The hook
The ancient capital of the Inca empire, the "navel of the world," where Spanish colonial churches and mansions were built directly on top of masterful Inca stonework, gateway to a valley strewn with ruins and Machu Picchu beyond.
01Why it's worth it
Cusco was the heart of the Inca empire, the largest state in the pre-Columbian Americas, and it remains one of the most beautiful and history-laden cities on the continent. The Spanish tried to erase the Inca capital by building their own city on its foundations, and the result is a striking fusion: baroque churches and arcaded plazas rising on immense, precisely-fitted Inca walls whose stones interlock so perfectly that, centuries and earthquakes later, a knife blade still won't slip between them, seen at its finest at the Qorikancha temple and the great fortress of Sacsayhuamán above town. Beyond the city, the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba river unfolds a landscape of terraced Inca ruins (the fortress-town of Ollantaytambo, the terraces and market of Pisac, the salt pans of Maras, the circular terraces of Moray), Andean villages, and living Quechua culture, all leading toward the great climax of Machu Picchu. Cusco is also simply a wonderful place to be, with excellent food, crafts, and atmosphere, though it sits high, so acclimatisation matters.
02How to experience it
Spend your first days acclimatising gently in Cusco itself, exploring the Inca-colonial streets, Qorikancha, and Sacsayhuamán. Then work down the Sacred Valley, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Maras and Moray, staying in the valley (lower and easier on the lungs), before continuing to Machu Picchu. Respect the altitude and the living Andean culture.
From the locals
The two things travellers insist on are altitude and pacing. "I live in Denver and spend a fair amount of time in the Rocky Mountains, and I really felt the altitude in Cusco," one wrote — the city sits higher than Machu Picchu itself — recommending several nights lower down in the Sacred Valley first. The valley towns turn out to be the quiet reward: "Pisac and Ollantaytambo were both excellent and way less crowded." Of the city, another simply said: "Cusco, and all of the historical atmosphere there — I loved walking through the streets."