The Sacred Valley
The term Sacred Valley of the Incas is used to refer to the valley of the Urubamba River, especially between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. The whole of the Urubamba River was very important to the Incas, and many of their most sacred sites were located near the river, including Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. Nowadays, as in Inca times, the Sacred Valley is an important agricultural area, and most of the towns have given themselves titles such as ‘the world capital of maize', or ‘the world capital of capulí'. Its pleasant climate makes it particularly suited to agriculture.
The Sacred Valley contains some of the most visited archaeological sites in the Cusco area. Pisac and Ollantaytambo are both important ruins, and most visitors to Cusco visit the valley.