Ollantaytambo (Peru)

I remember a calm and relaxing village. I only stayed there the night and the following day but the atmosphere was gentle. Few tourists compared to Aguas Calientes or Cusco. So, little in the way of infrastructure either, and the restaurants were only open til 9 p.m. ...So be warned! I found myself visiting every restaurant in the village starving and ready to eat anything.

Apart from these details, lovers of ancient architecture will adore Ollantaytambo . The Inca city which overlooks the village is very well preserved. You can easily see where the little lanes and the houses were...and it is laden with history: the city was the site of an Inca defeat during the Spanish colonisation.

I went to Peru in 2013 and I still have great memories of my trip to the town of Ollantaytombo. I went on my way back from visiting Machu Picchu and I had hesitated between spending the night at Ollantaytombo or returning directly to Cusco. In the end I stayed one night here and I didn't regret it because Ollantaytombo still has some remains from its Inca past. It was in fact an old fortress where ancient fights took place and I very much liked the guided tour. The visit to the fortress also offers some beautiful views over the surrounding valley.

The town is small and I found it relaxing after the all turmoil of Machu Picchu. I remember a pretty little square where a few restaurants had set up shop. If you go a little further away from the square you can wander the little streets of the town, which are charming in themselves.

I also took advantage of my time in Ollantaytombo to find a guide to show me the salt terrasses "Salinas de Maras" and the ancient agricultural grounds at Moray. This half day visit was really worthwhile, in that allowed me to view these exceptional places. In short, I liked Ollantaytombo and recommend all travellers to plan a stopover.