The main purpose of our trip to Peru was to trek for four days on the Inca Trail and make it to Machu Picchu in one piece. Needless to say, we survived, although our muscles were sore for days. Cusco proved to be an absolutely picturesque town to prepare for and recover from the Inca Trail. We blew through Cusco, only spending a total of a day and a half there. If you’re planning on doing the Inca Trail (or any hike), we would recommend spending an additional day in Cusco to adjust to the altitude, since it is at 11,000+ ft. Lauren and I had an advantage coming from Denver, and doing regular hikes at high altitudes, so we managed with only one day for acclimation, but it is not recommended by most tour companies. Regardless, we made good use of our time eating delicious food and exploring the town.

We stayed at the Pirwa Backpackers Colonial, right in the Plaza de San Francisco, and it was a great location right next to where our tour company, SAS Travels, operated and within walking distance from everywhere in the city center. It costs about 10 soles to get from the city center to the airport, so don’t pay 20 soles like we did the first time, and note that tipping taxi drivers is not expected, so don’t worry about that.

We had a very early morning arrival in Cusco, landing at 6:30am, after only a total of about three hours of sleep. Needless to say, we took a brief nap on the couch of the hostel, and then took on the city! We would recommend taking a free walking tour, it lasts about three hours, to get your bearings and get some recommendations from locals. We went to a number of restaurants, but would definitely recommend taking the time to visit these three:

Green Point – This is a very trendy, tucked-away restaurant that serves tasty vegan food, a rarity in Peru, (it’s the only one in Cusco!) so definitely take the time to check them out.

Cicciolina – This is was our farewell breakfast after the hike, and needless to say, we were very happy with our meals. It has a very modern-chic interior, and a wide variety of delicious foods. Lauren got pancakes and ice cream (always a winning combination), while I went more savory, and got a wonderful Peruvian egg scramble.

Limbus – Last but not least, Limbus is a must see. This is a restaurant-bar at a hostel on top of the hill, and it offers a beautiful view overlooking the entire city and the mountains. Take the time to go there at sunset – you won’t regret it!

Of course, while we are huge foodies, the town center itself is beautiful with cobblestone lined streets, huge cathedrals in the Plaza de Armas, and we were lucky enough to be there during a massive parade through the city.  The locals there are very lively, and are always trying to sell you something, but a polite “no gracias”, usually sufficed. We would recommend taking the time to look at the art sold, since it is absolutely stunning, and fairly inexpensive.

The flights in between Cusco and Lima are canceled on a regular basis, especially the afternoon flights, so do yourself a favor and book an early morning flight. We got to the airport, only to find out that our flight to Lima had been canceled. Luckily, another one was leaving an hour later, and we got on that flight easily and began the second leg of our trip. We came into Cusco tired, and left Cusco tired, sore, and so happy.

Lima was full of surprises, from the best meal of our lives, to emergency paragliding landings. Check out our Lima adventure here!

XOXO,

Lauren & Lexi