Will Chinchero in the Sacred Valley of the Incas Become the First

Most travelers would generously refer to Chinchero as a village, and a rural, windswept village at that. A modest handicraft market, Incan ruins, and a Spanish colonial church attract visitors who walk the dirt roads and cobblestone streets alongside a mainly Quechua-speaking population. The majority of locals depend on traditional weaving and subsistence farming. Chinchero, however, has surprising plans in mind.

This month, representatives from Peru's Ministry of Transport & Communications and Housing Ministry met with specialists in commercial agency and planning from the government of Singapore and authorities from the little town of Chinchero in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Through successive meetings, they gauged the potential for Chinchero to convert itself into the first 'smart city' in Peru, and one of the first in Latin America. Gaulberto Sallo, the chief magistrate of Chinchero, assured news outlets that, "Chinchero is a strategic zone and it will become one of the most important development poles in the southern region of our country….we are fulfilling one by one the necessary precepts."

It's easier said than done- to make the leap, Chinchero will need to take into account its government, urban planning, public management, environmental technology, international projection, social cohesion, and transport. It will be helped by the new international airport, which has been planned to be built in Chinchero in order to assist Cusco, whose present airport can't meet the demand of travelers en route to nearby Machu Picchu.

For the moment, however, travelers can reach Chinchero by a short half-hour bus drive to enjoy a rural town that boasts scenic hills and lakes and colorful patch-work fields of alternating subsistence crops. On Tuesday and Sunday, the market convenes near the main square. If possible, visit the town's colonial church, which is propped atop the ruins of an Incan temple. Its humble exterior hides an interior largely covered with paintings.

If you'd prefer some guidance and history along with your visit, don't worry- day trips to the Sacred Valley of the Incas leave Cusco every morning, and Chinchero is on the itinerary. Or, if the traditional weavings interest you, you can learn more about the local yarn-making, dying, and weaving techniques by taking a weavers tour.