The city of Cusco is one of Peru's most important - and most visited - travel destinations, and for good reason: this was the heart of the Inca Empire, a place where all the myth and legend of ancient Andean societies found their most visible and enduring expressions. And that legacy is everywhere; in the city's great ruins and the enormous stone walls that remain standing to this day, in the surrounding villages that have been continuously inhabited for countless centuries and in the faces of the Quechua-speaking locals - people who have seen empires come and go, while their culture and traditions remain as vibrant as ever.

But what what you won't read in most of the guides is that all is not necessarily well in this most popular of popular tourist hotspots. Cusco is a city inundated by visiting outsiders, flocking to experience the city's stunning architecture and its proximity to Peru's other major draw cards, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

Cusco is struggling under the strain of its own popularity and it is hugely important that visitors are mindful of their impact on the city, environment and culture that they are visiting. This covers the obvious: try to limit your environmental impact and not worsen the city's congestion problem by zipping around in taxis or small tour buses, ask before taking anyone's photograph and don't be surprised if your subject expects a Sol or two in return.

But also try to learn a little about the culture you're visiting before you arrive. Understand that indigenous Andean communities are often more conservative than Hispanic Peruvians and Westerners, and that for them, many of the must see tourist sights are actually deeply sacred places.

Your Peru Guide: Cusco Highlights In Pictures

The Plaza de Armas is Cusco's old colonial centre, dominated by the Cathedral and several churches. The Cathedral and the Church of the Companion of Jesus are well worth a visit, especially the Cathedral's collection of art from the Cusco School, a blending of indigenous and European influences that represents the cultural assimilation that took place here following the conquest.

The ruins of Saqsaywaman sit on a hilltop looking down over the city and are constructed of enormous stone blocks and impressive fortifications, making everyone assume the place was originally a military fortress. But recent discoveries have suggested the site was at least as important as a spiritual centre. Despite this, the jagged pattern of the walls are still recognisable as the fearsome jaguar teeth they were first intended to replicate.

The neighbourhood of San Blas rises up away from the centre on a steep hillside, and his home to a warren of winding cobbled streets, small squares and original colonial architecture. San Blas gets even more atmospheric at night when the area's bars come alive. Live music and drinks offers can be found in virtually any of the bars around the popular KM 0. They're all tried, tested and recommended.

Visiting Tips

Cusco is a high altitude city. Over 3,300 meters high. And that means very thin air for us sea-level dwellers, which can take several days getting used to. In fact, it's advisable to work your way up to this altitude and visit some of Peru's slightly lower sights first - Arequipa and the Sacred Valley are ideal. If you fly straight to Cusco from Lima, expect at least a tinge of soroche (altitude sickness) which can cause lethargy, headaches and vomiting. Don't overexert yourself, don't overindulge (especially with the booze), and feel free to try a mouthful of coca leaves, or at least some coca leaf tea, which really does help.

Most visitors to Cusco feel obliged to invest in the boleto turistico (tourist ticket) which is required for most of the city's museums and other sights. The ticket is expensive though, and although it is valid for ten days, most visitors staying in Cusco for a few days don't end up getting its full value. Only buy it if you want to visit all the sights that are included, and bear in mind that some of the city's best museums and other attractions (the ruins of Qorikancha, the Cathedral, the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art and the Inca Museum) are not included.

Saying that, the nearby ruins of Saqsaywaman and most sights in the Sacred Valley are all pretty much must-see places, and they're all included in the ticket, so the choice is yours.

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Visiting the Northern region of Peru along the Pan-American Highway is often a journey that is missed by many visitors to Peru. Yet the area holds a number of hidden gems, by spending time here, visitors gain a better understanding of the advanced pre-Columbus civilizations that lived here for many thousands of years.

Many visitors to the area make the journey to see the pre-Inca ruins of the Lambayeque, Moche, and Chimu such as the Temples of the Sun and Moon in Trujillo, the spectacular complex of Chan Chan, the 'Valley of Pyramids' and the Royal Tombs of Sípan. All these wonders are truly marvelous and definitively mystifying. For more adventurous archaeological explorers there are a number of other sites that worth exploring.

Only 12 Km. from Chiclayo is the small colonial town of Lambayeque. The town is world renown as it houses the National Archaeological and Anthropological Museum "Heinrich Brüning", named after a German-Peruvian that moved to the region to understand native cultures and began to collect ancient artifacts in the early 20th century. This is arguably the most important museum in northern Peru. The museums' four stories house a collection of gold, silver, and copper objects from the several cultures that flourished in the region over the last 4,000 years.

50 Km. to the east of Chiclayo is the Batan Grande, nicknamed the "Pantry of Gold." The area served as religious and funeral grounds in the era of the Sican civilization. In 1937 sensational discoveries were made, such as the decorated Golden Tumis (ceremonial knives) as well as many other pieces from ancient Peru. Situated in the Milk River Valley, Batan Grande is located within what is now the Pomac Forest Historical Sanctuary, and includes around 30 dispersed pyramids. There is also a onsite museum that gives a useful insight into these fascinating cultures. Across the Milk River, the Japanese archaeologist Izumi Shimada uncovered two important tombs in the Parrot Pyramid, pertaining to high dignitaries and filled with numerous gold pieces. More discovers are made regularly as archaeologists still explore the area.

North of the city of Trujillo on the Pan-American Highway towards the "El Brujo" (the Witch) there is an archaeological complex formed by 3 pyramids called: Cao, Partida, and Prieta. A researcher called Junnius Bird found evidence of human occupation that is over 5,000 years old in the Prieta pyramid. In the Cao pyramid polychromatic paintings have been found on several levels representing prisoners, dancers, fishing scenes, war scenes, and depictions of Moche mythology. As well as this, in 2006 archaeologists found a complexly tattooed mummy dubbed the Lady of Cao and dated to be from around 450 A.D. The Lady of Cao, was thought to have been an important warrior or even an important Moche leader and this has caused archaeologists to reconsider their assumptions that the Moche society was exclusively male-dominant.

The Northern part of Peru is the path not often travelled, so if you are looking for something different and you have an interest in history - this is the place to start your Peru adventure.

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