Cusco sits at 3,400 m (11,150 ft) and mixes Inca foundations, Spanish architecture, and a very contemporary food scene. Use the city as more than a layover on the way to Machu Picchu—there’s enough here to fill several solid days.
1 . Walk the Plaza de Armas
Start in the main square. Grab a coffee on a balcony, check out the Cathedral and La Compañía de Jesús, and note how colonial stonework rests directly on Inca walls. Free walking tours leave from here most mornings.
2 . Visit Qorikancha
Qorikancha—once plated in gold—was the Incas’ most important sun temple. Today the Santo Domingo convent sits on top. You’ll see some of the finest Inca stonework anywhere in Peru, plus a small but useful museum.
3 . Browse San Pedro Market
Locals still shop here for fruit, bread, and herbal remedies. Pick up fresh juice, try a tamal, and compare “baby alpaca” scarves (real ones cost more than US $15). It’s noisy, crowded, and worth an hour of your time.
4 . Hike up to Sacsayhuamán
Ten minutes by taxi, or 30 minutes on foot, this hilltop site shows off 100-ton stones that fit together like LEGO. Arrive late afternoon and hang around for city views at sunset.
5 . Explore San Blas
Cusco’s artisan quarter is steep but compact. Small workshops sell wood carvings, jewelry, and ceramics. The simple white church contains a pulpit carved from a single cedar log.
6 . Take a Cooking Class
Most classes start with a market visit, then cover classics such as ceviche and lomo saltado. Good ones finish with a pisco-sour lesson. Expect three hours door-to-door.
7 . Cristo Blanco Viewpoint
Hike (or taxi) to the white Christ statue for a sweeping night panorama of Cusco’s orange lights and star-filled sky.
8 . Hatun Rumiyoc Street & the Twelve-Angled Stone
Iconic example of Inca precision masonry—find the perfectly fitted 12-corner block and snap the classic photo.
9 . Visit the Regional History Museum (Museo Histórico Regional)
Set inside the 16th-century Casa Garcilaso, this underrated museum walks you through Cusco’s timeline—from pre-Inca cultures and Inca artifacts to colonial paintings and early-Republic documents. Exhibits are bilingual, quiet, and logically laid out—perfect for putting everything you’ll see outside into historical context.
10 . Brunch at Limbus Resto-Bar
Perch on the glass terrace above San Blas; pair quinoa pancakes or tropical fruit bowls with a skyline view.
11 . Stroll Calle Siete Borreguitos
Just below San Blas, this narrow lane bursts with street art, hanging flower baskets, and classic white-washed houses. It’s one of Cusco’s most photogenic shortcuts; come early for soft light and empty steps, stay late for cozy cafés tucked along the climb.
12 . Sample Roast Cuy at a Traditional Quinta
Try Peru’s most iconic feast—whole guinea pig, slow-roasted until the skin turns glassy-crisp. Head to a family-run spot such as Kusikuy or Quinta Eulalia and pair it with native potatoes and spicy rocoto sauce. Snap the photo, then dig in like the locals do.
Related reading
Things to Do in Lima – A Complete Guide for Visitors
Quick Logistics
| Topic | Note |
|---|---|
| Altitude | Spend 48 h in Cusco before serious hiking; drink water, not more coca tea. |
| Weather | Dry season: April–October (cold nights), wet: November–March (daily showers). |
| Tickets | Boleto Turístico (partial or full) covers most ruins; buy it at the first site you enter. |
| Transport | Official airport taxis charge ~S/45 to the center; collectivos to the Sacred Valley leave from Calle Pavitos. |
| Cash | ATMs limit single withdrawals; bring a backup card. |
Ready to use Cusco as more than a pit stop? Majestic Andes builds custom trips that mix these downtown stops with the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Check our site or message us for details.
