Urubamba (Quechua: Urupampa which means “Flat land of Spiders”) is a small town in Peru, located near the Urubamba River under the snow-capped mountain of Chicon. The town is located near a number of significant ruins of the Inca Empire, and frequently houses tourists visiting those sites.
Located one hour from Cusco, Urubamba is the largest town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is frequently visited by tourists on their way to Machu Picchu.
Urubamba has the look of a more ‘functional’ town than its neighbours Ollantaytambo and Pisac, but it is not without charm.
There is a popular market selling fresh fruit and vegetables and also pots, pans and other essential items. The market does not really cater for tourists and does not include the locally produced alpaca garments/ornaments. However Urubamba is the home of the workshop of Pablo Seminario, who creates quality ceramics which can be purchased from the workshop or the store in Cusco.
There is a large sporting field used for local football (soccer) matches and also for festivals, including the festival of El Señor de Torrechayoc. During the first week of June the town swells with dancers and visitors from local towns who perform through the streets whilst the church bells ring. The festivities do not seem to stop as the local towns people celebrate well into the early hours. The dancing culminates with group performances on the local football pitch whilst crowds look on from the stands.
Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org
Entries (RSS)