According to the legend, Cusco, the sacred city and capital of the Tahuantinsuyo empire, was founded around the eleventh and twelfth century AD by Inca Manco Cápac, who emerged from Lake Titicaca.
Cusco was the center of government of four large administrative regions of the Inca empire that extended over most of what is now Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.
The Inca society was an admirable example of political and social organization. The Incas possessed vast knowledge in the areas of architecture, hydraulics, medicine and agriculture.
On March 23rd, 1534, Francisco Pizarro founded a Spanish city upon the foundations of the Inca buildings which makes Cusco a typical example of cultural fusion, which has also inherited invaluable monuments and works of art.
Important insurrections against Spanish domination took place in Colonial Cusco such as the ones led by José Gabriel Condorcanqui (Túpac Amaru II) in 1 780, the Angulo brothers in 1 813 and Mateo Pumacahua in 1 814.
In 1 911, American investigator Hiram Bingham discovered the impressive Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Today, tourism and agriculture are Cusco’s main economic activities.

The Main Square (Plaza de Armas)
Known in Inca times as Huacaypata or the Warrior's Square, this was the scene for many key events in Cusco's history. It was here that the Inty Raymi or Sun Feast was hosted every year; and it was also here that Francisco Pizarro declared the conquer of Cusco. With the arrival of the Spaniards, the square was fringed by beautiful stone arches which remain in place to this day.

The Cathedral
Main Square.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 8:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00.
It was originally built on the site of the old temple of Sunturwasi (House of God), in what is now the El Triunfo church. It was built later on the top of the Palace of Inca Wiracocha. Its façade and interior were both built in Renaissance style. The interior is decorated with cedar and alder wood carvings. To be noted are the carvings by Martín Torres and Melchor Huamán. Of particular value are the choir, the pulpit, the engravings in the altars and furniture. Other highlights include the paintings by important artists and embossed silver work.

San Blas Quarter
Located 4 blocks from the Main Square.
One of the most picturesque quarters in Cusco, known as the Craftmen´s District, it houses the city's most important popular artists. Colonial constructions of great charm are built along Its narrow, steep streets. There are family accommodations for tourists who are allowed to share the well-known hospitality and friendship of the Andean people as well as their customs and food.

La Compañía de Jesús Church
Main Square, beside the Cathedral.
Visits: Monday to Sunday 6:00-9:00 and 18:00-21:00.
Formerly known as Amaru Cancha (The Snake's Fence), the palace of Inca Huayna Cápac is a splendid stone building. The splendid temple houses paintings such as the one depicting the wedding of a nephew of Saint Ignatius of Loyola with a native princess.

Amaru Cancha
Main Square.
No admittance.
The former name of this street was Intiquijllu. It was here that Inca Huayna Cápac lived. The area is partially occupied by the Church of la Compañía de Jesús and the San Antonio de Abad University.

La Merced Church and Convent
Calle Mantas.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 8:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00.
Founded in 1 536, it has a beautiful Baroque stonework cloister. The sacristy houses a monstrance made of gold and precious stones.

Santo Domingo Church and Convent / Koricancha
Corner of Av. El Sol and calle Santo Domingo.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 8:00-17:00.
Spanish construction belonging to the Dominican Order built upon the foundations of the Inca temple of Koricancha or Temple of the Sun.
Koricancha (in quechua, site of gold) was the main religious building of the Incas dedicated to the worship of the Sun and whose walls, according to the chroniclers, were plated with sheets of gold. Magnificent blocks of finely carved stone were used in its construction.

Santa Catalina Church and Convent
Calle Santa Catalina Angosta.
Visits: during Mass hours.
Its architecture belongs to the last stages of Renaissance with the presence of Roman-style arch.

Acllawasi
Calle Loreto.
Visits: during Santa Catalina Convent's Mass hours.
House of the Virgins of the Sun. This place served as home for selected women.

San Blas Church
Plazoleta San Blas.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 14:00-17:30.
The oldest parish church in Cusco, San Blas is located in the Craftsmen's quarter. Its impressive pulpit is an outstanding example of woodcarving in pure Spanish Baroque style.

San Francisco Church and Convent
Plaza San Francisco.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 14:00-17:00.
The convent houses a huge 12 m x 9 m painting by Juan Espinoza de los Monteros showing the Franciscan family tree.

The Archbishop's Palace
Corner of calle Hatun Rumiyoc and Jr. Herrajes.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 8:00-11:00 and 15:00-17:30.
At present a religious art museum, this colonial construction with Arab influence was built upon the foundations of the palace of emperor Inca Roca

The Admiral's Palace
Calle Cuesta del Almirante 153.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 8:00-17:00.
Seat of the Inca museum that houses a large variety of archaeological remains found in the Cusco area including pottery, textiles, gold and silver articles and Inca mummies.

The House of the Four Busts
Calle San Agustín 400.
No admittance.
Colonial-style mansion which shows in its façade four busts, a coat of arms and a small shield.

House of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega
Calle Heladeros s/n.
Visits: Monday to Saturday 8:00-17:30
This house belonged to the renowned chronicler. Built over an Inca terrace, it is a unique example of colonial architecture. At present, the seat of the Regional Historical Museum, the house keeps paintings from the colonial Cusco School.

Kiswar Kancha
Located in the Main Square.
No admittance.
Beside the church of la Compañía de Jesús. It was the home of Inca Huiracocha.

Hatunrumiyoc
Calle Hatun Rumiyoc.
No admittance.
Two blocks from the Main Square. It was the home of Inca Roca and one of its walls, which faces the street of the same name, features the famous 12-cornered stone.

HISTORICAL SANCTUARY OF MACHU PICCHU
This stone citadel located 112 km from Cusco, was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1 911. The citadel was built on a very special spot covered in vegetation between two mountains: the Machu Picchu (old mountain) and Huayna Picchu (young mountain), at the foot of which meanders the Urubamba or Vilcanota river (lower jungle featuring abundant flora and fauna).

The site comprises military constructions, plazas, temples and agricultural terraces. The citadel can be reached by train (3-4 hours) or by helicopter (25 minutes flight), plus a 20 minute bus ride. It is possible to walk along the Inca Trail, one of the most famous trekking routes in Peru, starting from km 88 of the railway up to the citadel. Organized groups depart from the town of Chilca, at km 76 of the railway.

Sacsayhuamán
At 2 km and about 10 minutes drive or 25 minutes walk from Cusco, this huge Inca fortress is built on three overlapping platforms, each of them over 360 m long. These platforms are connected by stone stairways and access doors, one of which is 9 m high and 5 m wide.

Kenko
At 3 km and about 15 minutes drive from Cusco, it is said to have been a worship site. There is a huge 5,9 m high stone block that looks like a puma. There are also passages, canals and stairways with stone engravings representing animals.

Puca Pucará
At 6 km and about 30 minutes drive or 2 h walk from Cusco, it was an administrative and military center formed by terraces, stairways, passages, turrets and vaulted niches

Tambomachay
At 7 km and about 35 minutes drive from Cusco. Known as the Inca Baths, this site was meant for the cult of water.

THE SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS
The Valley of the Urubamba or Vilcanota river; the valley includes the following towns:

Pisaq
At 32 km and just 1 h drive from Cusco, this town is very reputed for its market fair, its irrigation system and astronomic observatory. Other highlights include the Intiwatana and the terraces.

Yucay
At 68 km and 1 h 30 minutes drive from Cusco on a beautiful fertile and tempered-climate valley. Some highlights of this locality include the Palace of Inca Manco Sairy Túpac Segundo. Yucay was an important Inca agricultural production center.

Calca
At 50 km and about one hour's drive from Cusco, Calca attracts visitors because of its beautiful landscapes enhanced by the Pitusiray and Sawasiray snow-capped mountains. This province houses the archaeological complex of Huchuy Qosqo, the thermal-medicinal baths of Machacancha (sulphur baths) and Minasmoqo (cold carbonated waters).

Urubamba
At 78 km and about 1 h 25 minutes drive from Cusco following the Pisaq route, and 57 km and about 45 minutes drive following the Chinchero route, this town is located in the heart of the Sacred Valley. It was another pre-Hispanic agriculture center. A fertile and friendly zone where it is possible to stay overnight to start several excursions.

Ollantaytambo
Archaeological park at 97 km, and two-and-a-half hours drive from Cusco. The Ollantaytambo area, known as Valle de Tambo, spreads along the bank of the Vilcanota river up to Machu Picchu, featuring multi-colored fields of maize crops.

Oropesa
At 24 km southwest of Cusco and about 30 minutes drive from the city. It could be called the Land of Bread due to its many ancient domestic ovens still used for making an excellent farm-style bread.

Piquillacta
These ruins belonging to the Wari (pre-Inca) culture are located 30 km south of Cusco, about 45 minutes drive. The site was built to fend off military attacks and as a produce warehouse.

Andahuaylillas
Located 39 km south of Cusco and just 1 h drive, its church was founded in 1 580. Its simple façade is in sharp contrast with the expressive richness of the Colonial Baroque art found inside (gold-leaf-covered altars, frescoes, paintings and polychromed ceilings).

CHINCHERO, MARAS CIRCUIT
Chinchero
Located 28 km from Cusco at 3 772 masl, this Inca archaeological complex has also a Colonial church with paintings from the Cusqueña School. Barter is a common activity in Its typical Sunday market.

Maras
Located 48 km north of Cusco and about one hour's drive, Maras was a very prosperous community in Colonial times and has a church and several big houses bearing the coats of arms of indian noblemen. The population is engaged in farming and irrigation activities, particularly sowing and harvesting.

Moray
Located 9 km from Maras and about 25 minutes drive, Moray, an experimental Inca farming station, features slightly elliptical terraces.

Salineras (Salt Pans)
Located 10 km from the town of Maras and about 30 minutes drive or 2 h walk, these famous salt mines have been exploited since Inca times.

Cusco is characterized by its various folklore expressions, notably the dance of the Chunchos, the Qollas, the Carnival of Cusco, the Dance of the Doctorcitos, the Dance of the Negritos, the Contradanza, the Saqra K'achampa, the Saqsa chilenos, the Panadero, among others.

Cusco's textiles date back from ancient times, as well as its ceramics. The artisans of the District of San Blas, among them, the Mendivil's with their peculiar religious images, Edilberto Mérida with his sculptures, Antonio Olave and Gregorio Béjar with their Niños Manuelitos enjoy general recognition in art circles.

Food forms part of the friendly atmosphere found by tourists. Chicherías and picanterías are no longer private sites for Cusqueños and, as everything in the city, they are now centers of attraction.
The typical dishes include:
- Kapchi (lima bean or mushroom casserole or soup with potatoes, milk, eggs and cheese.)
- Chicharrón con mote (pork cracklings served with separated mature corn or maize kernels.)
- Humitas (steamed sweet corn dough stuffed with cinnamon and raisins, wrapped in maize leaves).
- Tamales (steamed corn dough stuffed with meat, wrapped in banana leaves).
- Chuño cola (a soup based on meat, rice, chickpeas and chuño or potato flour).
- Lawa (soup based on fresh corn, lima beans, dry chili peper and a variety of mint known as huacatay.)
- Adobo (pork marinated with chicha and species, cooked in a covered saucepan).
- Olluco con carne (casserole based on ollucos and cured llama meat).

Qoyllority (May)
Traditional and solemn Andean-Catholic festivity, it is a mass pilgrimage to snow-capped mountains, including a procession and benediction, folkloric dances and bands of musicians, fireworks, symbolic market of Alacitas. This festivity takes place at 4 000 masl.

Corpus Cristi (June)
Solemn procession of the monstrance and the images of the 16 patrons accompanied by bands of musicians and folkloric groups and gastronomical specialties such as Chiri uchu or Llaqway uchu. One of the most important religious festivities of the year.

Inti Raymi (June)
The Sun Festival is held on the impressive Fortress of Sacsayhuamán. The celebration includes a performance to show gratitude to the God Sun. Several cult and appreciation activites are carried out during the entire celebration and when the sun is on the west, the Inca orders withdrawal.

Nuestra Señora del Carmen (July)
Traditional presentation of 16 folkloric dances with a special program by every group of dancers. It is considered the best folkloric expression in the region.

Santuranticuy (December)
Handicrafts fair held in Cusco's Main Square. During this event, Artists, following the tradition of Andean fairs, spread their blankets out on the sidewalks to display their products. Here tourists can find all types of handicrafts such as wood carvings, ceramics and altarpieces.