Cusco has long been known as the gateway to the Inca Empire, and it’s the starting point for anyone who wants to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but there’s so much to see and do in this cosmopolitan Peruvian city, that you could easily spend 2 or 3 days in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, and not see half of what it has to offer.

If your travel itinerary doesn’t allow you to stay longer, make sure you have at least 24-hours in Cusco prior to your Inca Trail Expedition. You’ll have a get a move on, but you can lunch on traditional homemade cuisine in the world-famous Picanteria – La Cusqueñita, shop for fruit, snacks and souvenirs at San Pedro Market, hike up to Cristo Blanco for magnificent views of the city, and stroll around the Plaza de Armas, stopping for a Pisco Sour as the sun goes down.

Here’s what our 24-hours in Cusco looked like…