Surprisingly Beautiful Cusco

The main thing that get people to Cusco is Macchu Picchu, but once you get to Cusco, you will see a very busy town with lots of people walking in the streets and a very safe enviroment. You will see a lot of backpackers, which are young people. You will like the atmosphere and the beautiful scenery. At night, there are a lot of place to go and eat. And you will meet very interesting people.

Quick Tips:

If you go in winter, which is summer in the states (June, July, August) bring very warm clothing because it gets really cold. You also have to be very aware of the altitude. You have to buy altitude sickness pills, and ask for the mate de coca which is a coca leaves tea. When you get there, don't start walking around, but stay a while seated in a comfortable place until you get used to the altitude. Cusco is 3,800m above sea level.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around is in a taxi. Taxis are extremely cheap in all of Peru. The price ranges wildly depending on the taxi and how much you bargain. When I got there, I paid 8 soles to get to the Plaza de Armas, which is the center of activity in Cusco. After negotiations, when I was leaving I paid 2.5 soles to get there. The price also varies depending on the car you get into. There are small cars called Tico, which are the cheapest, but they are very small and you won't feel safe. A reasonable fee for a trip from the airport to the center is about 5 soles(.42).

This hostel is not a very good place to stay but it is a very cheap one. I paid $20 a night for this hostal and I'm sure that if I bargained a little I would have stayed for less. The beds are very hard it has no TV but at least it has hot water all day and a private bathroom which were my two most important things. I only stayed for a couple of nights and did not spend a lot of time in the hostel since there are a lot of places you can go.

In this place you will be treated very well by Fritz (the bartender) if you go for drinks or if you decide to eat at the bar. They also have tables where you can sit with your friends and have a good time. They have a very extensive menu for a pub. The first day I ate "lomo a lo bestia" which is a nice piece of meat in a crustacean sauce. This was very, very good.