Cusco City Tour – Half Day

Trip Overview

Overview

Cusco, the capital of the ancient Inca Empire, and its surroundings enclose a great cultural richness. This tour is recommended for those who would like to know more about our culture, as you will get to see the Main Square, the Historic Centre, the Cathedral, Qoricancha or the Temple of the Sun, the Santo Domingo Convent, and the archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Qenqo, Pukapukara and These tourist attractions include:

Cusco´s Cathedral

Located in Cusco´s Main Square, the cathedral is a colonial monument of great artistic value. It was built on top of the Wiracocha Inca Palace and houses works of carved wood such as the choir, pulpit and altars, beautiful paintings from the Cusquenian School of Art and works of embossed silver.

Qoricancha Temple and Santo Domingo Convent

This temple was one of the most important in the Inca era, as it served as a place of worship to the sun, one of the most venerated and beloved deities. In the architecture what we will appreciate is the syncretism between two cultures: the Incas and the Spaniards we will see as the base it is Inca architecture and the Santo Domingo Temple on the top.

Saqsayhuaman

Located 2 km from the Cusco city, this archaeological center was built with huge rocks almost 9 meters high, carved and united with great precision, this place gives us to know how the Incas had a great knowledge with the work in stone. It has important centers such as: the Muyoc Marca, La Chincana, and el Chuqui Pampa among others. From here, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Cusco city.

Q`enqo

Located 1 km from Sacsayhuaman, this complex was an Inca ceremonial center and in this place the Incas made the sacrifices with that llamas and the mummification. The part that calls us the intension is amphitheater because possibly in the niches would be placed the mummies of some important persons. Today, the amphitheater is half of its original height.

Puka Pukara

This archaeological site is known as the “red fortress” because the rocks used in its construction are almost red, this site was a place of control for people who wanted to visit the Cusco city. Here you can see an attractive architecture, fountains, aqueducts and several Inca enclosures.

Tambomachay

This complex consists of a combination of finely carved stones, fountains and aqueducts from nearby springs. For this reason, Tambomachay is associated with the cult of water. In front of this construction, there is a tower that is said to have served as a lookout and communication tower.