The terraces
A giant stairway.
Kuruman — CC BY 2.0 · Tydence Davis — CC BY 2.0 · Chensiyuan — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Unukorno — CC BY 3.0 · Unknown — Public domain · MorePix — CC0
A sprawling Inca site on a mountaintop above the town of Pisac, at the entrance to the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba River. It holds enormous farming terraces sweeping down the slope like a giant stairway, temples, towers and stone houses, and one of the largest known Inca cemeteries in the cliffs opposite. Pisac's finest sight is the curving tiers of terraces wrapping around the mountain, following its natural contours, with the green valley, the river and the town below. On top is the temple sector with its finely cut stonework, and trails that link the sections across the rock. The town of Pisac below has a famous craft market selling textiles, pottery and jewellery, busy on market days. Many combine the ruins and the market in one visit. Entry is with the Cusco tourist ticket. A paved road reaches an upper entrance, from which you walk between the sections, and you can walk down to town on a long trail. The altitude is lower than Cusco, but the ups and downs are tiring, so bring water.
A giant stairway.
Fine stonework.
Textiles and pottery.
Above the town of Pisac, at the head of the Sacred Valley, about 45 minutes by road from Cusco
Yes, it is the only way in. The third-circuit partial ticket covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray and lasts two days.