The
cultural and
religious center of the Inca world, Cusco was once an awesome city. The seat of the God-king, the
Inca (‘Inca’ technically refers to just the monarch, often called the Sapa Inca, who was revered as a divine ruler by the people), it was a city built to reflect the might of the Empire.
Despite its brutal sacking by the
Spanish conquistadors, Cusco remains an
exciting and
vibrant place. Today it is a large
commercial center and the capital of Cusco Department as well as the undisputed
archaeological capital of South America,
a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the continent’s biggest tourist destinations.
Spectacular
colonial architecture stands astride
monolithic ruined Inca palaces made of perfectly hewn stone, which line atmospheric, scorched cobbled plazas. White-washed alleys and terracotta-tiled roofs are home to a rich mix of
history, lively
nightlife and a vast array of
museums,
sights and
scenery. The collision and fusion of indigenous
Andean and imported
colonial cultures is interesting and always evident, even to those tourists who only come to the city as a staging post for the most famous trek in the Americas, the
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Despite the number of visitors it receives, Cusco remains relatively
unspoiled and it is still easy to experience the city’s
beauty and
ancient feel, which remains very tangible today. Although Cusco has embraced tourism and developed a sound infrastructure to support the influx of visitors, the city’s
magnificent historical past still has a powerful hold on its
glorious present.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Peru Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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Available Tours to Peru:
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iExplore Peru: Machu Picchu Lodge to Lodge -
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iExplore Galapagos & Peru Experience -
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14 days
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iExplore Peru & Bolivia -
$3195,
11 days
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iExplore Peru - Inca Trail -
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iExplore Peru - Machu Picchu & Amazon Basin -
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iExplore Peru Experience -
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iExplore Peru: Nazca Extension -
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iExplore Peruvian Amazon Extension -
$875,
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Inca Trek & Machu Picchu -
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