day 12: Cusco and its surrounding areas.
Finally in Cusco, the center of the world for the Quechuas, the capital city of the Inca Empire, classed as a Human legacy city, has preserved its historic city centre with its cobbled streets and perfectly carved stone walls.
Visit the Plaza de Armas.Testimony of the architectural mastery of the Incas and the spanish, you will have the opportunity to discover the stone at the 12 corners, an Inca construction where the stones are perfectly intertwined, which raises many questions.
Visit the impressive colonial cathedral, built from 1559 till about 1659. between the Triumph and the Sacred Family Churches, making an architectural complex full of history.
Way to the Gold's temple, or Q'oricancha, from quechua; then discover the foundations of the monastery of Santo Domingo as well as the colonial church.
You will also have the opportunity to discover the city's main market, San Pedro, which is still in full swing. This is the most important market in the city, and you can find fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers; the ideal opportunity to immerse yourself in the local atmosphere! The discovery of all the spices and exotic fruits will delight young and old alike.
Lunch on your own in Cusco.
Discover the main archaeological sites around Cusco, the most famous of which is the fortress of Saqsayhuaman, a site designed to protect the city. The walls of this site were made with huge blocks of stone. To build the whole site, it took about fifty years and more than forty thousand hands! For more than 500 years, this site has remained unchanged.
During the visit, also the ceremonial baths of Tambomachay, dedicated to the worship of water and the gods. Then your journey will continue with the visit of the fortress of Puka Pukara, with its pinkish colours at sunset, as well as the ceremonial site of Q'enko, a place of worship for the Incas where sacrifices, including the mummification of the Incas nobles, were made. (visits to the 4 sites last about 2 hours)
Dinner on your own in Cusco.
Overnight in a hotel in Cusco.
Steps:
Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu PicchuThe cathedral of CuscoCuscoPlaza de Armas de CuscoPuka PukaraQ'enqoSaqsayhuamanTambomachay
