The Cusco Tourist Ticket: The First Thing You Need<\/h2>\n
The Cusco Tourist Ticket (BTC) is the official pass administered by COSITUC that grants access to 16 archaeological sites and museums in the region. The all-inclusive pass costs 130 soles for foreigners (about $35) and is valid for 10 days. For Peruvians, it costs 70 soles.<\/p>\n
The fact that surprises travelers the most is this: in those places Single tickets are not sold<\/strong>. Without a ticket, you simply cannot enter Sacsayhuam\u00e1n or the ruins of the Sacred Valley.<\/p>\n If you're not going to see everything, there are partial tickets for 70 soles each, divided into three tours:<\/p>\n Three practical things to know before buying it:<\/p>\n Do the math before you buy. If you're going to take the city tour plus the Sacred Valley tour, the 130-sol package is a better deal than buying two separate 70-sol tickets.<\/p>\n These are the perfect plans for your first day, when your body is still adjusting. Almost all of them are within walking distance of downtown and don't involve any steep climbs.<\/p>\n The heart of the city and the best place to start. It\u2019s surrounded by the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus, with colonial-style arched porticos built on Inca foundations. Sit down on a bench for a while and take it all in: it\u2019s the best way to get a feel for the rhythm of Cusco.<\/p>\n Built on the site of Inca Wiracocha\u2019s palace, it blends Spanish Baroque with Andean details. Take a look at *The Last Supper* by Cusco painter Marcos Zapata, where the main dish is a guinea pig. The entrance is via the religious circuit, not the BTC.<\/p>\n It was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, covered in gold leaf, and the Spanish built the Santo Domingo convent on top of it. What remains of the Inca stonework is impressively precise. Note: Admission to the temple is charged separately (15 soles); the site museum is located within the BTC complex.<\/p>\n Steep, narrow streets, artisan workshops, caf\u00e9s, and a small square with a view. It\u2019s the prettiest neighborhood in the city. Take it slow as you climb, because the slope really takes its toll.<\/p>\n On Hatun Rumiyoc Street, on the way to San Blas, on the wall of the ancient palace of Inca Roca. It is the most famous example of Inca stonework. On the same wall, you can make out the shapes of a condor, a puma, and a snake\u2014the three animals of the Andean world.<\/p>\n Ten minutes from the Plaza de Armas. Fruit juices, cheeses, breads, textiles, and food stalls where you can have breakfast for just a few soles. It\u2019s the city\u2019s real market, not a tourist version.<\/p>\n A fine collection of ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and mummies, housed in a large colonial mansion. It's the best place to understand the historical context before visiting the ruins.<\/p>\n It starts at 6:00 p.m. and is included in the Tourist Pass, so it's free if you've already bought one. Traditional dance and music from the region.<\/p>\n Cusco has a thriving food scene, ranging from local picanter\u00edas to signature cuisine. On your first day, it\u2019s best to eat light, so a broth or a quinoa soup is a better choice than a heavy meal.<\/p>\n These sites are located in the highlands surrounding Cusco, at altitudes between 3,600 and 3,800 meters. They involve walking and climbing, so they\u2019re best visited starting on the second day. The first four sites make up Circuit I of the Tourist Pass and can be visited in half a day.<\/p>\n The most impressive site near the city. Walls made of cyclopean blocks, some weighing more than 100 metric tons, assembled without mortar with a precision that is still a subject of debate. It\u2019s about a 20-minute uphill walk from the Plaza de Armas, or you can take a taxi if you\u2019d rather save yourself the effort. Every June 24, it serves as the setting for the Inti Raymi festival.<\/p>\n A rocky outcrop carved with channels, steps, and an altar\u2014likely a ceremonial site associated with water worship. Small but intriguing.<\/p>\n Known as the \u201cred fortress\u201d because of the color of its stone at sunset, it served as a checkpoint and resting place along the Inca Trail to the Sacred Valley.<\/p>\n A complex of Inca fountains and water channels that are still in use today, associated with the worship of water. The hydraulic system is the most remarkable feature here.<\/p>\n Two spots with panoramic views over the tiled rooftops of Cusco. The White Christ is next to Sacsayhuam\u00e1n; San Crist\u00f3bal is closer to downtown. Ideal at sunset.<\/p>\n Cusco serves as a base for several excursions. Here are the main ones, listed from least to most physically demanding.<\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\nDay 1: The Historic Center, Effortlessly<\/h2>\n
1. The Plaza de Armas<\/h3>\n
2. The Cathedral of Cusco<\/h3>\n
3. Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun<\/h3>\n
4. The San Blas Neighborhood<\/h3>\n
5. The 12-sided stone<\/h3>\n
6. The San Pedro Market<\/h3>\n
7. The Inca Museum<\/h3>\n
8. The dance show at the Qosqo Center for Native Art<\/h3>\n
9. Eat and taste pisco<\/h3>\n
Now Acclimated: The Ruins Overlooking the City<\/h2>\n
10. Sacsayhuam\u00e1n<\/h3>\n
11. Q\u2019enqo<\/h3>\n
12. Puka Pukara<\/h3>\n
13. Tambomachay<\/h3>\n
14. The White Christ and the San Crist\u00f3bal Lookout<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nDay Trips from Cusco<\/h2>\n
15. The Sacred Valley<\/h3>\n
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