Read the rest of our Peru adventure here
Over the hills and through the woods….all the way to Cusco! After our 10-hour journey, our carriage (a 12-passenger van) plopped us at the door of the most beautiful hotel we’ve ever nested in – the Belmond Hotel Monasterio.
This unique retreat moonlights as a nationally protected historic landmark – it was once a 16th century monastery built on the foundations of an Incan palace. We were transported back in time by the accommodation’s pièce de résistance: its enchanting courtyard, laced with walkways, flowerbeds, and an old-world fountain. Eating Nutella-slathered croissants under the towering 300-year-old cedar tree in the center wasn’t half bad.
Finally having adjusted to the altitude (it only took multiple days), we introduced ourselves to the city with a morning walking tour. Cusco was the Incan capital of Peru, so it was fascinating to learn about its relationship with Spanish colonization, and see that reflected in the architecture, food, and religion.
Starting off strong, our tour kicked off with a 16th century monastery that could rival only… well, the other 16th century monastery we slept in the night before. Like we said, plenty of history in this place. This was the Convent of Santo Domingo, which the Spanish built on top of Coricancha, the most prominent Inca temple of the people’s empire. Here we admired the magnificent art and architecture of both cultures. For all our fellow conspiracy-theorists out there, we even heard about eerie similarities in construction between different ancient cultures like the Incas, Egyptians, Greeks, and Mayans.
Moving onto the town’s main square, we did an extended stroll through the Cusco Cathedral. This cross-shaped building was a triple whammy containing not one but three extravagant chapels that seamlessly blended Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic styles. If you were ever worried about mixing silver and gold jewelry, one Sunday morning here would give you plenty of luxe inspo. The paintings alone were a perfect example of the meeting of Incan and Spanish culture, like a huge rendition of The Last Supper that featured Peruvian staple guinea pig on the menu.
As if our eyes hadn’t taken in enough, all five of our senses took a trip to culinary Disneyworld at the San Pedro market, where everything from fresh fruit to flowers lined the endless rows of stalls. We were dazzled by the aromas of the spices, sights of the from-scratch cuisine, and the tastes of the chocolate and homemade bread samples we took full advantage of.
As much as we love a good walking tour, our feet were ready for a break by the time we pulled up to our last stop. So we weren’t too pleased to find out we’d be frolicking around a mountainous national park – but it ended up being well worth it. Sacsayhuaman (yep, it sounds like “sexy woman”) was formerly an Incan fortress constructed of zigzag stones at least three Shaquille’s tall. The monumental views rivaled any New York skyscraper, offering breathtaking vistas of the city carpeting the Andean mountain range.
Thanks to another recommendation from our friend Sadie, we munched on personal pizzas near the city center at Yaku. The cafe’s vibrant outdoor courtyard with live music and Michelin star-worthy people-watching turned lunch into an event. If you pop by, we recommend cleansing the pisco sours from your gut with one of their squeezed-to-order pineapple basil green juices. It was quite a refreshing concoction.
SHOP ELLIE’S MORNING LOOK
Top: Madewell | Pants: Madewell | Shoes: Reebok | Necklace: Free People (similar, similar) | Watch: Shinola | Backpack: Doughnut (similar)
SHOP ANNABELLE’S MORNING LOOK
Top: Topshop | Jeans: Abercrombie | Purse: Free People | Sunglasses: Brownie
Because nothing motivates us to break a sweat more than shopping, we spent our afternoon trekking the steep hills of the artsy San Blas neighborhood (after a long nap at the hotel, of course). The cobblestone streets and artisanal shops beckoned with charm, daring us to see how many souvenirs our suitcases could make room for. (Luckily, we bought a colorful, handmade tote that perfectly solved this problem.)
Before heading to our own hotel for dinner, we just had to pop into the Belmond next door, Palacio Nazarenas When we noticed Antoni from Queer Eye staying there a couple days before, we noticed the intricate architecture matched my dress. We couldn’t resist a mini photoshoot, so we snuck in for a quick tour of the grounds before anyone could realize we weren’t actually guests.
SHOP ELLIE’S AFTERNOON LOOK
Top: Madewell | Skirt: Maeve by Anthropologie (rented through Nuuly) | Shoes: Reebok | Watch: Shinola | Backpack: Doughnut (similar)
SHOP ANNABELLE’S AFTERNOON LOOK
Dress: Anthropologie (similar) | Shoes: Madewell | Earrings: Madewell
Stay tuned for our next installation, where we take on one of the seven wonders of the world with style and discover why 1920s-era trains are our new favorite mode of transportation.
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