Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley 60 km from Cusco, is the only Inca town in Peru still laid out on its original urban grid. Walk the cobblestone streets today and you’re walking the plan Pachacuti’s architects set out in the 15th century. It’s often called the Living Inca City for exactly that reason.
The main site is the fortress above the town, a dual military-ceremonial complex. The Temple of the Sun’s Wall of the Six Monoliths is the headline — six pink granite blocks weighing up to 50 tons each, quarried 6 km upstream and dragged across the Urubamba. The temple was unfinished when the Spanish arrived in 1537; the stones never reached their final positions, which is why the walls stand open to the sky today.
Below the fortress, the town is still a working place. The San Pedro market square is at the centre, with Quechua women selling textiles, chicha and roasted cuy. The Pinkuylluna granaries built high into the opposite cliff give the best view back at the fortress — a 90-minute scramble, well worth it.
Ollantaytambo station is the main departure point for trains to Aguas Calientes, so most Machu Picchu itineraries pass through. Overnight here rather than rush through, and you catch the first morning train.
Visit Peruways for site tours, train tickets and valley overnights. Ollantaytambo rewards travelers who stay a full day rather than treat it as a photo stop.
