Cusco Peru Overview:
- Location: South East of the Country.
- Area: 72 104 km2.
- Capital: Cusco (3360 masl)
- Altitude
Minimum: 532 masl (Pilcopata)
Maximum: 4801 masl (Suyckutambi)
Cusco:
Inca walls, colorful costumes, churches built on top of palaces, citadels lost in the Andean heights, legendary roads -all the beauty of a glorious past that enfolds the visitor who arrives in Cusco, the sacred city of the Incas and archaeological capital of the Americas. Ever since US archaeologist Hiram Bingham discovered the citadel of Machu Pichu for the world, Cusco has fired the imagination of thousands of travelers from all over the world who venture down the Inca Trail every year headed for the summit of one of the world's most extraordinary monuments.
The city of Cusco, however, features many other attractions which by themselves would be enough to attract visitors: the main square, which the Incas called Huacaypata, the artisans quarter of San Blas, the Convent of Santo Domingo, built on top of the Temple of the Sun or Korikancha, the palaces of the Inca and his court, part of a long list of archaeological wonders.
There are also several circuits on the outskirts of town, which usually include the imposing ruins of Sacsayhuaman or Tambomachay. Visitors can also take part in all kinds of adventure sports and participate in the most spectacular religious festivals on the continent. Celebrations include Qoyllur Rit΄i, which is held at 4,000 meters, the Corpus Christi procession and the famous Inti Raymi spectacle.
With its bustling nightlife, Cusco is also a magical city of dizzying excitement. Together with its rich archaeological legacy which is to be found on practically every street corner, its cultural scene makes the sacred city of the Incas the most spectacular destination in the Americas.
Access Routes
By land:
Lima Arequipa Cusco: 1650 km / 1025 miles (26 hours by car)
Lima Nasca Puquio Abancay Cusco: 1131 km / 703 miles (20 hours by car)
Puno Cusco: 389 km / 242 miles (7 hours by car)
By air:
By train:
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