| Page Views: 1,654 Last Visit to Cusco: November, 2005 | Exploring Cusco by toonsarah - last update: Jun 25, 2006 |
Cusco is a beautiful city and full of interesting sights. There's a bit of history around every corner, and because it's quite hilly you get lots of great views from different parts of the city. But of course those same hills, and the height above sea level, mean that exploring it can be quite a challenge! We'd already been in Peru for about 10 days when we arrived here and that really helped, but even so I found that I needed to take it slowly going uphill.
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Places you should see Sooner or later you'll find yourself in the Plaza de Armas which really is the hub of the city. We came here several times to relax in the cafes surrounding the square and watch the world go by. On one side of the square is the cathedral which is definitely worth visiting to see all the works of art. I was fascinated by the Lord of the Earthquakes, a statue of Jesus that's been turned black by all the candles burned below it as the citizens of Cusco pray to be spared from another devastating earthquake.
Not far from the cathedral is the interesting Museo Inca, complete with real mummies, but also worth a visit to help shed some more light on Peru's earlier inhabitants who left their mark all over the country.
This is also a good place to come in the evening - plenty of restaurants to choose from (fairly touristy of course) and it looks great with the cathedral and the Compania church both floodlit. |
We particularly enjoyed San Blas. It's got a lot of small galleries and craft workshops, a pretty white church and some interesting shops. It's a good place to come to unwind, although you have to climb one of those hills to get here!
It's also a good idea to get out of the city to visit the nearby Inca ruins, especially Sacsayhuaman and Q'enqo. Further afield of course is the Sacred Valley, and you really need to allow several days for that to give you time to see the main sights such as Pisac and Ollantaytambo as well as more out of the way places such as Chinchero. |
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| Pros: | "Loads to see and do, and a friendly atmosphere" | | Cons: | "Take your time to adjust to the altitude" |
toonsarah's Cusco Travel Tips
 Comments for toonsarah about Cusco | | | | |
MalenaN Sun Apr 5, 2009 11:41 UTC
Cusco and Machu Picchu has been on my wish list for a long time, but there also seem to be many more interesting places to visit nearby. Great tips and photos Sarah! | mircaskirca Sat Apr 4, 2009 08:55 UTC
Oh, Cusco... it brings back lots of good memories :) I hardly made it to Huayna Picchu as well - but it was worth the effort as you are rewarded with a spectacular view!! I liked the site of terraced salt mines! | volopolo Thu Jan 15, 2009 21:30 UTC
i love to be here: Machu Picchu. and i like the tip: Museo Inca | ATXtraveler Sun Oct 5, 2008 20:05 UTC
I am guessing Machu Picchu is as stunning in person as the hundreds of pictures I have seen of it! Thanks for the info on Cusco. |
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