost city of Machu Pichu.

We flew into Cusco from Lima and used it as our base to hike the camino inca to Machu Pichu and explore the Urubamba Valley.

When I left Cusco, even though we had stayed long enough to partake in most of Cusco's attractions, I felt like I hadnt indulged enough. I hope to be back someday to imbibe some more of Cusco's addictive milieu.

• Pros:Splendid architecture, diverse culture, great nightlife, great base for Machu Pichu and a wonderful opportunity to learn some quechua!
• Cons:None
• In a nutshell:Charming town - Something for everyone here!