Discover Cusco : Neighborhoods of Cusco

Plant yourself in the heart of the Plaza de Armas at night, look up and you will inevitably fall under the magic of Cusco with its thousands of lights that sparkle on the hills that frame the city. Located at 3400 meters of altitude, the ancient Inca capital has kept a strongly marked identity where the Andean essence is palpable. Cusco it is a little the postcard that we have in head when we imagine his trip in Peruvian lands. It is not rare to see there peasants in traditional dress and even a baby llama to pose for the photo. The mountains of the Andes Mountains surround the city and the intense blue sky is often combined with cold nights. The city has grown to about 450,000 inhabitants, but the historic heart is relatively compact and easy to explore on foot once you adapt to the altitude. One advice: get lost, wander around, explore. Cusco has a unique wealth.

Historic centre and lower town

The lower city, organized around the Plaza de Armas and its cathedral, is rich in Inca walls, churches, and countless colonial casonas with tiled roofs and carved wooden balconies. You can explore as far as the Plaza Regocijo or San Francisco, without forgetting the very touristy San Pedro central market. Note the recent hotel boom in the Santa Ana district, which has been populated by youth hostels.

These are the streets that house most of the city's heritage and you can walk through them in all directions. The Avenida El Sol, bordered by the Qorikancha to the south and its extension, Calle Saphy, forms a main artery in the heart of the historic centre, but you should not hesitate to get lost in the small parallel cobbled streets that make up the charm of the city. Calle Loreto, for example, is narrow and runs alongside the gardens and ruins of the Directorate of Culture. Obviously one cannot pass by the stone of the 7 angles located on the calle Hautunrumiyoc. We also love the Plaza Nazarenas, lined with the most prestigious hotels of the city and a very beautiful private museum, the MAP.

Finally, for those who love nightlife, the most lively streets after dark are formed by the rectangle of Procuradores, Tecsecocha and Plateros streets where bars and nightclubs open and close according to fashion.

San Blas

The friendly neighborhood of San Blas, higher up, also has its own characteristics. This corner of Cusco, which is reached through a maze of steep streets, is considered the artists' quarter: in fact, there are the workshops of sculptors, painters, ceramists or naïve artists. A visit to San Blas, its quiet square, is a must to complete the discovery of Cusco. The calles San Blas, Carmen Alto, Canchipata or Quiscapata are places to wander around and meditate. Overlooking the city, this artists' district with its numerous cafés and restaurants (a small Montmartre) has become a privileged place to stay, at all prices.

The higher you climb, the shorter you get, but you eventually get used to it and find your way around this charming maze. The calla Tandapata marks the lower part of the district with its Plaza and the more popular upper part. If you follow it along its length you will reach the gates of Saqsayhuman by the access called Sapantiana. If you have the time and the breath, it is not to be missed. Finally, you can go back down to the Templo San Cristobal, which offers from the square next to it or from its bell tower (if you pay the entrance fee) a bird's eye view of the city and its historic districts. In the distance, in front of you, you will contemplate the hills of Cusco and their small houses. The city extends well beyond in a more residential and urban version with the backdrop of the mountains and thousand-year-old peaks.