Cuzco’s official “boleto turístico” is exasperating. Apart from the ruins, the nightly show and a couple of the museums, the 17 included sights are eminently miss-able, but you can’t visit any of them without it. Since Cuzco’s signature attraction, Sacsaywamán, is included, you really can’t avoid forking out.

Valid for 10 days, the boleto turístico covers entry to the ruins of Sacsaywamán, Q’enqo, Puka- pukara and Tambomachay, right outside Cuzco; Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray, in the Sacred Valley; and Tipón and Piquillacta to the south.

It also includes the fascinating Museo de Arte Popular, the eclectic Museo Histórico Regional, and an evening performance of Andean dances and live music at the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo. The remaining inclusions are the musty, miss-able archaeological museum at Qorikancha (but not Qorikancha itself ), the Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo and the Pachacutec monument near the bus terminal.

There are three different partial boletos costing S70 (student S35). One covers the ruins im- mediately outside Cuzco, one the ruins in the Sacred Valley, and the third the museums in Cuzco. Partial tickets are valid for 10 days.

You can buy boletos turísticos from iPerú (%25-2974; Office 102, Galerías Turísticas, Av El Sol h 8:30am-7:30pm) or at the sites themselves, except for the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo. Students

will need to show their ID card along with their boleto when entering any site.

There’s also a boleto religioso (religious tourist ticket; adult/student S50/25), valid for the jaw- dropping Cathedral and Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús (these are must-sees in the Plaza de Armas), as well as the Iglesia de San Blas, the Museo de Arte Religioso and (strangely) Cuzco’s most significant display  of  contemporary  art  at  Museo  Quijote.  It’s  available  at  any  of  the  sites and is valid for 10 days.

Cusco City