Peru Part 2 Cuzco

First stop: Cuzco, Peru

Cuzco is located at 11,152 feet above sea level. So that means leave yourself time to acclimate plus pack some altitude sickness medication. The locals will offer you coca tea as well to help with the transition and drink plenty of water. Cuzco is the natural place to launch your travels to Machu Picchu and/or to the Sacred Valley.

Cuzco is an old Inca city with small cobblestone streets. It is absolutely stunning. There is the main church with the famous painting of the last supper featuring a cuy dinner. Visit the church located in Plaza Las Armas during mass from 6am-9am in the morning and the entrance fee is waived. For a family of 5, saved us $40. 

The Artisans market and the San Pedro market are all worth a visit as well. Cuzco features lots of great restaurants and souvenirs. Buy all your souvenirs in Cuzco. You will get the best prices and selection. 

My husband loves to cook so everywhere we go we enroll in a local cooking class, the kids too! In Cuzco, we took a class at Cuscoculinary.com. The chef met us at the local market and introduced us to Peruvian fruits, vegetables, a chocolate shop and talked about the different uses of corn in the country. Then we went to the school and learned how to make a Pisco sour. She had marinated different fruits and chili in Pisco and let us taste each one. Afterwards we made a potato dish and lomo saltado. See the video below of us creating the lomo with fire. The class ended with a pre-made dessert. Great evening. 

When you arrive at the Cuzco airport, there are taxis available for hire. Be sure to negotiate the rate before you get in. You should be able to find a ride for about 15-25 soles. For hotels in Cuzco, there are numerous bed and breakfast, air bnb and a few hotel chains. For a family of 5, we did not choose to use our Marriott points since we would have to get 2 rooms and the Marriott Cuzco is a category 7 or 30,000-35,000 points per night. Instead, we opted for Casona Les Pleides, a charming bed and breakfast. I booked it through ebates.com and booking.com  to get an extra cash back discount. We still needed 2 rooms, but ended up paying just $150 per night for both rooms including breakfast.

Next stop: Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu