Travel to Cuzco with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Cuzco with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

Known as the archaeological capital of the Americas, Cuzco (also spelled Cusco) is also the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent. This fascinating and impressive city boasts streets lined with Inca-built stone walls and is home to Quecha-speaking descendants of the Incas. Cuzco is also the jumping-off point for visits to the incredible site of Machu Picchu.

Getting there

you can get to Cuzco easily by plane from Lima in just one hour. During the high season, flights arrive dozens of times a day from Lima, as well as from Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado and La Paz. Aeropuerto Internacional Velasco Astete is five kilometres from Cuzco. The 20-minute ride into town can be taken by taxi or private hotel car. For those arriving by rail, there are services from Puno, Arequipa, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, among others. Alternatively, you can get here by bus from Lima, Arequipa, Puno/Juliaca, and Puerto Maldonado in the Amazon basin. The journey from Lima takes 26 hours; from Puno, 9 to 10 hours; and from Arequipa, 12 hours.

Key attractions in Cuzco

Of course, the main attraction here is the ruins. Qoricancha-Templo del Sol and Santo Domingo come together as a fascinating site, as the temple of one culture sits atop and encloses the other. Sacsayhuamán is an imposing fortress on a hill overlooking the city. La Catedral is another worthy sight and is built on the site of the palace of the Inca Viracocha. Inside, there are more than 400 canvasses of the Escuela Cusqueña that were painted from the 16th to 18th centuries, as well as spectacular woodcarvings.

Museo de Arte Precolombino is a museum you will not want to miss. It contains a massive collection of pre-Columbian works, as well as gold and silver handicrafts, jewellery, ceramics, and other artefacts from ancient cultures, including the Incas. The Museo de Arqueológia, which contains jewellery, pottery, textiles and mummies.

Out and about in Cuzco

the best day excursion of the area is to Machu Picchu, an important and impressive archaeological site. It’s also possible to see Sacred Valley villages and famed markets, particularly Pisac and Chinchero. Tipon is 23kms southeast of Cuzco and is noted for its well-preserved agricultural terracing, as well as its baths, temple complex, and irrigation canals and aqueducts – all created by the Incas. Pikillacta and Rumicolca are pre-Inca and Inca ruins that lie just 38kms southeast of Cuzco.

Leisure options

Cuzco has a vibrant nightlife contained around the Plaza de Armas and comprised mainly of young backpackers with a good splash of locals. Shoppers will want to head to the barrio of San Blas, the streets right around the Plaza de Armas, and Plaza Regocijo.

Safety

visitors should take it easy for the first few hours of a visit here in order to adjust to the elevation (3,400m). Altitude sickness can cause shortness of breath, intense headaches and nausea. Some hotels provide oxygen tanks for assisted breathing. At night, there have been some violent muggings on empty streets and visitors should remain alert. Taking out travel insurance is advised.

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