Cuzco & the Sacred Valley

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Peru, Cuzco Province, Cuzco, Inti Raymi, Festival of the Sun, an important Inca celebration that takes place every June 24 in the historic center and Saqsayhuaman, marking the winter solstice

Getty Images/Hemis.fr RM

Overview

For Incas, Cuzco was the belly button of the world. A visit to this city and its nearby ruins tumbles you back into the cosmic realm of ancient Andean culture – knocked down and fused with the colonial imprint of Spanish conquest, only to be repackaged as a thriving tourist center. The capital of Cuzco is only the gateway. Beyond lies the Sacred Valley, Andean countryside dotted with villages, high-altitude hamlets and ruins linked by trail and railway tracks to the continent's biggest draw – Machu Picchu.

01 / Attractions

Must-see attractions

Museo Inkariy
The Sacred Valley
This wonderful new museum takes visitors into the world of the fascinating pre-Colombian civilizations that came before the Inca. It acknowledges the…
Museo Machu Picchu
Cuzco
This newish museum exhibits 360 pieces from Machu Picchu taken by Hiram Bingham's expeditions and recently returned by Yale University, including stone…
Parque Arqueológico Choquequirao
Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Translating as 'Cradle of Gold,' this remote Incan site (3050m) in the Vilcabamba mountain range over the Apurimac canyon bears a strong resemblance to…
Cusco Planetarium
Cuzco
An excellent way to explore the fascinating Inca cosmovision. They defined constellations of darkness as well as light, used astronomy to predict weather…
La Catedral
Cuzco
A squatter on the site of Viracocha Inca’s palace, the cathedral was built using blocks pilfered from the nearby Inca site of Sacsaywamán. Its…
Qorikancha
Cuzco
If you visit only one Cuzco site, make it these Inca ruins forming the base of the colonial church and convent of Santo Domingo. Once the richest temple…
Sacsaywamán
Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
This immense ruin of both religious and military significance is the most impressive in the immediate area around Cuzco. The long Quechua name means …
Ollantaytambo Ruins
Ollantaytambo
Both fortress and temple, these spectacular Inca ruins rise above Ollantaytambo, making a splendid half-day trip. (Admission is via the boleto turístico…