Cuzco by itself however is not without its own charm and highlights. A sea of red terracotta roofs and narrow, often single lane two-way cobblestone streets welcomes all visitors to this former center of the Inca civilization.
Legend has it that sometime during the 12th century, the first Inca King – Manco Capac – pierced the ground with a golden rod. This point was dubbed "qosq’o" or "the navel of the earth" in the Quechua language. Thus, the capital of the Inca empire was born.
Although archeological findings have proven that Cuzco had been inhabited for several centuries prior to the arrival of the Incas, the city has become synonymous with the Inca civilization as evidences of their masterful engineering are still evident today both within the city and in the surrounding areas.
The biggest concern that many visitors to Cuzco have is the extremely high altitude and its consequent ill effects. Make no mistake about it, altitude sickness is a real issue. As you go higher into the mountains, the decreasing air pressure and thinner air can have varying effects. However, people react differently and it does not seem to have any relation to age or fitness. Two people in our party were in their 60s and neither one suffered any ill effects while two people in their 30s and in excellent shape both suffered from altitude sickness. There are numerous ways to help deal with the altitude: locals swear by mate de coca or coca tea. I am not sure how it helps but everyone drinks it. If you prefer a more modern approach, talk to your doctor about a prescription for Diamox. Other than that, make sure you take it easy on the first day and save strenuous activities for the second day after giving your body a chance to acclimatize. The other item worth noting is that nearby Machu Picchu is at a lower altitude than Cuzco. A good itinerary may be to go to Cuzco and then go to Machu Picchu either on the same day of arrival or the day after. That way if you are having trouble adjusting – provided any ill effects are not too serious – you can go to Machu Picchu at a lower altitude and my guess is that any symptoms will disappear. Your stay there will then give your body a chance to acclimatize at a slower rate and you should be OK by the time you get back to Cuzco.
Today, Cuzco’s center is the Plaza de Armas which is highlighted by two churches along with the multitude of bars, restaurants and stores that surround the plaza. La Catedral – Cuzco’s main church – is actually three churches that have been combined. It houses a vast collection of artworks in the very distinct Cuzquena style of painting. La Compania – the smaller of the two churches – is on the southeastern side and is visible from the evening train from Machu Picchu as it is usually lit up at night.
Being a relatively large city, Cuzco also offers a large variety of accommodations. Probably the best hotel in the city – and quite possibly all of Peru – is the Hotel Monasterio del Cusco. A former monastery and now a member of the Orient Express Hotels, it boasts two beautiful courtyards and top-notch facilities. Even the old chapel with its gilded frames and gold leaf altar has been preserved and converted into a function room of sorts. The Monasterio also offers "oxygenated rooms" to help visitors adjust to the high altitude.
Probably the best place to go shopping in Cuzco is Plaza San Blas which is also the city’s artisan quarter. You can find many local handicrafts, arts and Cusquena paintings in the area. Also around San Blas – and many other tourist spots – you will find locals dressed in traditional garb sometimes with llamas. You can have your picture taken with them... for a fee. Usually a tip of one Soles is sufficient. One note about these "photo ops" – while we were at San Blas, a van of cops suddenly arrived and took one of the handlers and her llama away. I’m not sure if it is illegal to "exploit" the llama or if it is just illegal to hang around San Blas like a vendor. The strangest part of the story is that coming back from the Sacred Valley that afternoon we saw the same person – the handler – walking around in another part of the city. All’s well that ends well I guess.
The nearby Urubamba River Valley is often referred to by the Peruvians as El Valle Sagrado or The Sacred Valley. Filled with opportunities for activities such as shopping at the famous market at Pisac, white-water rafting down the Urubamba and visiting more Inca ruins, a lesser known activity that is worth pursuing is having a relaxed lunch at Casa Hacienda Orihuela. The hacienda is owned by a local art collector and he has converted part of his home into a restaurant with many of his artworks on display – retablos, pucara bulls, pottery, furniture, anitques and paintings. The hacienda also has a beautifully lush garden and a breathtaking view of the Sacred Valley below. One quick and efficient way to tour the area and have lunch at Casa Orihuela is to have the Lima Tours travel agency – one of the few agencies who can make reservations at the Hacienda – arrange lunch and transportation. To and from the Hacienda, you can tour the valley and make quick stops just for pictures at all the ruins, an alpaca farm and the market at Pisac. Just make sure you tell the agency that you want to make quick stops so that the car can pick you up a little earlier.
A scenic train ride from Cuzco brings you to the town of Aguas Caliente at the base of the mountains where Machu Picchu is located. This small town will almost invariably be full of tourists and thus has many choices for lodgings and food. This town’s railroad station was also the site of the big landslide in mid-April this year that shut down the rail lines and stranded many visitors for several days.
Our hotel of choice at Aguas Caliente was the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel which was an excellent hotel that featured an "orchid trail" and scores of hummingbirds which are native to the area. If you really want to pull out the stops and maximize your time at Machu Picchu the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is a very expensive hotel right outside the entrance to the ruins. Its biggest advantage is the opportunity to enjoy the ruins at your leisure and being able to view it during sunrise or sunset.
There are two ways to visit Machu Picchu – either a day trip from Cuzco or with an overnight stay at one of the many hotels. I would suggest an overnight stay for several reasons. The train ride is several hours. It is not only tiring but more importantly, it cuts down your time at Aguas Caliente and Machu Picchu. You will arrive at the ruins about noon time when it is hottest and together with a lot of other tourists. The time you will have before you need to catch the train back to Cuzco will be insufficient either to completely explore Machu Picchu or the also interesting town of Aguas Caliente. If you stay overnight, you can stay at the ruins while most of the visitors have made their way back to the train station.