Full Day in Cusco

Today marked our last day in Cusco, and also the only full day that we got to spend in the city. Even without a set plan we would have still been more than excited to wander around the narrow streets some more, but our guide still had some highlights that he wanted to show us before we moved onto the next adventure.

It started with getting to the top of the city to explore Sachsahuayman, taking in the impressive Inca citadel built with stones of a mind-boggling size. From here we also got a panoramic view of the city, getting to a part of the ruins that many travelers seem to miss. As we wound our way back to the Plaza via the San Blas neighborhood, our guide asked us where we would like to go for our last lunch in Cusco. Nico mentioned how she had seen a lot of posts on social media about a super delicious roasted chicken dish, which we later learned is called “Pollo a la Brasa”. JC’s excitement showed right away as he hurriedly led us to one of his favorite local places for the dish.

The restaurant was certainly unassuming and mostly full of locals getting their lunch fix before heading back to work. Our chicken came quickly, and we were certainly all in for a treat. The chicken was crispy and caramelized on the outside with the meat under the skin still very tender and flavorful. JC insisted that we pair this with an Inka Kola - a Peruvian soft drink - which went nicely with the indulgent chicken and fries - which Peru does better than anyone.

After lunch Nico and I had the rest of the afternoon and evening to stroll around independently, taking in our last night in the city. In spite of treating ourselves to more caloric bombs like gelato and a sumptous dinner, we could not shake the bittersweet feeling that we wish we could spend more time here. There are not many regrets when you have an action-filled trip to a fascinating country, but only having one full day in Cusco remains one of the few from this trip.