Cusco - Peru
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Cusco
Cusco is a city in Peru located in the southeast of the Valley of Huatanay or Sacred Valley of the Incas, in the Andes region, with a population of about 300,000. It is the capital of the department of Cusco and the province of Cusco.
Cusco is a very high city (with 3400 meters altitude). Its name means "navel" in the Quechua language. It was the most important administrative and cultural center of the Tahuantinsuyu, or Inca Empire. Legends attribute the foundation of Cusco to the Inca Manco Capac in the eleventh or twelfth century. The granite walls of the Inca palace are still there, as well as monuments like the Korikancha, or Temple of the Sun.
Cusco is a beautiful city full of contrasts between indigenous styles and the modern western world. It is these contrasts that gave Cusco its rare beauty. Most visitors are eager to get to Machu Picchu, either by walking for 4 days along the Inca Trail or by 4 hours by train, but Cusco itself has a lot to offer the visitor and most travelers end up seduced by this vibrant city and stay longer than planned the first time.
Cusco is a very high city (with 3400 meters altitude). Its name means "navel" in the Quechua language. It was the most important administrative and cultural center of the Tahuantinsuyu, or Inca Empire. Legends attribute the foundation of Cusco to the Inca Manco Capac in the eleventh or twelfth century. The granite walls of the Inca palace are still there, as well as monuments like the Korikancha, or Temple of the Sun.
Cusco is a beautiful city full of contrasts between indigenous styles and the modern western world. It is these contrasts that gave Cusco its rare beauty. Most visitors are eager to get to Machu Picchu, either by walking for 4 days along the Inca Trail or by 4 hours by train, but Cusco itself has a lot to offer the visitor and most travelers end up seduced by this vibrant city and stay longer than planned the first time.
Tourism
Just ask for any tourist that visits Cusco and most will answer that the main purpose of the trip to this city of southeastern Peru is the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. Perhaps it is because of this rival so famous that the ancient capital of the Inca empire is one of the Peruvian destinations with the best tourist infrastructure in the country. But stop just a little more, walk through the alleyways and mysterious stone alleyways, to understand why the city was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Located 3,399 meters above sea level, Cusco houses colonial constructions of Andean baroque style erected on remains of Inca buildings, as is the case of almost all the churches, observed by thousands of visitors from all corners of the planet. From the Inca past the most imposing legacy are the ruins of the fortress of Sacsayhuamán and the Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, a celebration at the winter solstice, celebrated on June 24.
Tip: Be sure to get a tourist pass to access various museums and archaeological sites. It comes cheaper than buying the tickets separately.
Tip: Be sure to get a tourist pass to access various museums and archaeological sites. It comes cheaper than buying the tickets separately.
Gastronomy
The usual places to try Cusco's food are the traditional restaurants called chicherias and picanterias, where you can eat typical dishes.
From the famous Cebiche, the Chinguirito, the Parihuela or the fish suckling, through the carapulcra, the cau-cau or the tacu-tacu of African American origin, until the Chicken Aji, Lomo saltado or the rice with duck previously prepared in the colony, Peruvian cuisine will impress you.
From the famous Cebiche, the Chinguirito, the Parihuela or the fish suckling, through the carapulcra, the cau-cau or the tacu-tacu of African American origin, until the Chicken Aji, Lomo saltado or the rice with duck previously prepared in the colony, Peruvian cuisine will impress you.
Weather
Cusco has a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwb). Its climate is generally dry and temperate, with two defined seasons. The dry season lasts from April to October, with abundant sunshine, and occasional nighttime freezes: July is the coolest month with an average of 9.6 ° C (49.3 ° F). The wet season lasts from November to March, with night frost less common: November averages 13.4 ° C (56.1 ° F). Although frost and hail are common, snow is virtually unheard of. The only snowfall ever recorded was in June 1911.
Cusco was found in 2006 to be the spot on Earth with the highest ultraviolet light level.
Cusco was found in 2006 to be the spot on Earth with the highest ultraviolet light level.
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