Whether you are in Peru to trek the Inca trail, RainbowMountain, Humantay lake or Sarcantay; you are more likely to spend a few daysin the capital city of the Incan empire and a UNESCO’s world heritage sitesince 1983.
In this article I share with you 10 places you must visitwhen in Cusco. Ready? Go!
Plaza de Armas
The heart of Cusco city at the center of the hostiracal town; this is a good place to start your city tour
The Cathedral (La Catedral)
One out of two major cathedrals in Plaza de Armas, also known as the cathedral of Santo Domingo. The interior design is breathtaking!
This cathedral survived manay earthquakes and is till standing still today. It is not allowed to take photos while touring the cathedral but it is definitely worth a visit
The Cathedral in Plaza de Armas
Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus
Also in the Plaza is a second major cathedral open for visitors to tour, built on an Incan palace and is one of the examples of Spanish Baroque architecture in Peru
Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus
The twelve angled stone
Few steps away is the wall of the palace of the Archbishop of Cuzco, where you can see the 12 angled stone alongside old stones from the Incan era that now represent a cultural heritage. The same type of stones were used to build the cathedrals and some other monuments in the city.
Wall
Sacsayhuamán
Or “Sexy women” as most tourists call it., is a citadel on top of a hill overlooking the city of Cusco. Archaeologists believes that it dates back to a about 900 CE.
Sacsayhuamán hills
Sacsayhuamán ruins
Cristo Blanco
Take a walk from Sacsayhuaman site to “Cristo Blanco”, a statue that was gifted by the Arab Palestinians who came to Peru as refuges.
Cristo Blanco
Machu Picchu
Whether on a day trip by train or by hiking the Inca trail. The lost city of the Inca’s “Machu Picchu” is not a site that you want to miss.
Machu Picchu on a foggy day
If you are planning on doing the 4 days hike to Machu Picchu, I put together an article to help you prepare for your next adventure.
Rainbow Mountain
This is one of the most colorful mountains in the world and can be discovered in a one day trip starting from Cusco. The link bellow is a complete guide to hiking to Rainbow Mountain.
Humantay lake
Is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen. It is also a one day trip from Cusco and is definitely worth your time.
Cacao Museum
For a bit of history around Cacao and for a fresh cup of Cacao chocolate, visit the “Museo de Cacao” in the Plaza.
Cacao and milk drink at the cacao museum