Cusco was the Capital of the Inca Empire,  known as Tawantisuyo which included much of South America. Cusco means navel of the world, as it was located at the center of the four regions of the known world. Cusco is now  the most important tourist destination in Peru and one of the main destinations in all of South America. The city of Cusco and its surroundings offers astonishing ruins, beautiful Inca and colonial architecture, adventure (trekking, biking, horse riding, river rafting), tradition, the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, and the marvelous, narrow-gauge Cusco-Macchu Picchu train.

 

The city of Cusco contains a wonderful mixture of Inca and colonial architecture, with beautiful Spanish churches, temples, monasteries and impressive Inca ruins. Many of the colonial buildings were built on top of Inca walls. Some of them are now operating as 4- and 5-star hotels to accommodate the visitors to the ancient Capital of the Inca Empire.

 

The Cusco-Macchu Picchu train links the capital city with the world-famous lost city of the Incas, meandering alongside the scenic Urubamba River. The Cusco-Macchu Picchu train stops at the picturesque native village of Ollantaytambo, home to its own spectacular Inca ruins. From there, you may wish to take a side trip to the nearby towns of Urubamba and Pisac, in the lovely Sacred Valley of the Incas, or the more adventurous may wish to hike along the Inca trail to the ruins at Machu Picchu.

 

Whichever option you select, a visit to Cusco and the surrounding countryside that is planned by the professionals at  Condor Travel,  is guaranteed to please even the most demanding traveler.