The town of Aguas Calientes is the actual town of Machu Picchu, a picturesque place where you can find different services of hotels, restaurants, bars, and others.
It is a small town also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo at 2020 meters above sea level, in this place you will not find vehicles such as cabs, only CONSETTUR buses that provide transfer service from Aguas Calientes to the archaeological citadel of Machu Picchu.
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The hot springs are a great option to visit during your stay in the town of Aguas Calientes, it is a set of several pools with different temperatures that also has a Restobar where you can order drinks and snacks to enjoy while relaxing in the thermal medicinal waters.
It is necessary to emphasize that the entrances are currently with previously established schedules so you can buy your entrance tickets before going up to Machu Picchu and thus have already separated your space in the pools.
The Manuel Chavez Ballon Site Museum is located just 20 minutes from the town of Aguas Calientes, in this site museum you can see the remains found by archaeologist Manuel Chavez, during the first years of excavations in Machu Picchu, among which stand out the ceramics, Inca work tools, textiles, lithic remains, and many exhibits of photographs taken by the explorer Hiram Bingham.
To visit the museum it is necessary to buy an entrance ticket that also includes access to a botanical park where you can see the variety of native and endemic plants of Machu Picchu.
The Machu Picchu butterfly house is a center for observing the more than 100 varieties of butterflies found in the protected area of Machu Picchu.
This center is located 15 minutes walking from the town of Aguas Calientes, the entrance fee is 10 soles, and it is recommended to visit it in the mornings because that is when the butterflies are most active. An ideal alternative for nature lovers.
The Artisans Market in Aguas Calientes is the best place to find souvenirs, handicrafts, ceramics and alpaca garments, a way to bring gifts from Machu Picchu and at the same time help the local people.
It is located next to the train station, a must-see before returning to Cusco.
In Aguas Calientes, you can find multiple options in terms of lodging services, from the most economical options to the most luxurious, to make reservations you can search the internet for the options that suit you best.
From May to August are the months when the town receives the highest number of visitors, so remember to make your reservation at least 1 month in advance, most hotels offer pick-up service from the train station and breakfast.
After your visit to Machu Picchu, when you return to Aguas Calientes you will find multiple options in restaurants for lunch, for this it is not necessary to make a reservation.
You will find the most varied range of options from Italian food such as pastas and pizzas
traditional Andean food, and vegetarian options. You can also find detailed information about each restaurant on their respective websites.
There are different ways to get to the town of Aguas Calientes,
The total trip takes about 4 hours from the city of Cusco, taking the train from Ollantaytambo station.
