Cuzco: The archaeological capital of the Americas

I absolutely adore Cuzco and spent some of the best times of my trip in this city. I also spent longer here than anywhere else…more than a month in fact.

Cuzco is definitely the archaeological capital of the Americas. As the heart of the once grand Inca empire, the magnificent city of Cuzco is at the top of most traveller’s list. The city is a beautiful colonial place built on hefty stone foundations of the Incas. Massive Inca-built walls line steep, narrow cobblestone streets and the plazas are many and beautiful.

The city is an absolute tourist mecca with hundreds of hotels in all price ranges, restaurants, bars, clubs, yoga places, health shops, regular shops,massage parlours, markets. It is an absolutely fantastic place to be a tourist and spend a long time.

The city is also an excursion point for many amazing sites: Machu Picchu, Qorikancha, Saqsaywaman, Q’enqo, Tambomachay & Pukapukara, the Sacred Valley, Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero…just to give you a few recommendations 🙂

So as you can see you need to reserve a good deal of time for Cuzco and the surrounding areas. They are AMAZING!

Podcast: South Peru – Colcan Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Cusco & Machu Picchu

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This podcast is second in a series of two podcasts I’ve made in Southern Peru. (Listen to part one here)

Podcast: South Peru - Lake Titicaca, Cusco & Machu Picchu

It begins in Colca Canyon, where I go Condor spotting before heading up to Puno (3,800m) on Lake Titicaca – the highest navigable lake in the world. At Lake Titicaca I visit the floating islands and Taquile island. Following this I get the bus to Cusco, ancient capital of the Inca empire, where I visit some of the Inca ruins around Cusco and within the Sacred Valley of the Incas – including Pisac and Ollantaytambo. I finish the podcast at Machu Picchu, perched precariously on top of Huayna Picchu and feeling highly emotional whilst looking down on the most famous of all ancient Incan ruins.

Links

Podcast: South Peru – Lima, Nazca & Arequipa
Photos of Colca Canyon
Video of Colca Canyon and Condors
Photos of Lake Titicaca
Photos of Cusco
Photos of Ollantaytambo Inca Ruins
Photos of Machu Picchu