Cusco looks ad feels like the very definition of Andean capital. IT’s a fascinating blend of pre-Columbian and colonial history and contemporary mestizo culture.

Enjoy the great nightlife around the main plaza, dodge the dodgy sellers and eat at the nice local or ex-pat places. Can be easy to get trapped here and indulge!

Visit the Inca ruins around town and do adventure activities… white water rafting is rather boring since the rivers aren’t that extreme (but good for beginners!), but scenic here

What definitly to visit are, the saltmines, cusco city, inca - ruines, salt - mines, Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu.

Cusco is the heart of Peru and a lovely city.

Although bargaining is acceptable and almost expected, merchants in the center of Cusco are confident of a steady stream of buyers, and, as a result, they are often less willing to negotiate than their counterparts in markets and more out-of-the-way places in Peru. Most visitors will find prices delightfully affordable, though, and haggling beyond what you know is a fair price, when the disparity of wealth is so great, is generally viewed as bad form.

The hotel on San Agustín, 3 blocks from the main square, is built around a restful colonial courtyard and is in a somewhat quieter neighborhood, while the other two, smaller locations, are virtually on top of the Plaza de Armas. All have the same prices and same features (though the Cusco Catedral hotel has an Inca wall within the hotel). Look for the new, upscale “Private Collection” Casa Andina in a historic house near Qoricancha sometime in late 2006.

The good news for travelers is that, if you are lucky enough to get a room here (reservations generally must be made about 6 months in advance), you won’t have to suffer for your financial contribution to such an important cause. The main hotel, in a restored colonial house just 10 minutes from the Plaza de Armas, is one of the finest, cleanest, and most comfortable inexpensive inns in Peru. The large rooms — named for the couple’s adopted children — are very nearly minimalist chic, with hardwood floors and quality beds, and they ring a lovely sunny courtyard, where breakfast is served.

The ambitious Niños project has now added a second hotel, also in a historic building, and, incredibly, has taken in two more families (totaling 15 girls and another 2 boys). On the same street as the second hotel are four terrific apartments for longer stays, ideal for small families, in the first of the children’s learning and day-care facilities.