Things to see in Cusco

The Inca Sun Temple, Coricancha, was the centre of the Inca religion. The building was once lavishly decorated with gold plates and precious stones, but the Spanish conquistadors pillaged the site and gave the temple to the Dominicans, who built the monastery of Santo Domingo on top of it. In 1950 an earthquake destroyed the monastery, but left the Inca stonework, some of the finest masonry in Peru, undamaged.

This simple adobe church contains an intricate carved cedar-wood pulpit, the detail of which includes a cherub, a sun-disc, faces and bunches of grapes. At the top stands St Paul, his foot resting on a skull believed to belong to the craftsman responsible for the carving. The church also has a baroque gold-leafed altar.

Previously an Incan ceremonial court, a Santa Clara convent and the mansion of the Earl of Cabrera, this impressive museum still boasts segments of Inca wall. The rather poetic descriptions of items on display – which include silver, woodwork and ceramics – attempt to rank the pieces alongside fine art. The objects, however, speak for themselves. Displays are divided amongst the various indigenous cultures dating from the 13th century and delight in their imagination, intricacy and variety. The Mochica culture is the most advanced with skilfully sculpted pottery and ornaments adorned with animals including the ubiquitous llama.

For a break from Cusco’s usual historical sights, visit the Coca Museum to learn more about the Inca’s sacred leaf. The museum introduces visitors to the history of the coca plant and explains exactly why it is so important to the Peruvian identity, today and in times past. It also covers the botanical and medicinal properties of the plant and tackles the more recent issues of drug trafficking and cocaine addiction.