Guide to Cusco
Cusco - Plaza de Armas from above
Cusco is one of the most famous regions of Peru, and is the heartland of the Inca civilization. During Inca times the city was considered the navel of the Incan empire, and it governed most of the western coastline from Quito (Ecuador) to Santiago (Chile). The Inca’s considered the rugged Andean landscapes sacred, and they captured the beauty of the mountains by constructing settlements and farming terraces in some of the most remote and stunning locations. Our Guide to Cusco is brimming with information on the best places to visit, travel advice, restaurant and hotel information, plus much more. Select your sub-category below to find out more information.
Crowned in 1983 with the title of UNESCO world heritage site, Cusco is one of the most visited places in Peru. Set high up in the Andes at an altitude of 3,200 meters (10,500 ft), it is also one of the country’s highest cities. Visitors that travel to Cusco need to be aware of the high elevation, and take time to acclimatize before doing any strenuous activities, especially hiking. (Read our section on acclimatization from our Guide to Cusco)
Modern day Cusco is an eclectic mixture of old buildings that make up the colonial centre, and the more recent maze of adobe and concrete buildings of the suburbs. Remains of important Inca temples and buildings dominate the city’s foundations, with the most complete and finest Casonas and buildings located around the main square – Plaza de Armas, and the smaller more up market Plaza Nazarenas, where you will find the Luxury Cusco hotels.
When planning to travel to Cusco, you will notice that there are literally hundreds of hotels and hostels to choice from. In this chapter of our guide to Cusco we have also included information on the only the very best accommodations to assist you with your planning.
Equally, Cusco now has a wide choice of restaurants, of which some are excellent and others less impressive. If you are a fan of great food then check out our ‘Eating in Cusco’ section for the best reviews and information on restaurants in Cusco.
As always if there is a topic that you think we should cover in our guide to Cusco please don’t hesitate to contact us. Alternatively should you wish to post questions that you have, you are welcome to do so in our forum area, where our expert team of Peru travel professionals are ready to assist.
