Cusco

The former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco is a UNESCO World Heritage city at 3,400 meters whose colonial Spanish architecture was constructed directly over Inca stone foundations, producing a layered urban texture. The Plaza de Armas is flanked by a cathedral incorporating stones from the Inca palace of Sunturwasi. The neighborhood of San Blas, on the hillside above the main plaza, concentrates artisan workshops in whitewashed adobe lanes.