Cusco is located at an altitude of 3400 meters (that’s over 11,000 feet high) in Southern Peru. At 3,000 years old, it is considered one of the oldest cities in South America. Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and the gateway to the Sacred Valley and the lost city of Machu Picchu.
In 1983, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Before the pandemic, an estimated 2 million tourists visited the city every year.
If you are able to make your way to Cusco, expect to see a blend of colonial and Incan architecture, historic churches, and modern luxury hotels and restaurants.
During our latest trip to the historic city, we stayed at the JW Marriott El Convento Cusco. The boutique hotel is housed in a restored 16th-century convent. The rooms were recently renovated and an oxygen-enriched air system is used to prevent altitude sickness.
I would highly recommend dining at the in-house restaurant, Qespi. There, the chefs use a “food from the earth” approach and offer a vast menu of nutritious and nourishing Peruvian dishes.
