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Cuzco, Peru
Cuzco, Peru (cc)
Photo: Leon Petrosyan
Cuzco Travel Guide
Introduction
Cuzco, or Cusco, is the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, and the epicenter of the Andean Quechua culture. It has a monumental collection of Spanish colonial architecture in its historical center, set upon Inca ruins, and stone churches built by conquistadors and Spanish missionaries overlooking the city's central square, Plaza de Armas. There are shops laden with traditional Peruvian clothing and handicrafts, cuyerias serving roasted guinea pigs known as cuy, and fusion and neo-Andean restaurants where you can sample any of of 3,000 varieties of Andean potatoes and feast on Lomo Saltado – a dish of stir-fried beef tips served on a bed of rice and French fries – and wash it all down with the ubiquitous Inca Cola. The nightlife here is fast and furious, with bars and clubs rocking into the night. There are, besides, good museums and galleries, a contemporary financial district, Inca ruins on the periphery of town, remains of the ancient Inca city walls near Plaza de Armas, a temple dedicated to the sun, and festivities where locals in colorful Incan costumes celebrate life in this most historic of Peruvian cities, perched at an elevation of 11,200 feet (3,400 m) and long designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Location
Cuzco lies in the Watanay River Valley at the eastern end of the Knot of Cuzco in southern Peru, at an elevation of 11,200 feet (3,400 m).
- Cuzco Centre -
- Barrio de San Blas -
- Hatun Rumiyuq -
- Barrio de Santa Ana -
For places to eat In Cuzco, head over to Plaza de Armas in the city center where you can pick among cafés and restaurants and soak up some local flavor as well. Other than that, El Encuentro at Choquechaca 136 is popular among vegetarians, while Maikhana at the Galerias La Merced on Avenida El Sol 106 offers inexpensive, all-you-can-eat Indian buffets, and Korma Sutra, an unlikely Indian restaurant at Calle Tandapata 909, serves traditional vegetarian and chicken curries.
- Best Time to Visit: January-April
- Cost Per Day: S/.100-S/.300 (US$35-US$100)
- Currency: Peruvian Nuevo Sol PEN (US$1 ~ S/.2.8)
- Electricity: 220V - 60Hz | Sockets with 2 pins, 2 flat prongs, or 2 prongs and 1 pin
- Phone Code: +51 84
- Population: 360,000
- Offcial Website: www.municusco.gob.pe
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