Favorite Things To Do In Cusco, Peru

Many tourists use Cusco, Peru as the launching point for going to Machu Picchu. Some skip the city or just use it to acclimate to the altitude and stay overnight. We stayed in Cusco for three nights after visiting Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley and loved it. This former capital of the Inca Empire along as a Spanish colonial city offered a lot for tourists. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Cusco with kids (or without too).

1. Hang out at the Plaza

Plaza Armas was the cultural center of Cusco. Various restaurants, bars, coffee shops (yes, even a large Starbucks) and shops surrounded the square. There were well-maintained gardens with colorful flowers around the square. The center also had a fountain with the statue or Pachacuti who was an Incan ruler.

This was one of the best places to people watch. Sit in one of the benches, the cathedral steps or from one of the restaurant balconies overlooking the plaza. The plaza was well maintained and clean. We felt safe walking around here even at night with all the police officers walking around.

2. Visit the Churches

We found quite a few beautiful churches while walking around Cusco. There were three churches on its main square, Plaza Armas. The larger Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin or Cusco Cathedral was the oldest cathedral in South America.

Its façade and details were amazing. This Gothic-Renaissance style looked very similar to cathedrals we’ve had the pleasure of visiting in Spain. This was largely due to the Spaniards who colonized the Incas for over 300 years.

The Cusco cathedral was even more incredible inside. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed. It almost felt like visiting an art museum with architectural details and colonial art.

Don’t miss Peru’s version of the Last Supper painting. One can also find Cusco’s oldest surviving painting of the city before the 17^th century devastating earthquake. This magnificent cathedral was completed in 1654.

The other major church on the square is the Church of the Society of Jesus (Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus). This also has an impressive Baroque style façade. The church’s domed ceiling houses Peru’s biggest altar. The smaller Church of Triumph (Iglesia del Triunfo) is the oldest of the three built in the 16^th century. This was Cusco’s first Christian church.

3. Shop the Markets

We explored several colorful markets around the Sacred Valley. But, nothing quite compared to Cusco’s San Pedro Market. This market is one of the city’s most popular attractions and a true glimpse at the culture and the locals’ lives. Located a few blocks from Plaza Armas, the indoor market had several sections with many food stalls and vendors.

The locals shopped for their daily menus and meals here. There were areas for meat, cheese, flowers, vegetables, fruits, souvenirs and even home cooked food. Don’t forget to try a juice (make sure they use bottled water) at one of many fruit juice stands.

It was an explosion of colors and our senses were on overdrive as we walked around San Pedro Market. Keep your valuables close by as this is frequented by pickpockets. Please don’t take photos of the vendors unless you ask.

Two other markets to visit is the Centro Artesanal located by Avenida del Sol and Tullumayo. There were plenty of handicrafts and souvenirs sold here. If you’re near the San Blas plaza on Saturdays, there is an artisanal market here for unique souvenirs.

4. Go Shopping

We did our best shopping in Cusco for souvenirs and textiles. Traveling with a group of women and girls on this Peru trip meant we spent about as much time shopping as sightseeing. Luckily, there were many stores along the streets (like Calles Plateros and Triunfo) leading to Plaza Armas. Our favorite area was along Hatunrumiyoc street.

If you’re in the market for colorful hats, scarves, blankets, shawls, ponchos and even alpaca sweaters, this was the place to get them. There were also plenty of silver jewelry, ceramics and woodcarvings. The kids would also enjoy looking at all the llama inspired trinkets.

We also enjoyed practicing our Spanish by bargaining in some stores. Many of the items started to look the same as we wandered around. Compare prices of the merchandise to get the best deal. The vendors also seemed a bit more acceptable to the prices we asked if paying in cash.

5. Walk Along the Inca Walls

The Incas were known for their craftsmanship and skills in masonry. There were several Inca walls found throughout Cusco. They were still in amazing shape enduring the test of time and elements for centuries. The Spaniards used some parts of the wall as foundations to build their structures.

We found some walls on the narrow alley of Loreto. But, the walls we became very familiar with were on Hatunrumiyoc street. This was our path to Plaza Armas everyday.

Hatunrumiyoc was named after the popular “Twelve Angled Stone”. It was amazing to think how these were precisely cut, shaped and assembled without using any mortar. It was said that they fit so perfectly well that even a sheet of paper wouldn’t fit between them.

These large polygon stones were once part of an Incan palace. Throughout the day, we found many tourists posing along the 12-sided stone. Sometimes, there were locals dressed up as Inca rulers ready to pose with tourists. It’s the really large stone in the photo below.

Walk around one side of the wall by the Choco Museo and the vendors had signs showing where to find hidden images of animals on the way the stones were laid out. It was a fun activity to do with kids.

6. Make Chocolates

Care for some chocolate samples? The Choco Museo has two locations in Cusco. It offered free admission to look around the interactive museum and store. Samples and cacao husk tea were readily available. They also offered a 45-minute chocolate making workshop. Cost was about $10 US.

My teen daughter enjoyed making her own chocolates using various flavors and toppings. It was also a learning experience about the cacao and chocolate’s history. She also made enough to bring some home as a souvenir.

7. Find llamas and alpacas

You can’t walk down Cusco’s streets and not run into a baby llama or alpaca. We found many of the locals wearing their colorful costumes and carrying these adorable animals. Visitors could pose with them for about 1 or 2 soles (less than 30 cents).

Some of the locals will even allow you to hold the animals. One of my daughter’s favorite photos was this one. It granted many things on her Peru photo wish list.

8. Explore the Saqsaywaman Ruins

Cusco was the Inca capital and it was no surprise to see many ruins near the city. The biggest and most popular was Saqsaywaman (pronounced like ‘sexy woman’). This was a large archaeological complex with over 200 sites. Most of it was used for religious purposes.

The Incas called it “Temple of the Sun”. There was a large grassy area in the midst of the huge limestone rocks stacked together without using mortar. There was no signage so it was best to tour this area with a guide. It was also a wonderful place to wander around and be amazed at the Inca’s craftsmanship.

Don’t miss Cristo Blanco (think smaller version of Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer) standing over the city nearby. This was part of our tour but walkable from the ruins. Look out for a field of roaming alpacas.

9. Eat Local

Peru has emerged as a one of the world’s top foodie destinations. While it may not be on par with its capital city of Lima just yet, Cusco has many options. Most of the unique local cuisine were cheap and were great values. Everything we ate was delicious.

Peru produces over 2,000 potato varieties. Corn and quinoa are also fairly common. So, it was no surprise to constantly find these as side dishes. Being in a landlocked area also meant many options for meaty dishes.

We really enjoyed eating aji de gallina (yellow creamy chicken),lomo saltado (stir fried beef) and ceviche (Peru’s national dish of marinated fish in a citrus juice). Don’t forget to try some drinks like chichi morada that’s made of purple corn or a Pisco Sour which is a classic Peruvian cocktail. If you really like it, pisco sour making lessons are available too.

We were hesitant in trying out alpaca meat at first because they just looked too adorable. Most menus had alpaca meat cooked in various ways from grilled, stew or even as pizza toppings. I liked my grilled alpaca skewers that tasted a lot like steak with a gamey aftertaste.

Another Peruvian delicacy was cuy or guinea pig. It is usually baked, barbecued or deep fried and flattened. One of my friends ordered it and some of us used it more for a photo op. We took a small bite from her cuy and I’m not a fan. It was a lot harder to eat with the small bones and not that much meat. If you’re an adventurous eater, cuy will tick off one of those unusual food items.

The restaurants we ate at usually offered three courses with choices of an appetizer, main course and dessert and sometimes even a drink. All of these never went over $10 US. We recommend eating at one of the restaurants overlooking Plaza Armas and especially during sunset hour.

These were the restaurants we ate at in Cusco:

• La Perla
• Restaurant Pizzeria Quinua
• Café Plus
• Don Thomas (for cuy)

10. Get A Massage

It was surprising to find many massage vendors around Cusco and they were cheap. I guess it was a great way to fix those aching muscles for those who did the multi-day Inca trail. Though, we explored Machu Picchu via train, we climbed quite a few steps in some of the other Sacred Valley ruins. Cusco was also very hilly.

We couldn’t pass up getting a full body massage. Did I tell you they charged about 20 soles or $6 US for an hour? And it was one of the best massages I’ve had. There were many vendors advertising and handing out flyers along Hatunrumiyoc street. Be sure to check their facilities before committing.

11. See the Temple of the Sun

If you can’t make it outside the city limits to visit the Inca ruins, there was one within walking distance of Plaza Armas. Another ruin called Temple of the Sun or Coricancha or Qorikancha was once the Inca’s religious center.

The Spaniards ultimately tore apart the Inca temple. The Santo Domingo church was built on top of the ruins with some of the materials. Today, the St. Dominic priory is open for visitors.

We saw remnants of an Inca wall and artifacts during our tour. It was interesting to see the Spanish and Inca sections – influences that have shaped the history and architecture of Cusco.

12. Visit Museums

Cusco is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has an interesting culture and rich history with all the Inca and the Spaniard influences. There were several museums scattered around the city for an enriching experience.

• Museo Inka or the Inca Museum – This was the place to learn all about the Inca empire that once ruled Cusco. It has 24 exhibit rooms showing the progression of people who lived here from the pre-Incas to the Spaniards. There were plenty of artifacts, models and even mummies. Information is in English and Spanish. No photos allowed.
• Museo de Arte Pre-Colombino (MAP) – This art museum housed in a former Spanish colonial mansion holds about 450 pieces in 11 showrooms. It is a showcase dedicated to the ancient Peruvian arts made up of artifacts dating between 1250 BC and AD 1532.
• Museo Machu Picchu Casa Concha – This museum boasts the world’s largest collection of Machu Picchu artifacts. Most of them were objects found by Hiram Bingham when he discovered  Machu Picchu. It is located in a beautiful former colonial mansion of a Spanish aristocrat.

Tips for Visiting Cusco

• Getting acclimated to altitude

One of our main concerns with traveling to Peru was the altitude. Cusco is at 11,152 ft (3,400 m). Some feel the effects of altitude after stepping out of the airport. We followed many travelers’ recommendations to descend to the Sacred Valley first which was at 9,514 feet (2,900 m) to get acclimated to the altitude.

Even with this descent, we felt sick in varying degrees during the first day with nausea, labored breathing, headaches and heart palpitations. It is highly recommend to take it easy after landing in Cusco whether you stay in the city or go elsewhere.

We adjusted to the altitude by the time we returned to Cusco a few days later. We mainly took chlorophyll pills (available over-the-counter) and Diamox (prescription needed), drank coca tea, ate coca candy, and stayed well hydrated throughout our week. Coca candy was available at Lima airport during our layover. On a side note, the kids adjusted better to the altitude than the adults.

• Wear comfortable shoes.

Cusco is a very walkable city and walking is the best way to explore the hidden gems and alleys. Some of the areas are on a steep hill and some have cobblestoned streets.

• Where to stay

We loved our stay at Casa San Blas Boutique Hotel. Our room was huge with three beds, spacious bathroom and a kitchen. The complimentary breakfast was delicious with many options including made to order eggs. We also had a great balcony with fantastic views of Cusco. It was in a wonderful and safe location within walking distance of Plaza Armas and many shops and restaurants.

• Get the Cusco Tourist Ticket

If you’re going to be exploring attractions around Cusco and the Sacred Valley, it’s best to get the Cusco Tourist Ticket that’s valid for 10 days. This included 16 sites, ruins and museums for around $40 US.

Children under nine years old are free and students with a valid ID are discounted. Tickets for partial days or attractions are also available. Buy the tourist ticket at the ruins or in Cusco at the tourist information center (DIRCETUR) on Calle Mantas off Plaza Armas.

*Have you visited Cusco or is it on your travel wish list?

Read about our other Peru adventures:

• One Week Peru Itinerary: Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
• Exploring the Ollantaytambo Ruins in Sacred Valley Peru
• Visiting the Pisac Ruins and Market in Peru

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