Antonio de León Pinedo is a Spanish naturalist who says that Urubamba must have been the garden of Eden, of which so much is spoken in the bible; And although your comment may be somewhat upset for some, we assure you to forgive him when he has his first view of Urubamba. At present Urubamba is the administrative and commercial center of the Sacred Valley of the Incas; In it you will find hundreds of services, mostly dedicated to tourism, and many, many people from many parts of the world, who arrived in Urubamba fell in love with the place and stayed. Some weekends all the inhabitants of Urubamba and many people of Cusco meet in their central square, in Sunday fairs that perish parties of fraternization between people from all over the world.

Facade of the main church of Urubamba

Where is Urubamba?

The beautiful province of Urubamba is located 78 km northeast of Cusco northwest of Cusco and is crossed by the Vilcanota River; But next to the town the river takes the name of Urubamba. Urubamba is one of the most productive places in the country, the region produces the best white corn in the world, in the rainy season you can find fruits from the valley, try “pacay”, “capulí”, peaches, quince and delicious strawberries; In most cases they come from organic farms.

What does Urubamba mean?

Urubamba means “pampa to a day of road”. But the name is far from what it is, since Urubamba was one of the main agricultural production areas during the Inca Empire.

How to get to Urubamba?

After taking a bus in Cusco’s Pavitos Street and leaving the city of Cusco, the highway will take you through fields flooded with flowers, trees, mountains and snowy; Enjoy both the tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Urubamba, which could be in agreement with León Pinedo. Although in Urubamba there are few places of historical interest, the landscapes will compensate for anything; But in addition to the landscapes, the incredible collection of hotels of all categories, the beautiful climate and the proximity to the train station to Machu Picchu in Ollantaytambo have made many people choose this city as their arrival point from the Foreigner for their trip to Machu Picchu.

Some of the history of Urubamba

During the time of the Incas Urubamba was the entrance to the jungle, the Antisuyo, the land of the “Chunchos” (savages). The Urubamba River was called Willka Mayu or Rio del Sol and was sacred to the Incas; Because it formed a valley where were some of the most amazing cities and settlements of the Inca empire; Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Choquequirao, in all of them you can find buildings dedicated to the Sun, its maximum deity.

What to see in Urubamba?

Perhaps some of the attractions of Urubamba are its breathtaking scenery and the mix of people from all over the world living in a small town; But it is not the only thing.

• The Plaza de Armas de Urubamba

  The Plaza de Armas de Urubamba is the main square of the city, it is framed by huge trees of Pisonay and a beautiful colonial church with twin towers. In the square you will find dozens of moto-taxis buzzing around the square to get passengers, one of the places that must visit, is the beautiful house-workshop of Pablo Seminario. The capricious work of this famous ceramist with pre-Columbian motifs, is famous and sold throughout Peru. He will love or hate his style.

• The Town of Yucay

  The town of Yucay is located south of Urubamba, is a quiet and pleasant town with one of the best climates of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, besides possessing beautiful and lush landscapes. It is the land that the Spaniards gave him to the traitor of the Inca empire Sayri Tupac, and you can still see the palace he built in the lands that he was given. In the Plaza de Armas de Yucay, you can see Inca foundations around; The village of Yucay also houses some of the best agricultural terraces of Inca invoice. These platforms are located on the slopes of the mountains surrounding the village.

• Other places to visit

  • The Santiago Apostle Church in the Plaza de Armas de Urubamba was built between 1649 and 1686 and houses beautiful works of colonial art.

  • The Casa Martin Pio Concha, already restored, is a true example of colonial civil architecture.

  • You can take excursions from Urubamba, to the town of Moray or the Salineras de Maras.

Advice from people who have been there

Church of Urubamba

By: Karin C

“A beautiful colonial church“

“Good location in front of the Plaza de Armas de Urubamba, a few streets away from the road, typical church of the Peruvian highlands, with colonial infrastructure, with pictures and a beautiful wooden altar apparently plated with silver figures of flora and fauna Of the area.“

By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last Update, 05-12-2017