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After Three Years in Peru, I Finally Visited Cusco
The former capital of the Inca Empire is full of history and charm
If you’ve read much of my travel writing, you know that I’ve visited many interesting places in Peru over the past few years.
One site that’s conspicuously missing from my travel logs is Machu Picchu.
The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is, by far, Peru’s top travel destination, drawing around annually in recent years. Many travelers love their experience there, but visiting Machu Picchu has become a severely commercialized process. Meanwhile, the heavy flow of tourists through the region puts a strain on local resources, ecosystems, and the archaeological site itself. The situation could easily be described as overtourism.
Preferring to avoid saturated tourist locations, I’ve passed on Machu Picchu. As a result, I’ve also failed — until recently — to visit the nearby city of Cusco.
Cusco is the regional starting point for a trip to Machu Picchu. This association has become central to the city’s identity, and Cusco itself has become more heavily visited…
