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VACATION ENHANCING TOURS CUSCO CITY TOUR WITH SAN BLAS ART DISTRICT Enjoy a tour of Cusco, including Loreto Alley, a fine example of the old town and its remarkable Inca walls. Visit the Santo Domingo convent monastery, which was once the Koricancha Temple, the most important Inca temple of all and dedicated to the worship of the sun. According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Continue on to San Blas to visit its beautiful colonial church, which is dedicated to the Virgin of the Blessed Event and houses an impressive pulpit and filigree woodcarving celebrating the fruits of the region. Stroll through the many handicraft and native art galleries in the little square. Roam the older quarters of the city, which date back to the 16th and 17th centuries. On the way back, pass by Hatunrumiyoc Street with its famous twelve angle stone, then visit the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas. (3 hours) CHINCHERO MARKET & OLLANTAYTAMBO (Cusco) Experience the Urubamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Wander around the colorful native market of Chinchero and bargain with local vendors for handicrafts. Enjoy lunch at a countryside inn. Proceed to Ollantaytambo to admire the magnificence of the Inca fortress and stroll through the quaint streets. The site was built just as the Spaniards arrived, and evidence of how it was constructed is still visible. (6 hours) COLONIAL AND MODERN LIMA This tour provides a panoramic visit to the Huaca Pucllana archaeological center that was active in the 5th and 8th centuries A.D. Proceed to the Historical Centre of Lima and see the Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, City Hall, the Cathedral and the San Francisco Monastery. Finally, drive through the residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro with their spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean. (3.5 hours) PERU RAIL JOURNEYS American Express Vacations offers a variety of Orient Express train options for your Peru vacation experience. PeruRail is a specialist in train travel in Peru, and links most of the tourist highlights of the Andes, most notably Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Undoubtedly the most spectacular way to tour and travel in Peru, PeruRail takes you through scenery of outstanding beauty and to places almost inaccessible by any other means. The ultimate way to journey to the legendary Inca citadel, Machu Picchu, is aboard the Orient Express luxury train, the Hiram Bingham, which assures a magical journey never to be forgotten. In the morning en route to Machu Picchu a brunch will be served as you watch the stunning landscape unfold. Upon reaching your destination, a guide will show you the highlights of the Machu Picchu citadel. After the day exploring, cocktails and a gourmet dinner are served on the return to Cusco. For more information on PeruRail or The Hiram Bingham, please contact your American Express travel counselor. Consult your American Express travel counselor for more details on these and other tours, as well as for available airport transfers. Peru 51