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What to Do in Cusco ere are a number of things to do in Cusco. Learn more about Incan history at the Inca Museum that is run by the local university or check out the Planetarium that offers sweeping views of the entire city. Cusco also has a bustling nightlife, aer you have adjusted to the altitude (or recovered from it) there are a number of bars, clubs, and restaurants around the Plaza de Armas that allows you to mingle with other visitors and locals alike. For the more adventurous foodies, make sure to try some cuy or guinea pig as it is a local delicacy. Ollantaytambo is a neighboring town that sits directly between Machu Picchu and Cusco. Known as the launch point for the Inca Walk, a four-day hike to Machu Picchu, it is also the town where emperor Pachacuti built his palace, the homes for Inca nobility and terraces along the mountains that were used for farming. Ollantaytambo was also a stronghold for native resistance during their battles with the Spanish. Many of the buildings that stand and the remains that are preserved date back to the mid-15th century. Temple Hill, commonly mislabeled as the Fortress, was built for religious purposes and never completed—the reason for which is still debated among historians. e terraces that line the town are the tallest ones built by the Incas for the purpose of farming. e altitude and variation in temperatures allowed the farmers to plant crops at the top that would not have survived being planted at the bottom and vice versa. All of the stones used to build these structures were cut-and-fitted rather than built with fieldstones which was more common. is indicates that the area was specially built for nobility and/or the emperor himself. ere's a number of ruins to see in Ollantaytambo, and for the more adventurous travelers, there are a few trails visitors are able to hike that don't require as much commitment as the Inca Walk. V U E N J . C O M 129

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