Overview
Situated in the Andes mountains, Cusco is considered one of the highest cities in the world. As the cradle of the Inca civilization, Cusco is known for its amazing archaeological ruins, including neighboring Machu Picchu. There are also a lot of other ruins, ceremonial spots and temples to visit. In addition, visitors should check out the downtown area of Cusco, which offers breathtaking views, friendly hospitality, and good food and shopping!
PROMPERU - Commission for the Promotion of Peru: Promperu is a good contact for tourist information, if you're planning a trip to Peru.
Web: http://www.peru.info/perueng.asp
Hotels
Hotel Monasterio (Orient - Express Hotels Trains & Cruises): Samantha enjoyed a very unusual hotel experience in Cusco. Have you ever spent the night in a 16th-century monastery? Two blocks from the Plaza de Armas, Cusco's main town square, stands Hotel Monasterio, a 126-room hotel built in what was once a Jesuit monastery. It is a very luxurious hotel, which at first made Samantha a little nervous, because Cusco itself is such a relaxed place to be. But no worry, we saw people trekking in with their muddy boots on, so this is a relaxed hotel too.
Web: www.monasterio.orient-express.com
Shopping
Arte y Diseno: Samantha explores the neighborhood of San Blas, known as one of the best places to shop in Cusco for unique, handcrafted items. While there she comes across this little store, where she can get a purse custom-made for only $35.
Food/Restaurants/Bars
Quinta Zarate: Cusco doesn't have sidewalk cafes. Instead it has quintas, which are traditional open-aired restaurants serving Peruvian fare. As Samantha discovered, these places are very popular with the locals, especially on the weekends. Joined by her friends, Josyln and Fiorela, Samantha stopped into Quinta Zarate for a glass of Peru's national cocktail, the pisco sour, and to try a local specialty - guinea pig! Sam's tip: Take a taxi. If you're not from the area, this restaurant can be difficult to find.
CAXA Latin Sounds: This band creates Latin sounds with traditional instruments. Sam and her friends listened to them play while enjoying an al fresco afternoon in Cusco. It was a true Peruvian cultural experience!
Sights/Landmarks/To Do
Awana Kancha: About 10 minutes from the town of Pisac, Samantha discoverd Awana Kancha. At this cultural center, you'll find indigenous Peruvian people hard at work creating beautiful handicrafts and using authentic materials to create one-of-a-kind art pieces. Peru is known throughout the world for its weaving. At Awana Kancha, the weavings are made naturally in a variety of almost psychedelic colors. On this visit, however, Samantha is on a mission to clear up once and for all her confusion over the difference between llamas and alpacas - two of the most important animals in Peru. Lucho Lomellini, the manager at Awana Kancha, helps clarify things for Samantha.
Web: www.awanakancha.com
Town of Pisac Sunday Market: Samantha visits Pisac, a small town outside Cusco, to enjoy the culture, food, and Sunday outdoor market.
Plaza de Armas: Samantha visits the main cathedral of the Plaza de Armas, a breathtaking sight filled with paintings, elaborately carved wooden altars and exquisite silverwork.
Sacsayhuaman: Samantha tours this Incan ceremonial spot, where the nobility originally gathered. Now in ruins, the site was once a mastery of construction that took 20,000 workers over seven decades to build. If you want to get the most out of your visit, hire an experienced guide. Sam was accompanied by Luz Lazo, a local Peruvian guide.
Guide @ Sacsayhuaman: Luz Lazo guides Samantha around the Sacsayhuaman ruins, helping her to envision how this ceremonial site originally looked.
Qoricancha: Sam meets up with Moses, a friend of hers who is an archeologist, for a tour of Qoricancha. The one-time main temple of the Incans still stands within the city of Cusco.
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