Top Reasons to Go

Alpaca Clothing: Nothing says "Cusco" quite like a sweater, shawl, poncho, or scarf woven from the hair of the alpaca.

Andean Cuisine: Where else in the world will you find roasted cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca steaks rubbing shoulders on fine-dining menus?

Inca Architecture: Wonder at the ability of the Inca to construct stone walls so precisely, using 15th-century technology, and to position a temple so it would be illuminated best at the exact moment of the solstice.

Layered Religion: Take a closer look at the walls—every Catholic church was built on the site, and often the foundation, of an Inca huaca, or sacred place.

Hotels with History: Many Cusco hotels are former convents, monasteries, dwellings of sacred women, or palaces of Spanish conquerors.

Sacred Playground: The Sacred Valley is an adventurer's playground for hiking, biking, rafting, and even stand-up paddleboarding.