The good news is that it's not a terrible city. There are some good restaurants once you make a little effort to walk off the beaten tourist path, and some good deals are to be had in the handicraft markets away from the crowds.

The bad news is that there *is* the element of "hustling" there. Once in the Plaza del Armas, you are inundated with people trying to get you into their restaurants, kids selling postcards or trinkets, guides offering services, etc. It's a bit much to handle if you've been travelling all day, but walk a block or two away from the plaza and you're left alone.

The bottom line with Cusco is that you will have to go here, if only to rest up on your way to or from Lima. It is also a decent place to act as a base for day trips to much of the Sacred Valley, although there are better deals for lodging in the smaller towns dotting the valley itself.

Try to book when Jorge, the tour guide studying to be an archeologist, is working. He is an absolute treasure trove of information.

First of all we went to the Cathedral; after some waiting and much knocking on the door using the big old brass knocker the door was finally opened. You enter through the door over which a skull and cross bones is engraved. Jorge explained that this was the last room that held the condemned prisoners before they were taken to their deaths. Continuing into the actual church, he explained how the Spanish religious beliefs and the local beliefs were intertwined. For example, the use of mirrors on the walls interspersed with the religious paintings. These were used not only for the curse of vanity but also as the Indigenous people believed if that if they could see their image they had committed a sin and therefore had to do penance. There was also a painting of The Last Supper. But where the face of Judas was meant to be the artist, without permission, had substituted the face of Pisarro. Of course the poor artist paid the ultimate price and was subsequently executed.

Next stop Koricancha (or Qorikancha), with its Inca walls and cubicles, complete with niches for offerings and sacrificial altar.

Next, out of town to Sacsayhuaman or Sexy Woman as it is called; it was fantastic with all those gigantic stones.

On to Qenqo with its cave that you walk down into. Then on past Pukapukara and to Tambomachay with its wonderous aquaducts and terraces with ceremonial niches. We found the way the Incas had designed their walls was very sophisticated; they always used sets of three (their sacred number), in their interlocking design of stones, whilst allowing for expansion,contraction, earthquakes or whatever else was thrown at them.

For just 20 soles this tour offers superb value and if you are lucky enough to score the same guide it is a real afternoon of discovery! All entry fees are covered on the Tourist ticket for $10 except for entry into Koricancha. This is an extra 4 soles.