Cusco
Price $49
Min age 0
Rating 4.25 / 5 [91 ratings]
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Travel bucket list idea:
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru
This ruined Inca fortress and ceremonial centre to the sun perches over Cusco – with magnificent views of the city from its massive walls. The masonry boggles the mind: boulders weighing hundreds of tons cut into strange geometric shapes – transported without the use of the wheel – are jigsaw-pieced together without cement or metal tools.
The ruins represent just a fifth of its original mass. Even so, it’s an imposing sight: a series of tri-level ramparts hundreds of metres long and overlooking a vast field. The scale of some boulders is truly monumental, a testament to the ingenuity of Inca masonry.
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Cusco
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Sacsayhuaman stands on a large plain that overlooks Cusco.
Get there Inca-style by making the steep, 30-minute hike up an old roadway from Cusco centre. The trail begins at the north-western end of Calle Pumacurco, through the narrow, mansion-lined streets of atmospheric San Blas.
It’s straightforward to walk around the ruins self-guided (information is available from the tourist office on Plaza de Armas – Portal Harinas 177), but a guided tour is far more rewarding (guides available through the tourist office).
It’s open all year round, seven days a week. Ideally, visit mid-afternoon, when the ruins are bathed in golden light and tourists are leaving. Avoid after dark when the location attracts thieves.