With numerous B and C caliber sights in Cusco it can be hard to decide what to see on a short visit. Hopefully the descriptions below will give you an idea of what to put at the top of your list.
Ruins of Qorikancha
Lonely Planet recommends the ruins of Qorikancha as a must see. While I appreciate the setting and the idea of this Inka temple turned convent, the actual site was underwhelming compared to the many ruin sites around Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
Museo del Sitio del Qorikancha
We also took a quick spin through the Museo del Sitio del Qorikancha which it is included on the Cusco tourist ticket (see below) although the actual ruins are not. For the average tourist, the museum is not worth the effort except for the display of deformed skulls. Some Inkans’ skulls were deliberately deformed according to class – some elongated, others more elaborately shaped in the form of a heart.
Inka Museum
The Inka Museum, located just behind the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, was recommended to us by one of my Spanish teachers. Displays include a mix of Inkan artifacts from around the greater Cusco region, dioramas, and models of Machu Picchu and Choquequirau, a ruin site often called the little sister of Machu Picchu. Entrance is not included on the tourist ticket but the museum is still an interesting stop and worth the 10 sole ticket. I especially liked the recreation of the sealed vault of mummies containing plenty of nourishment for the afterlife.
No photos are allowed but this photo of the brochure picture gives an idea of the display.
Cusco Cathedral
Cusco Cathedral, included in the religious tourist ticket but not the regular tourist ticket, is an over the top example of colonial decoration. The enormous interior sparkles with tons of mirrors, silver and gold.
No photos are allowed but I snuck a photo of the iconic Last Supper with the guinea pig (cuy), a local delicacy, at the center of the table.
Around Town
Plaza de Armas
Around town – Plaza de Armas is one of the most pleasant, clean and lively plazas in South America, especially beautiful in the late afternoon light that shines on both the plaza’s cathedrals.
San Blas
The streets around San Blas, north of the Plaza de Armas, are worth exploring if not basing your stay in this gentile neighborhood.
Tourist Ticket
Many of Cusco’s sights and ruins are included on a tourist ticket (boleto turístico del Cusco), however some key sights are not included. It may be advantageous, therefore, to calculate what you want to see before you decide to buy the 130 sole ($40USD) ticket, good for 10 days from the date of purchase. If you are going to see any two of the ruin sites, Saqsayhuaman, Pisac, Tambomachay, Pukapukara, Qenqo, Ollantaytambo or Chinchero, it’s cheaper to buy the tourist ticket since entrance to each individual ruin costs 70 sole. However the Cathedral, Qorikancha and the Inka Museum are not included in this ticket. There is also a religious tourist ticket that may be a good value if you are interested in seeing more than one of Cusco’s churches. Machu Picchu is a separate ticket and not included on any of the combination tickets.
August 27-September 30, 2015
For links to all the posts in this series see the Peru page.
All of the sites in Cusco look amazing!