Christmas Eve in Cusco is marked by the familiar hustle and bustle of preparation and expectation that one experiences during the Christmas season in many countries, but with a unique local touch. Since the 16th century, during the time of the Spanish vice-regency, the Plaza de Armas of Cusco has hosted the popup Santurantikuy Market on December 24th. It’s one of the largest arts and crafts fairs in Peru, and a treasured cusqueño tradition.
For many backpackers, staying in hostels and sleeping in shared dorm rooms isn’t just a way to cut costs; it’s a more adventurous, entertaining, and lively way to travel. It does have its frustrations, however: snorers, early wakers, or late, sometimes drunken arrivals happen to us all. With a little preparation, however, you can ensure that your night is as restful as you need it to be:
If you visit only one site in Cusco, it should be the Qorikancha Sun Temple and Santo Domingo Church. Of the 300 Incan Temples which once stood in Cusco, Qorikancha was the most important. It was the religious center of Cusco, which itself was the center of the vast Incan Empire. Incan rulers considered themselves to be the children of the sun god Inti, the supreme deity. They drew their authority from this, and thus the temple they built for the sun god was both imposing and opulent. It awed the Spanish conquistadores, who in their chronicles described it as “fabulous beyond belief”.
Hostels allow travelers to save money on what is often their largest expense after flight tickets: lodging. There are some universals that you can expect in hostels around the globe: plenty of opportunities for socializing and the sorts of amenities that long-term or budget travelers need, such as communal kitchens. There are idiosyncrasies, however, that vary by regions. Here, we’ve compiled a list on what you can expect in hostels in Peru:
Puno is a hillside city located on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Travelers stop by Puno in order to visit the lake’s islands or to cross the border into Bolivia.
You can reach the sacred pre-Inca Sillustani Chullpas, or burial towers, in about 45 minutes by car from Puno. These structures, the final resting place for noble mummies awaiting rebirth, populate a burial ground located on a cold hilltop overlooking Lake Umayo. The circular towers are wider on top than on bottom, making them unique in South America. Another popular site are the ruins of Inca Uyo (Aymara for Place of the Inca), which date to after the Inca Conquest of the Lupaka Kingdom of Tiahuanaku. Inside of the ceremonial complex you´ll find many phallic stones 2-3ft high arranged upright like mushrooms. Though both temple and stones are authentic, the placement of the stones inside the temple was a municipal decision, which has led to the site´s as yet unproven presentation as a fertility temple where virgins sat atop large stone phalluses.