Atejade: 20.05.2023
Cusco is a major destination of our trip and we're finally here. The capital of the Incas is located in the middle of the Andes at 3,500m and was once the center of the ancient Inca Empire. Like Rome, Cusco is full of history and remnants can be found everywhere. Known for their brilliant architecture, the Incas developed a special style that is not only beautiful to look at but has also been preserved to this day. Almost all buildings in the old town are built on the ancient Inca walls. These walls are made of different sizes of stones without mortar, which are precisely cut and stacked on top of each other with incredible precision. Not even a sheet of paper fits between the individual stones. They also withstand the many earthquakes through this unique construction.
Cusco is a wonderful city that has everything the heart desires. In addition to its very interesting history, there is also a lot of culture to enjoy. We visited the Maximo Laura Museum, where you can admire remarkable art. Huge pictures woven from colorful alpaca wool, which depict many myths of the region.
Shopping is also not neglected here. In every alley you can find small shops that advertise products from the region. If you want, you can dress from head to toe in alpaca wool. The alpacas live high in the Andes, are related to llamas, and are known for their particularly cuddly and warm wool. After much searching, we also found the perfect sweaters for ourselves.
In the winding streets of the old town or the adjacent San Blas district (where our accommodation was), there are also countless nice cafes and restaurants. The cafes easily compete with Viennese cafes, which was a special surprise for us. In the afternoon, a really good coffee with a delicious cake, what could be better? South America has not really been a culinary highlight so far, but Cusco has also surprised us here, as there are many restaurants offering a healthy, international cuisine. However, they also offer a very interesting regional cuisine. A special delicacy here is the guinea pig (called Cuy), which we of course had to try.
As you can already tell, we really like it here. You can really lose track of time when strolling through the picturesque streets and enjoying the culinary offerings. We were also very lucky with the weather and it mostly showed itself from the sunny side, perfect for exploring the city.