Why I Am In Love With The Town Of Cusco, Peru
Hoi An is one of my favorite towns in the world for a variety of reasons, from the people there, the laidback culture, the designers, and many other reasons. Well, what does Hoi An have to do with Cusco Peru? The laidback culture sent shivers down my spine, there is a special healing energy to it.
The Food
Similar to Siem Reap in Cambodia, the food was incredible! On countless occasions, I ate the infamous Alpaca dish of Peru as well as various local dishes.
Cusco has a high concentration of restaurants, meaning prices are somewhat reasonable (more expensive than in Bolivia) and the quality is unbelievable. This dish cost me about 11$, for 2 pieces of Alpaca and delicious pasta, well worth it!
The Wine
Cusco is one of those towns where if you are respectful, pretty much anything flies. The whole town gives off very European vibes with how the roads are made.
I digress, the point is the wine. I loved firstly how good the wine was, but secondly, I loved the fact I could go into almost any store and buy a local bottle of red.
And at 10$ a bottle, multiple of these were consumed😜. Before arriving in Peru I hadn't tried Peruvian wine, but turns out it's not too bad at all.
The Beauty
I did my best to be outside as much as possible, even if it was raining a lot!!
The architecture of the town gives it a cozy ambiance.
Meanwhile, the main square seems like a place where everyone just hangs out. I can see how Cusco was a Spanish colony at one point.
I headed up to take a picture at sunset by the baby "Christ The Redeemer" statue. From the top of the hill, this city is like nothing you might have ever experienced. No high rises, just simple little houses.
This brings me to my next point, elevation. Cusco is the second-highest city in the world meaning you might need a day of acclimatizing when you land, just take it into consideration🙂.
'Christ The Redeemer'
Perhaps this swayed me on my decision to head down to Brazil after Bolivia. At the sunset viewpoint, there is a statue that looks like the baby CTR. I highly recommend heading up there if you have time!
Alpacas Roam The Lands
An hour after eating an Alpaca, I saw 2 of them from the sunset viewpoint. Okay, I felt so bad because they are so adorable🤭.
If you want to take a picture of them, be prepared to pay around 5-10 Soles if they are with people.
This brings me to my next point. While I love the town of Cusco, it is different from Hoi An in one way. You are treated like a customer and not a guest. I understand that people want to make a living, and this is our world. Just be aware.
Final Thoughts
Cusco is up there with one of the top 5 cities I have visited. The food is incredible, the town itself is gorgeous with European vibes all over, the wine is divine, and many other reasons.
I cannot recommend heading down to Cusco if you have the opportunity to do so. Of course, there is Machu Picchu, which I will discuss in a separate post tomorrow, but the town itself is worth a trip to!
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