Chinchero is a small Andean Indian village located high up on the plains of Anta at 3762m. There are beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. Its major claims to tourism are its colonial church built on top of an Incan foundation and its Sunday market which is somewhat less tourist-oriented than the market at Pisac.

The village mainly comprises mud brick houses, and locals still go about their business in traditional dress, although many do it for showmanship reasons because of all the tourists around.

The village may have been an important town in Inca times. The most important remnant of this period is a massive stone wall in the main plaza which has ten trapezoidal niches.  The construction of the wall and many other ruins and agricultural terraces (which are still in use) are attributed to Inca Tupac Yupanqui who probably used Chinchero as a country resort of sorts.

The adobe colonial church located on the main plaza dates back to the early seventeenth century. It has been built upon the foundations of some Inca temple or palace. The ceiling and walls are covered in beautiful floral and religious designs showing an eclectic mix of Spanish and local influences.

Overall it is a beautiful location, filled with souvenir vendors but still not feeling as tourism oriented as some other places (such as Ollantaytambo or the abovementioned Pisac). The landscape is impressive and it is a good location to start a tour of archeological sites north of Cuzco. Altitude is its only problem, Chincero is one of the highest popular archeological sites close to Cuzco and therefore if you visit it early in the morning on your first day, be sure to take some sweets and don’t run up the stairs.