Marketing folk expend much time dreaming up slogans for destinations, but so far none has matched the claim of the South American city that should be on the schedule of every global Grand Tourist: ‘navel of the universe’. This definition was the work of the most remarkable civilisation in the Americas: the Incas, whose empire straddled the Andes, extending from present-day Chile to Colombia. And at its heart: Cusco.
Within a few decades of the arrival of the 16th-century Spanish conquistadores, the Inca emperors had been dethroned and later eradicated. But the capital they created endures as a tribute to a people who compensated for their technological shortcomings with ingenuity, imagination and collective effort.
Talking of effort, Cusco will make you gasp, literally. Most people arrive by air from the Peruvian capital, Lima – catapulted from sea level to 4,000m in an hour. The gods chose a curious site for their navel. Cusco is draped beautifully though awkwardly over a hillside, about halfway to heaven. Its shape resembles a puma – a beast held by the Incas to be sacred. The head, in the north, comprises the ancient Inca ceremonial site of Sachsayhuaman – Machu Picchu for beginners, if you like. This vast complex comes alive on 21 June each year at the solstice celebration. But at any time of year, the site provides a breathtaking introduction to the scale and intricacy of Inca masonry.
Once you have done some navel-gazing from the hilltop, set your cosmic bearings, and stumble down the hillside into the heart of the puma. The Spanish-built Plaza de Armas remains one of the most magnificent city squares in the Americas. Besides the handsome cathedral, and colonnades topped by galleries, in the southeast corner you can see the exquisite baroque façade of a Jesuit church built on the site of an Inca palace. Yet the Spanish left untouched much that their predecessors created, as you discover when you explore the cobbled streets of this thriving city. Many of the Inca walls remain intact, including one with an implausible 12-sided stone. The Grand Tourist can be royally indulged in a luxuriously converted former monastery or a new boutique hotel (the Casa San Blas); for less grand visitors, there are dozens of cheap and cheerful backpacker hostels.
Cusco’s cultural compendium has gradually expanded, with the Inca Museum taking pride of place. It occupies an old mansion just off the Plaza de Armas. On the streets, tourists’ retail demands are met by a thousand vendors selling clothing made of the soft, sensual alpaca.
After sunset, Cusco comes alive with indulgences to suit every Grand Tourist. Sip one of a dozen varieties of tea in front of a huge open fire at Song Thé. Procure a massage at Andina Spa. And, if you are a meat eater, dine out at least once on the local delicacy, cuy – the guinea pig that sustained the Incas’ navel.
Cusco has been voted the top city worldwide, but it is also the gateway to the Sacred Valley and the miraculous remains of Machu Picchu. As 24 July 2011 approaches – the centenary of the ‘discovery’ of the ceremonial centre by adventurer Hiram Bingham, more and more people will visit. Discover the navel of the universe before the rest of the universe arrives.
British Airways flies from Heathrow to Miami, and from Miami to Lima as a codeshare flight operated by Oneworld alliance partner American Airlines. Book a flight on ba.com now.
Discover more grand tours in Birth of a nation, Magical history tour, Arctic adventure and Through Russia with love.
