Cusco

Very bad place to visit right now. The country is in a time of political and civil unrest, with mass protests closing down airports, train stations, and roads since early December 2022 (it is now mid January 2023). Tourists have had to be evacuated. The train to Machu Picchu is indefinitely closed until further notice. 48 people have died in the conflicts so far. Peru, and Cusco in particular, is a beautiful place with amazing things to see - but right now is not the time to visit.

Famous city, the historical capital and crown jewel of Peru. While the food does not compare to what is available in Lima, man the hiking opportunities are above and beyond. The boleto touristica is fantastic, for around $50 USD you get access to 11 archeological sites (all worth it), a cultural show (worth it), and 4 museums (I did not go). You have the option of hiring a tour guide, who will arrange transport and lunch for around 15-50 USD depending who you go with, but I decided to go it alone via collectivos and buses. Beware for newcomers: there are no bus schedules on google maps, government sites, or even the bus stop sign. It's all by word of mouth. For the ruins specifically, look for the "Terminal de Buses Urcos" and the "Pavitos Colectictivo A Ollantaytambo" on google maps. These buses will go to or near the ruins on the ticket, for Moray you will need to take another collectivo from Moras.

Cafes in the Centro Historico can be hit or miss regarding wifi. Some have amazing wifi (50mbps) but do not want you to charge laptops there (Dwasi) others are setup as a great place to work from but with just 10mbps wifi (Cafe Panam).

If it's your first time traveling to Cusco the Centro Historico is a great place to be, but do be prepared for a lot of tourists and their results (higher prices for tourists than locals, it's why prices are not posted at convenience stores. 2.5L water should be around 3 soles, not 11 or even 7 like my first seller tried to sell me on; lots of street sellers asking if you would like a shoe shine, massage, some paintings or failing that, weed.) If you go just 2-3 blocks outside the historic center you will see the "real" Cusco, with crowds and crowds of people browsing street sellers selling fruits, vegetables, meat, trinkets, electronics. I did not see many people living on the street, which is great, but the housing conditions are not the best (many unfinished apartments with roofs or windows missing, some houses with metal plates for roofs, and so on).

Overall I do recommend staying at least a month in Cusco, especially if you are planning on doing one of the many hikes to Machu Picchu (allowed with tour guide only) and the boleto touristica (tour guide or alone). It's a safe city with spots of good and bad wifi, terrific opportunities for adventures, and a very practical people.