This is the second in a four-part journey exploring Peru’s dramatic landscapes — from captivating cities to pristine coastlines to towering Andean peaks. (See part one, on the Ballestas Islands’ wildlife haven, here.)
If you want to learn about Peru’s rich past, there’s arguably no better place to do it than history-filled Cuzco, the former capital of the Inca empire. The cobblestone streets lead to ruins (like the imposing Sacsayhuamán fortress), museums (including the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art and Inca Museum) and attractions (like the ornate Cuzco cathedral and Plaza Mayor).
The site that should top your Cuzco itinerary is Qorikancha (“Temple of the Sun”), the most famous and lavish temple in the Inca period. A good way to see the temple is by staying at Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel. Not only is the hotel just across the street, the 500-year-old colonial mansion was once a part of Qorikancha, and you can still see vestiges of its former life inside.
According to local legend, the structure was initially a palace for Incan emperor Pachacuti — the ruler credited with creating Machu Picchu. It was later home to the Marquis Juan Salas y Valdez, a Spanish conqueror and Cuzco’s mayor in the early 1570s. Then called La Casona de los Cuatro Bustos, the residence blended Incan architecture with Spanish details like arches and patios. In 1950, it served as the Viceroyal Museum of Cuzco, and today, it’s part of a UNESCO Cultural Heritage of Humanity site.
Here’s how you can experience Cuzco’s storied past during your stay:
Take a pisco masterclass
Get a taste of local culture with a pisco masterclass at Palacio del Inka’s Rumi Bar. Sit at the U-shaped bar where the charismatic bartender Darwin entertains you with jokes as he demonstrates how to make a pisco sour, the best-known cocktail made from white brandy. As Darwin provides tips on crafting the sweet-tart libation (like the foamy top should be one finger width), you’ll also learn that pisco, designated a Cultural Heritage of Peru, is an appellation of origin. There are three different types of pisco: puro, a single grape varietal; acholado, a blend; and mosto verde, the high-end version that’s good for drinking straight. Like champagne or tequila, the spirit must come from a specific region in the country and follow certain production rules.
As you sip your cocktail, take in your historic surroundings. Rumi means “stone” in the indigenous Quechua language and refers to the 200 feet of the original 13th-century Incan stone wall from the ancient Qorikancha temple that envelopes the bar.
Join the art tour
The concierge-led art tour takes you through Palacio del Inka’s nearly 200-piece collection, spanning the pre-Inca, Inca, colonial and republican periods. It also contains 60 original paintings from the Cusqueña School, a movement that began in Cuzco in the 16th century with the arrival of Spanish artists who taught their techniques to indigenous artists.
Your guide will highlight standout works like the gold-framed painting of the Virgin Mary’s coronation behind the front desk. Mary is in the center, hands pressed together in prayer, and her dress with a mountain silhouette depicts her as Mother Earth (one of the Incan gods). Much of the art is on display in and around the bright, glass-ceilinged, periwinkle-hued lobby. The color is a nod to the nearby Andahuaylillas church San Pedro Apóstol, known as the “Sistine Chapel of Americas” for its intricately painted ceiling.
The tour also offers a glimpse into the Cuzco hotel’s past. You’ll step outside to view the original entrance with its ornate stone busts and crest, which now leads to Mantay Modern Art Gallery, a contemporary counterpoint to the historic collection. Mantay showcases Peruvian artists like sculptor Luis Mamanka Sifuentess (his exhibit “Mythology” explores the relevance of myth in modern society). Other architectural details reveal the building’s history, from the cross above Rumi Bar’s entrance from its time as a church to the remarkable archaeological discoveries made on-site, including ancient mummies.
The tour ends with an Incan ceremony in front of the eight-angle-stone wall, part of an imperial Incan wall used in important rituals. A performer in traditional garb and a gold feathered headdress played about a dozen ancestral instruments, ranging from a thumping drum to a chinchilla-shaped whistling vessel, while chanting in Quechua about the cosmic energies connecting the natural and spiritual realms.
Spend time in the courtyard
At the heart of this historic hotel lies a tranquil stone courtyard perhaps best experienced during lunch at Palacio del Inka’s Inti Raymi restaurant. Dining alfresco under umbrellas, you’ll savor Andean dishes like lomo saltado, tender chunks of stir-fried beef with tomatoes, onions, yellow chili, soy sauce, local potatoes and a side of rice studded with choclo (a local large-kernel corn).
In the center of the spacious courtyard, a trickling fountain provides a soothing soundtrack amid pots of fuchsia and purple petunias and pale blue hydrangeas. A local artisan sells her vibrant woven blankets and other handicrafts.
But the big attraction is Inti, a docile baby alpaca who sits next to the artisan, contentedly munching on leaves. The white fluffy animal charms most guests, who coo and snap photos.
Sample the food
In the morning, Inti Raymi hums with travelers in hiking gear and sneakers fueling up for a day exploring Cuzco or beyond. They congregate around the breakfast buffet, a spread that includes fresh juices, cheeses, eggs, meats, vegetables, panqueques (Peruvian pancakes), croissants and sweets like passion fruit cheesecake.
At night, the restaurant offers a more formal atmosphere with white-linen-topped tables, an expert sommelier guiding diners through an excellent wine collection and an à la carte menu of modern Andean dishes. More adventurous diners can try Peruvian delicacies like guinea pig confit with Parmesan, corn, nutmeg, butter and cream, or the alpaca steak with Parmesan and baby carrots. But there’s also a tasty sea bass in prawn sauce with paria (an Andean cheese), and a yellow chicken stew. Whichever you choose, you can expect meticulously sourced ingredients, artistic presentation and authentic regional flavors.
Enjoy the rooms
Each of the hotel’s 203 rooms has its own design. However, they share common elements like gilded antiques, hand-painted ceilings or wall details, elaborate beds with crisp Frette linens, rich jewel tones and marble bathrooms with Byredo toiletries.
We appreciated our suite’s thoughtful local touches, such as the textiles framed on the walls or the Peruvian pompoms lining the red curtains. The thick gold border around the navy headboard recalled the gold-framed artwork elsewhere in the hotel. While some suites overlook the courtyard, our balcony opened to the hulking stone Santo Domingo church and convent, which sits in Qorikancha, an ever-present reminder of both Incan ingenuity and the Spanish colonial influence.
