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Cusco: Market & Ruins
Begin your day in Cusco at the local market, where you can experience daily life and explore an array of fresh vegetables, breads, and fruits, including the traditional Oropeza bread. The market also offers herbs used for centuries in traditional medicine and cocoa beans, the foundation of chocolate production. Next, visit Cusco’s impressive Colonial Cathedral, home to over 400 paintings from the Cusqueña School and beautifully crafted altars. From there, head to Koricancha, the religious center of the Inca Empire, where the Temple of the Sun once stood in honor of Inti, the Sun god. The name Koricancha comes from the Quechua words "qori," meaning goldwork, and "kancha," meaning enclosed space. Continue to the artisan quarter of San Blas, known for its local workshops where artisans create religious paintings and intricate crafts. Then, explore Cusco’s nearby archaeological sites, starting with Sacsayhuaman, a remarkable stone fortress once known as the Royal House of the Sun. Visit Qenqo Amphitheater, an important Incan temple, and Tambomachay, an ancient sanctuary dedicated to water and reserved for Inca royalty. Its name comes from the Quechua words "tampu" (collective housing) and "machay" (resting place). Finally, pass by Puka Pukara, or "Reddish Fortress," named for the distinctive color of the soil in the area.