Best things to do in Cusco, Peru
A lot of travellers come to Cusco to acclimatise to the high altitudes and making it the perfect base to make their way into the Sacred Valley and the famous ancient ruins, however we think this city is more than worthy of a deeper look and there is so much to explore!
Cusco has it all from colourful colonial architecture to ruins of Inca Palaces and Temples, Cathedrals, museums and of course excellent restaurants and diverse food culture for all budgets. The names of those Inca rulers still resonate with power and ambition centuries after their demise particularly King Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (He Who Remakes the World). In the streets, women from adjacent agriculture-based pueblos weave brilliantly coloured cloth and speak Quechua to each other while inviting tourists to take photos with their lamas (and many times baby sheep). San Pedro market has a great display of local products being my favourites the fresh juices and the enormous variety of dry fruits. Given the proximity to one of the wonders of the world, Machu Picchu Ancient City, we were surprised by the amount of budget friendly places to visit and explore within Cusco. We recommend at least 4 to 5 days in the town, if you want to include a day trip to one of the rainbow mountains.Important note about altitude sickness
Cusco, Peru, is situated at an altitude of 3,200 meters. The first two days at this high altitude might need to be taken slow to give your body the time to get used to it, especially if you came by airplane. We both experienced altitude sickness but luckily it wasn’t too bad, just small headaches and loss of appetite.
Make sure to drink plenty of Coca Tea and importantly take it easy. Coca leaves are available pretty much everywhere and are normally complementary in you hotel/hostel. We were told to avoid alcohol and have light meals which I think actually helped!
Here are our "13 Best thigs to do in Cusco, Peru"
1 – Explore Cusco’s Historical Centre!
The city centre is a colourful Spanish colonial city that rose from the ruins of the royal palaces of Cusco, however when looking closely one can find details of Inca walls (that are risen from fine tailored rock that does not need cement to stay foot) and Inca elements. Few references exist to pueblos before the Inca time, but the museum gives clues and context to all the vast history of Cusco valley and its inhabitants.
Plaza de Armas is the main square of Cusco and it is a lively place with plenty of restaurants and iconic buildings such as the Cusco Cathedral. It is a great place to spend your sunset moment in Cusco.
In and around Plaza de Armas you can find:
- Museo del Chocoloate
- Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus
- Plaza Kusipata
- Plaza San Francisco and Museo y Catacumbas del Convento de San Francisco de Asís de Cusco
- Hostel Pirwa Colonial which is a beautiful building left from colonial times
- Museo de Arte Popular
- Museo Historico Regional de Cusco
- Museo Inka
- And behind Cusco Cathedral is San Blas District with lots of restaurants and good coffee shops.
2 – Get understanding of Cusco rich history and pueblos with a Free walking tour!
This walking tour was one of the best that we took in Peru and gave us a much better understanding of the importance of the city, which was the capital of the Inca empire for over three hundred years. The city has a complex history for visitors to understand and wrestle with. You will be much better orientated after the tour.
We went with the Inka Milky Way tour. https://www.inkanmilkyway.com/en/
TIP based (recommended at least 5 USD)
3 – Explore the trendy San Blas District!
Behind Cusco Cathedral and going up the hill is San Blas District with lots of amazing restaurants, arts and crafts, Andean products and good coffee shops. This is the place to browse around after you visit the historical centre and when you start to get hungry! There is so much to do, that my advice is just get lost in the narrow streets without proper destination and you will most definitely find some hidden treasures. But if you prefer playing safe, no worries! I have got you covered! Here are some of the highlights:
– Inca Cobblestone street
– C. Hatunrumiyoc, Cusco, Peru
– Mercado de San Blas
– Cta. de San Blas
– Mirador Pejezapac
– Local Shooping: TODOMATANA, C. Inca Roca, Cusco 08003, Peru
For food, we always recommend doing it “as a local” for many reasons – it is more sustainable, it is very affordable and ideal for any budget, and you get to have real connections with people when sharing a table (we will discuss in more detail these options in the next point in line because you can’t find them San Blas District). However, sometimes there are moments we fancy to dine with a bit more elegance and more privacy! Don’t fuss! In that regard San Blas District has a lot to offer!
We ate at three restaurants along Calle Concevidayoc, San Blas District, which is just three blocks from Plaza de Armas. The restaurants are all on the left side of the street. You will need to practice your Spanish and if you can please leave a tip.
Here are our top recommendations and addresses:
- Organika Restaurant, Ataud 154, Cusco 08000, Peru
- Greens, Sta. Catalina Angosta 135, Cusco 08002, Peru
- Café Dwasi peruvian coffee 2.0, Sta. Catalina Angosta 175, Cusco 08001, Peru
- Green Point – Carmen Bajo 235
- Mamá Seledonia Restaurant – Ruinas 415, Cusco 08002, Peru
- Hidden artistic pateo with good Coffee – Three Monkeys Coffee Cusco, Ca. Arequipa 159, Cusco 08000, Peru
- Yaku Restaurant, Plaza Regocijo 209, Cusco 08002, Peru
4 – Food Time! A lovely Lunch “as a local” or Coffee with a view!
Lunch is the main meal of the day in most of Peru and you will find the local go to restaurants full at around 1 pm. Most will have on display the Menu Del Dia in Spanish, other times you will have to ask. If you can’t speak Spanish it is all good, just smile, point at a name in the menu del dia and try whatever new dish they will give you! It is fun and you won’t regret it!
You can expect to have a traditional soup as a starter and a main which is different on most days and can include meat and rice. In Cusco it will be usual to have Lomo Saltado, Aji de Gallina, Rocoto, Pollo a la Brasa as the main dish in the menu for a locally affordable price. If you go after peak times, you may be left with limited options as the most popular one will sell out!
We found most dishes to be tasty and filling for the rest of the day! You shouldn’t expect a gourmet meal, but it is an affordable way to taste a new local cuisine! The total cost was less than 10 soles per person (€2.5/ 2.66 USD) for the set course. A friendly reminder that this are local restaurant with local price so if it is super full, please give priority to locals, and if you can please leave a tip in the end of your meal. Also, these places as excellent opportunities to train you Spanish and have a real authentic conversation with any friendly local enjoying their lunch break.
Here our “Lunch as a Local” recommendations:
- Menu del dia in authentic local restaurants adjacent to REAL Quillabamba “Chocolates & Café”, Concevidayoc, Cusco, Peru
- JC’s Cafe, Meloc, Cusco, Peru
- Panadería Qosqo Maki, Av Tullumayo 465, Cusco 08002, Peru
- For a coffee with a view there are plenty of places in the second flours of the buildings around plaza de Plaza de Armas de Cuzco (Plaza de Armas de Cuzco, Del Medio, Cusco, Peru).
10 soles per person (€2.5/ 2.66 USD) for the set course – Soup and main.
5 – Have a picnic at Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain!
The Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain in Peru is the most popular rainbow mountain and all travel agents in town offer half-a-day tours to visit it. As you would expect, even in low season the place is packed, and you have about 30 min-1 hour to visit it.
After some consideration, we opted for the alternative and less know ‘rainbow’ mountain of Palccoyo that is about 3 hours out of the city (depending on the traffic) and the access is made by the less explored valley south of Cusco, passing through Oropesa, Urcos, Cusipata e Checaupe (the turning point out of the valley towards the mountains). We hired a private taxi with four other likeminded travellers we meet in Cusco. You can book a tour or ask in your accommodation for a transfer option. We paid about 20USD per person for the taxi hire.
When we got there, we almost had the mountain for ourselves! We brough a picnic that we enjoyed looking at one of the mountain tops surrounded by the 3 beautiful rainbow mountains. The altitude is very high so the easy hike 1-1.5 hour walk from the parking lot to the top at 5,000 meters can be more challenging that initially forecasted. We found the colours to be amazing, and the ride to the mountain was half of the fun despite the time it took! There were lamas, alpacas and sheep roaming freely everywhere and the best part – there are only a handful of tourists.
A day trip to Palccoyo, the Alternative Rainbow Mountain! (Coming soon)
20 USD
Cordillera Arcoiris Palccoyo Parking, Uchullujllo 08230, Peru
https://goo.gl/maps/nEd177VqooGz8ang8
Note: Friendly reminder to bring all garbage with you back to town.
Even though you might find some collection points on the parking lot, this is a very remote area with limited resources, so we need to make sure we do not leave anything behind.
6 – Mercado San Pedro
This market is full of life, and it is a great place to try some fruit, nuts and affordable market food. We really enjoyed the fresh and dry fruits that we bought and took on our Salkantay hike and ah! loved the banana chips! We also bought our supplies for a picnic here at one of the stands.
We didn’t buy any souvenirs here but if you are planning on it, assess if the price requested is reasonable and, if not, you’ll need to put your bargaining hat on.
Outside in front of the main entrance of the Market is a stand of ladies that offer massages of 15 min for 25 Soles. If you are sore from your hikes or just from walking around the town, this is an excellent way to have 15 minutes of relaxation before powering through the rest of the day.
A must visit when in Cusco is the Temple of the Sun. It was one of the most important temples of the Inca empire before it mostly destroyed by the Spaniards. The stones and building materials were re-used to build the Santo Domingo Convent which now sits on top of Qorikancha. Most of the well restored ruins are in the inner patio and we had a sense of being caught between two worlds when we visited. We were able to download a Guiding App to get some more information on each individual room but I would recommended hiring a guide if you can afford it to get a better idea of the temples history.
Qoricancha, Santo Domingo s/n, Cusco 08000, Peru
15 Soles (close to 5 USD). It is closed on Sundays and expect to spend 1-2 hours inside.
8 – Find THE spot to watch the sunrise or the golden hour!
It is beautiful and peaceful sight watching the light reach past the mountains and awaken the town in the morning. At sunset, the town gets filed of orange and golden colours making it a spectacular view.
Some of the best viewpoints in Cusco are:
- Mirador de San Blas
- Plaza Sán Cristobal
- Desde el Cristo Blanco
9 – Explore the Historical and Art Museums and the Cathedral
If you want to get a better idea of the pre-Inca and Inca period in Peru, the Inka Museum is a great place to start. In the first two rooms are pre-Inca ceramics with some pieces dating back to 5000 BC. You will head upstairs to learn about the excavation of Machu Picchu and other ancient building archaeologic sites and construction techniques. The most fascinating part of the museum was learning about Inca ceremonies to the mountains and the exhibition of mummies which were in fantastic condition even though a little confronting!
You won’t find English descriptions for everything but nowadays with google translate this shouldn’t hold you back.
Museo Inka, Ataud 154, Cusco 08002, Peru
20 soles
Here are some other suggestions of places to visit that might interest you:
- Museo de Arte Popular
- Museo Histórico Regional de Cusco, Calle Garcilaso, Cusco, Peru
- Mural Art: Mural Cuzco, Avenida El Sol, Cusco, Peru
- Cusco Cathedral, Cusco, Peru
- Iglesia, Museo y Convento de San Francisco, Pl. San Francisco S/N, Cusco 08002, Peru
1o – Give a lama a pet!
Walking on the street you will almost certainly find local women from adjacent agricultural pueblos in their colourful garments inviting tourists to take photos with their accompanying lamas (and many times baby sheep). The animals we have seen appear well treated and these ladies are providing a service that for many foreigners that have never seen a lama is very very interesting! However, this is a very controversial service for many reasons, not to say that is illegal and these ladies are always on watch out for the police.
While visiting the centre of town, we found a place – Koricancha Centro Cusco – that gives some of these ladies working conditions to have their lamas in a grass padded patio for the day. This seemed more appropriate for both the ladies and the animals and ultimately you can contribute for a more sustainable tourism.
Koricancha Centro Cusco
11 – Half-a-day Trek to the Q’enco Archaeological Complex, Temple of the Moon and Saqsaywaman
- Complejo Arqueológico Q’enqo, Cusco, Peru
- Temple of the Moon, F2VP+P3, Cusco, Peru
- Chincana Grande, Saqsaywaman
If you don’t have the time for the full 5 -day hike to Machu Picchu, go for a day trip to lake Humantay! The glacial lake is located at 4200 m above sea level and it has a beautiful turquoise colour, surrounded by the giant Mount Humantay. The hike for this day trip an easy one and lasts for less than two hours, however you should be wary of altitude sickness if you haven’t spent a few days in Cusco beforehand. Pictures don’t do this place justice and it is a must visit!
Budget : 30 USD
13 – Did I say Catfetin Cat Café?
If the symptoms of altitude sickness are getting in your way and you need a cuddle or if you just want to have a break to play with kittens, located just one block from the sun temple is a cat café! We had the best time playing with the cats and they were very interested in many of the toys available.
Importantly, this café rescues street cats that are in need of shelter and veterinary care and after all the necessary checks, they are given for adoption to a responsible owner. When we were there the waitress said something like 800 cats (!!!) have passed through their care!
5 soles for entry to the cat area plus your purchases.
More on one-day-trips from Cusco, Peru
Complete Guide to visit Machu Picchu! (Coming soon)
16 – Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu
If you haven’t booked a trek to Machu Picchu already, don’t stress! We booked our tour only a few days in advance and there were last minute spots on the amazing Salkantay trek and we can highly recommend this tour. You will have the option of a 4- or 5-day hike including a day in ancient Macchu Picchu.
Highlights of the tour include, Lake Humantay, Salkantay Pass, beautiful mountain vistas, thermal hot pools, delicious home-made Peruvian meals, the best avocado sandwiches of the world and, of course, Machu Picchu.
Treking Salkantay To Machu Picchu Review – A budget friendly and nature-lover alternative to the Inka Trail!
17 – Ollantaytambo
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