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CAJAMARCA: Located in the northern highlands, Cajamarca was the site of the execution of Inca emperor Atahualpa by the Spanish Conquistadors. Visitors can see Atahualpa’s Ransom Room, allegedly filled with gold to try to buy his release from his Spanish captors. Declared a Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Americas by the Organisation of American States (OAS) in 1986, Cajamarca contains many well-preserved examples of 17th- and 18th-century colonial Spanish buildings and churches and visitors should not miss the Belén complex that includes the Anthropology Museum. As a highland commercial hub, Cajamarca’s central market is a bustling mix of many different native products and people. Cajamarca is also famous for its Carnival celebrations (held four days after Ash Wednesday) undoubtedly the biggest Carnival celebrations in Peru.
HUARAZ: Nicknamed the ‘Peruvian Switzerland’ for its glacial lakes and snow-capped peaks, Huaraz is the departure point for treks and expeditions to the Callejón de Huaylas. Huaraz hosts the annual Semana del Andínismo, including international ski events on the Pastoruri Glacier. The Huascarán National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, protects the area’s biggest indigenous plants, the Puya Raymondi (giant bromeliads that grow up to 15m high and live for over 40 years) and is the home of the native viscacha, puma, vicuña and the rare spectacled bear. The nearby Chancos thermal baths, known traditionally as the ‘Fountain of Youth’, are located 30km north of Huaraz. There are also many archaeological sites nearby, especially remarkable is the pre-Inca stone complex of Chavín de Huántar, situated 110km (69 miles) from Huaraz, dating from approximately 600 BC. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.
AYACUCHO: From some city views Ayacucho appears to have more churches than houses and therefore it comes as no surprise that the Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations are the most important event on the calendar for locals. Semana Santa sees a massive influx of visitors and therefore it is a good idea to pre-book accommodation. Ayacucho is famous as a source of exquisite handicrafts, including pottery, leatherwork, textiles and jewellery.
CUSCO: The capital of the Inca Empire (founded AD 1100), Cusco today is a fascinating mix of Inca and colonial Spanish architecture and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. Almost every central street has remains of Inca walls, arches and doorways that serve as the foundation for the colonial and modern buildings. More archaeological sites are abundant in the nearby area and towns. Narrow alleys of whitewashed houses with sky-blue and bottle-green shutters open out onto elegant squares with stone-hewn fountains and elegant restaurants and posadas (inns). Colourful murals depicting historical scenes can be seen on countless walls and indigenous women with braids and embroidered shawls set up makeshift stalls selling woven blankets and handmade crafts and jewellery. Shops around the main square are open all week from dawn to midnight, but close for about two hours during lunch. There is a wide array of hotels, hostels, pensions and family houses, as well as restaurants and other services related to tourism. Cusco also has a good choice of nightlife.
The Church of Santo Domingo was built on the foundations of the Inca Temple of the Sun, Qoricancha, (Quechua for golden courtyard: its walls were covered in solid gold sheets, much to the delight of the gold-hungry Spanish invaders). Heavy doors leading into the cloisters are now adorned with Moorish star- and diamond-shape patterns. The cloisters are lined with oil paintings in heavy gilt frames that depict scenes from the life of St Dominic. Remains of the original Inca temple walls are found inside the main courtyard. The Incas built these walls tapering upwards so that they would withstand earthquake tremors. Huge blocks of green and grey diorite stone were placed together in a perfect fit without mortar, perfectly demonstrating the sophisticated Inca engineering and architectural skills. A further example of Inca skill with polygonal masonry is seen in the Stone of Twelve Angles.
The elegant Plaza de Armas, or main square, is lined with arcades and houses with ornately carved wooden balconies and terracotta tiled roofs. Dominating the square is the Cathedral, which is flanked on the left by the Church of Jesús María. Its altar is elaborately carved from cedarwood that is covered in gold and silver plate (plateresco) and mirrors. In the cathedral there are several notable features, from the 400kg (882lb) main altar fashioned from silver mined in Potosí, Bolivia, to the 1958 silver-plated truck, that carries some 14 statues in the annual Corpus Christi procession. The early-17th-century cedar-wood choir stalls bear testimony to the skill of the principal carver, Tomas Tuero Tupac, and are some of the finest in Peru. Marcos Zapata’s painting, La Ultima Cena (The Last Supper) has the apostles with ghostly white pallor, while Judas is given the darker skin colouring of an Indian and, stretched out in the centre of the table, is a local Inca delicacy – cuy, or roast guinea pig. To the right of the cathedral is the Church of El Triunfo. Inside, a painting by Alonso Cortes de Monroy depicts the great earthquake of 1650 with the inhabitants praying to El Señor de los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes). Underneath the chapel are commemorative plaques to Garcilaso Inca de la Vega, Inca chronicler, whose remains were returned from Spain to Cusco several years ago. Other sites of interest include the Museo de Arte Religioso, Museo Palacio Municipal, Museo de Historia Nacional. Visitors should purchase a Cusco Visitors Card available from the Tourist Information Office on the main square, that allows the bearer entrance to all of the Inca sites surrounding Cusco, including the town’s museums.
SACSAYHUAMÁN: Outside Cusco are four nearby Inca ruins, of which Sacsayhuamán is the most impressive (the others are Qenko, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay). This magnificent ceremonial centre, with its three vast ramparts that run parallel for more than 350m (1148ft), was the site of the famous battle between Manco Inca and Juan Pizarro, Francisco’s younger brother, in 1536. The boulders used to construct the walls are immense, weighing up to 360 tons and measuring up to 10m (33ft) in height and 4m (13ft) in depth. On 24 June each year, thousands of locals arrive to celebrate the Inti Raymi festival with a colourful pageant held at Sacsayhuaman. Visitors can explore the sites on horseback; it is easy to hire horses and a guide at the park’s entrance.
URUBAMBA: The Urubamba was once the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Key sites to visit include the Inca ruins and popular Sunday market at Pisac, as well as the extensive complex of ruins at Ollantaytambo. Urubamba, the main town in the valley, is a base from which to explore the surrounding region. Worth a detour is the pottery belonging to Pablo Seminario, whose distinctive work shows pre-conquest influences.
SALINERAS DE MARAS: About 6km (4 miles) from here are the salt pans of Maras. These pre-Inca salt pools were constructed during the Chanapata culture between c. AD 200-300 and AD 900, from a natural salt spring. Terraces were carved from the hillside and through a system of natural irrigation and gravity (still in perfect use today) the water courses along channels to form pools of water, which evaporate in the sun to leave salt deposits. There are over 3000 pools still in use, co-owned by 400 indigenous families. All the salt is scraped by hand from the sides of the pools into sacks and then pulled up the hillside by mules, concensus dictates on which days the water will be diverted along channels to collect in a certain group of pools.
MACHU PICCHU: For most visitors, the Inca city of Machu Picchu is the highlight of their visit. Revealed to the Western world by the American Hiram Bingham on 24 July 1919, and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, it is probably the most important archaeological site in South America and requires at least a day to explore fully. Buried beneath jungle vegetation for centuries, excavations revealed a myriad staircases, terraces, temples, palaces, towers and fountains. Highlights of the site include the ceremonial baths, the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Three Windows and the Intihuatana, or carved rock pillar used by Inca astronomers to predict the solstices. A 30-minute walk south from the main complex takes the visitor to the Inca Bridge, carved into the vertiginous cliff face. Climb the peak of Huayna Picchu that towers over the city and from the summit, it is a breathtaking experience to watch the mist roll back to reveal the architectural marvels of the Inca citadel. Visitors should invest in a guide as there is little information for tourists and there is much that is known about the lost city of the Inca. Those interested in trekking the Inca Trail through the Urubamba Valley should organise their treks at home, due to the environmental damage done by unscrupulous local tour operators to the trail.
PUNO: Puno (3800m/12,464ft above sea level) is the centre of Peruvian folklore and hosts some of the best festivals in Peru, Virgen de la Candelaria (2 Feb) and Puno Day (5 Nov) to name but two. Spaniards were lured to the region by the vast mineral wealth and the area is dotted with both colonial churches and pre-Columbian ruins, such as the Chullpas de Sillustani, a complex of tombs in the form of towers built on the banks of Lake Titicaca by the Tiahuanaco people. Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, is the home of the Uros people who have for centuries built their homes and boats out on the lake using Totora reeds. Extending over a total surface area of 8379 sq km (3235 sq miles), Lake Titicaca is 180km (112 miles) long and 69km (43 miles) across, at its widest point. Around the lake can be found pre-AD 1000 remains from the Pucara and Tiahuanaco cultures. An unforgettable site is the Yavari Project, the oldest steamship on Lake Titicaca. The lake forms a natural border between Peru and Bolivia and in this part of Peru the native people are predominantly Aymara and not Quechua speakers.
AREQUIPA: The second-largest city in Peru, Arequipa is also known as the ‘white city’, since the most important colonial buildings were built of a white volcanic rock (ashlar) from a nearby quarry. In the year 2000 the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Both Spanish colonial and Andalusian influences are visible everywhere. Especially remarkable is the Santa Catalina Convent – a beautiful ‘city within a city’. Other highlights include the Casa del Moral (House of the Mulberry Tree), with its elegant wrought-iron windows and sculptured portico and the Casa de la Moneda (the former mint). Arequipa is a great place for hiking and mountaineering expeditions with daily excursions to the Cotahuasi and Colca Canyons, one of the deepest in the world. El Misti is a relatively easy climb and river rafting is becoming popular in the area.
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