An Introduction to Cusco

The historic capital of the Inca Empire is one of those magical places where past and present coexist peacefully, and the successive layers of its unique evolution mingle in all aspects of everyday life. Cusco's long-lasting appeal stems from the legacy of its ancient inhabitants -both Inca and Conquistador-, as well as from the dynamic and cosmopolitan input of modern day mestizo culture.

The ancient cobblestone streets, Inca walls, and colonial-baroque buildings, indeed, stage many sophisticated restaurants and lively bars, innovative artisan studios and lovely handicrafts shops, resulting in a cultural life comparable to that of many big metropolis.

Not in vain Cusco has been considered the best tourist destination worldwide by Wanderlust magazine (The Wanderlust Travel Awards 2005), a distinction that the ancient Inca city has obtained four times since 1999.

According to the legend, the first Inca Manco Cápac founded Cusco in the exact point where he could effortlessly sink a golden stick in the ground. The city soon became the capital of South America's most important civilization, epicentre of the empire's cultural, political, and military life. Cusco derives from the Quechua word qosco, meaning bellybutton. Indeed, the city was the bellybutton of the Inca's known world, centre of an empire that stretched from Ecuador to the north of Argentina, comprising large areas of Bolivia and Chile.

In 1534, after the battle of Sacsayhuamán, chief-conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the Spanish city over the Inca original. Many buildings and monuments were demolished; the new city, though, due to the faultless engineering of the natives, was built upon the very foundations of the Inca city. A peculiar outcome of this approach is the Santo Domingo church, built over the foundations of Qoricancha, the pagan Temple of the Sun.

Modern day Cusco features both Inca ruins -such as the fortress of Sacsayhuamán or the Qoricancha temple- and colonial baroque churches and mansions. Furthermore, it is the gateway to the mysterious and magnificent citadel of Machu Picchu, and to the colourful villages and many attractions of the Urubamba valley. The latter, best known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas, is a concentrate of Inca monuments, breathtaking natural landscapes, and perfect mountain trails and rivers for the practice of adventure sports.

If you want a good piece of advice, plan at least a week in Cusco and the surroundings. There are plenty world-class attractions, and not only archaeological. The nature is beautiful, people most friendly, food mouth-watering, and prices affordable. You will love the place.