Cuzco

Advantages: A beautiful city in a stunning setting
Disadvantages: Far too popular for its own good

Cuzco is a truly beautiful little city with loads to offer, surrounded by some stunning mountain scenery. It's almost impossible not to fall in love with the place. Cuzco's full of narrow, winding cobbled streets, white colonial buildings, red-tiled roofs, colourful artesania shops, perfect Inca stonework, and cool little cafes, restaurants and bars spilling over everywhere from the main plaza. It's definitely a city with a bit of magic. And if you ...
...which has unfortunately resulted in Cuzco becoming the tourist capital of the entire length of the Andes, a fact that the locals have latched onto with a vengeance - it's impossible to walk around the centre of the city without having finger-puppets, postcards, water-colour paintings and massage offers shoved into your face every few steps. Hence the most commonly used phrase in Cuzco of 'No gracias', which the Irish Pub Paddy's have even stuck onto ... Read review

Advantages: Elegant Architecture, Machu Picchu & the Inca Trail.
Disadvantages: The tourist is a marked money making target.

Cusco is one of South America's oldest cities with a proud and illustrious history. It is beautiful to look at with an abundance of classical buildings that are open to the public. The town sits in the shadow of the Andes mountains and their snow capped peaks adds to the cities grandeur. Cusco has recently reverted back to its original name, Qosco as a mark of respect for the local Quechua people. Like most Peruvian cities the centre is marked by ...
...ranked by a good seating area and several imposing buildings including the Cathedral and a stack of hostels and restaurants all decked out in authentic style. While Peru's capital Lima sits at sea level, Cusco is a full 3,300 metres higher. This characteristic can lead to plenty of problems if you arrive by air from the capital. Altitude sickness usually takes the form of headaches, breathlessness, tiredness and a general feeling of not been well. ... Read review

Advantages: Great atmosphere, reasonable prices, an awesome experience
Disadvantages: The altitude can be a problem, child beggars

Though it is often viewed simply as the gateway to Machu Picchu, Cusco has to be one of the most incredible cities on earth, and is overlooked at the traveller's peril. Quite rightly, the Inca Trail and the famous Incan citadel at its end are the major reasons many people will come to Peru, and an eagerness to get straight onto the trail is understandable - however, spending a week or so in Cusco itself is something I would strongly recommend. ~ ...
...only to acclimatise, one should take a few leisurely days in the city before exerting themselves; the altitude is well-noted, and is unlikely to come as a suprise in itself, but the extent to which it affects you may do. At 3000 metres, what should be a relatively comfortable stroll up the half-kilometre or so from the Plaza de Armas to San Blas becomes a great exertion as you puff along over the last few steps (and I thought I was fairly fit). However, ... Read review

Advantages: The scenery, location, experience... need I go on
Disadvantages: A physically demanding hike and not that cheap

When most people think of South America, images of the bright, vibrant flamboyance of Rio’s world famous Carnivale, the fluid grace of the great Latino dances of the Samba and the Tango, the mesmeric skills of a South American footballer and, at least for some, the mystic of the Inca Trail all come to mind. My plans for my month in South America were at the best vague, well to be totally honest, non-existent really, bar my arrival in the Argentinean ...
...the extravagant Rio de Janeiro. After what can only be described as less than exhaustive research I decided that a trip into Peru to walk the Inca Trail should definitely be included in my tentative itinerary and, having now completed it, I am more than glad that I did. Cusco Cusco is the starting point for a trip to the majestic, mystical, magnificence that is Machu Picchu; (please excuse my indulgence in alliteration). It is a truly beautiful ... Read review

Advantages: Beautiful, cheap (if you know how) and cultural
Disadvantages: altitude, but only briefly

...so what we saw of Cuzco was brief, but... Magical. We fell in love with Cuzco - I, most especially. The wonderful thing about the place is that it combines the wonders of new technology (an internet cafe around every corner) and the beauty of the Inca and Spanish architecture. The streets are littered with shops, restaurants, hotels and hostels, as well as laundrys and supermarkets. There are hotels for the rich traveller, and hostels for the more ...
...Lima and fly straight to Cuzco (Yes, fly. Even if you're going on the cheap, DO NOT TAKE THE 24 HOUR BUS), and enjoy the delights. Eat guinea pig and alpaca, drink 'Inka Cola', see the Inca ruins and the Spanish ecclesiatical architecture, haggle for a poncho and enjoy a hidden jewel of South America. ... Read review