The city of Cusco literally takes your breath away. At more than 11,000 feet above sea level, the air is thin here and it actually may be difficult to breathe when you arrive. However, once you begin to adjust to the altitude, Cusco still takes your breath away. This time it’s because you’re so amazed by the history and architecture throughout the city. An ancient Incan city, you’ll find ruins of Incan buildings right under more modern structures. And as you explore all the things to do in Cusco, you’ll discover an interesting mix of cultures, arts, foods and more. Keep reading for all of our favorite things to do in Cusco for first time visitors.
When To Visit Cusco
Cusco is up in the Andes mountains. Mountain altitude = way colder than you anticipate. However, Cusco is also on a wet/dry seasonal rotation. So the best time to visit is on the edges of the dry season, when temperatures are warmer but rain and fog are less common. The months of May and October seem to be favorite times to visit. We visited in October and the weather was cool but sunny. It was great for exploring a city.
Getting There And Around
The Cusco airport is outside of town. Once you exit the airport, you’ll be bombarded with offers from taxi drivers. If you’re going to get scammed in Peru, it’s by a taxi outside an airport. Make sure to check with your hotel or B&B to see if they offer taxi services to your hotel. If they don’t, at least ask them what it should cost and make sure to negotiate a price similar to that cost with the taxi drivers outside of the airport.
We recommend staying in the historic city center in Cusco, see below for recommendations! If you follow this great advice (though we say so ourselves) you won’t need to spend much money to get around Cusco. Cusco is extremely walkable. For the few activities on the outskirts of the city, we actually recommend booking a tour that includes a driver. This will allow you to learn more about the historical sites and have safe and reliable transportation.
How Long To Stay In Cusco?
One or two days is the perfect amount of time to dedicate to Cusco proper. If you will be using Cusco as a home base for some more day trips, you’ll need to extend that time.
Where To Stay In Cusco
The central district of Cusco is an amazingly walkable and safe part of the city. Hotels here are more expensive than on the outskirts of town but the connivence of walking to all of the Cusco attractions and eateries really makes it worthwhile. Additionally, the price difference for staying in the historic city center vs. the outskirts isn’t that much of a difference compared with other cities. Cusco is a very affordable place to visit.
Here are some of our hotel recommendations in great locations in Cusco:
- Budget: Hotel Katari, an inexpensive hotel steps from the Plaza de Armas
- Mid-Range: Mataq Wasin, a nice reliable hotel a few block back from the main street.
- Splurge: Palacio Nazarenas, a luxury hotel with room offerings including Inca walls
Top Things to Do In Cusco
How to use this map: The map above has all of the attractions mentioned in this post. Click on each attraction to learn more about it. If you’d like to save this map, click on the square “View Larger Map” icon. This will open the map in your Google account (make sure you’re signed in). You can reference it in your account or you can create a copy to make your own edits.
Saqsaywaman
Cost: Cusco Tourist Ticket | Time: 2 hours
We put this at the top of our list of things to do in Cusco because it was our favorite! Honestly, this place was as cool as Machu Picchu. Saqsaywaman (Sack-Sy-Woman, kinda like Sexy-Woman) was a massive Inca fortress overlooking the old city. Large amounts of this fortress still stand and overlook the modern city. The stonework of this site is what makes it really impressive. There are massive stones in fun shapes like condors and puma paws.
However, if you visit, and you definitely should, make sure to visit with a guide. You can hire one ahead of time or you can typically find a few at the gate and hire them there with cash. While the site is steeped in history, you wouldn’t know any of it without a guide as there were very few informational plaques inside.
Additionally, ask your guide to take you to the Chinkana Chica! This short subterranean tunnel was missed by so many visitors. Before we travelled through it our guide explained to us that it was likely an entrance to a religious temple that required the visitor be submitted to absolute darkness before they could metaphorically experience the light. Then we walked through it – chills!
Temple of the Moon
Cost: FREE | Time: 2-3 hours
Just outside of Cusco is the less visited Temple of the Moon. This was an important site for the Inca people when they lived in Cusco. It’s thought that the location was either used as a place of worship, a place for burial or a bathhouse. Either way, today you can visit the area and explore the ruins. While the ruins are free to visit, you’ll probably want to pay for a taxi to take you there as it is a ways out of town.
Plaza de Armas
Cost: FREE | Time 1-2 hours
You can’t visit Cusco without visiting the Plaza de Armas. This plaza is smack dab in the middle of the historic city center and surround by loads of other things to do in Cusco. Lots of hotels are in this area and tons of tours leave from here. However, visiting the plaza is an attractions on its own. In the plaza, you can people watch, take photos with locals in traditional dresses, buy souvenirs and more. Honestly, this was a very touristy part of town and the prices reflected this. It wasn’t our favorite place to hang out but we did enjoy people watching.
Walk The Hills Of San Blas
Cost: FREE | Time: 1-2 hours
San Blas is another tourist area in Cusco and one of the most popular neighborhoods to visit. However, where the Plaza de Armas area is filled with historical sights and chain stores and restaurants, the San Blas neighborhood is tight residential streets dotted with local shops and tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurants.
Qorikancha
Cost: S/ 15 | Time: 1 hour
Qorikancha is one of the most interesting things to do in Cusco. It is a prime example of how the colonial Spanish utilized the existing Incan religion and culture to convert Incan people to Catholocism. The colonial Spanish church is beautiful. However, when you look closer, you’ll see that it is built atop classic Inca stone work. The church is built atop one of the most important Incan sites in Cusco, the Temple of the Sun.
If you decide to take a tour of the church, you’ll get to explore the convent where the building was built around the well-preserved Inca structures in addition to the beautiful church.
Cusco Cathedral
Cost: S/ 40 | Time: 1 hour
The Cusco Cathedral is a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site located on the edge of the Plaza de Armas. Some people just enjoy the views from the outside. However, if you’d like to visit the inside, you’ll need to pay the ridiculous admission fee. We did choose to take an overpriced tour of this church and it was pretty interesting learning about how the Catholic church incorporated traditional Incan beliefs and culture into their religious practices in order to convert the local people. This includes painting a picture of Jesus partaking in guinea pig at the Last Supper.
If you’re short on funds, we’d recommend skipping this church in favor of Qorikancha, which had similar historic significance.
Photography is not allowed in the Cathedral.
Church Of The Society Of Jesus
Cost: S/ 12 | Time: 1 hour
Another church along the Plaza de Armas is the Inglesia de la Companína de Jesús, or Church of the Society of Jesus. This is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Peru and it is much more ornate than other churches. However, like other churches, it is also built upon the ruins of an Inca palace and offers another example of how the colonial Spanish aligned themselves with the Incan culture in order to convert locals.
In addition to exploring the church, you can climb the bell tower and take photos of the Plaza de Armas. However, photos are not allowed inside the church.
San Francisco Convent
Cost: S/ 15 | Time: 1 hour
The Church of San Francisco is one of the most unique churches in Cusco. It’s much less ornate than other churches on this list of things to do in Cusco. However, what makes this church unique is what it contains. First, the church also has an attached convent (convents in Peru house monks, monasteries house nuns). This means there is a very impressive library onsite and some great paintings, including the largest painting in South America. Second, is the catacombs with the artistic layouts of bones lying below the floors.
Again, no photography is allowed in the church. However, for the price of admission, the church includes a guide.
Inka Museum
Cost: S/ 10 | Time: 1-2 hours
The Inka Museum is a great museum to visit if you want to learn more about the history of Cusco. While the name suggests Inca history, it actually covers periods prior to the Inca civilization.
Museo de Arte Precolombino
Cost: S/ 20 | Time: 45 minutes
The Museo de Arte Precolombino is a great museum focused on ancient art. The art here is unlike anything we’ve seen in an art museum before. Admittedly, it’s more of a history museum but we like that about it. There are examples of artistry from pre-Incan and Incan cultures.
San Pedro Market
Cost: FREE | Time: 30 minutes
The San Pedro Market is a great spot to people watch. Come for a snack, stay for the crowds. You’ll see locals grabbing lunch mingling with tourists buying (fake) alpaca souvenirs.
Shop For Souvenirs
Cost: varies | Time: varies
We got the most amazing authentic alpaca sweaters on our tour of the Sacred Valley – read all about it here. However, if you don’t care about authentic materials, Cusco is a great place to shop for fashionable sweaters and knitted products. There are heaps of shops tucked in every corner of the tourist districts. You’re likely to get a better deal in Cusco than in Lima or some of the small cities as the vendors here were more likely to make a deal.
Cusco Restaurants
Cost: Varies | Time: varies
One of the best parts of visiting Peru is experiencing the food. And while Lima has the big reputation for amazing food, which they’ve definitely earned, Cusco has a unique take on Peruvian food. Where you’ll find seafood ceviche along the coast, you’ll find river fish ceviche in Cusco. You’ll see a different type of corn with pretty much every meal, showcasing the many types of corn the ancient Peruvian peoples learned to cultivate. You’ll also see lots of ingredients you may not associate with food but are edible nonetheless. Save some time and money on your visit to Cusco to try their many unique flavors instead of finding the more expensive American/European.
Cusco Day Trips
While there are plenty of things to do in Cusco. There are also plenty of things to do a short drive or train ride from Cusco. Check out some of the most popular day trips below if you want to extend your Cusco stay.
Machu Picchu
Cost: $150+USD | Time: 1-5 days
You cannot visit Cusco and not visit Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is one of the seven wonders of the world and a visit will certainly fill you with wonder! However, if you’re reading this now, it’s time to start planning your trip to Machu Picchu. Of all the things to do in Peru, a visit to Machu Picchu requires the most advance planning. There are so many different entrance tickets and ways to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco – to many to cover here.
Ollantaytambo
Cost: $20+/person | Time: Half-day
While many people pass through Ollantaytambo on their way to Machu PIcchu, it’s a super cute tourist town worth exploring. This small town has its own set of ruins that are far less busy than Machu Picchu or Saqsaywaman. Entrance to the ruins are included in the Cusco Tourist Ticket. However, what we liked most about this town was that the modern buildings are built upon the ancient Inca buildings. It is really cool that this town seems to follow the old city layout and the mix of old and new you’ll see as you stroll the streets. In addition to the ruins, many people enjoy eating and souvenir shopping in Ollantaytambo.
Maras Salt Mines & Moray Terraces
Cost: $60+/person | Time: Full Day
This was one of our favorite day trips from Cusco! The Maras salt mines were so cool! They are shallow pools that are fed by a salt spring. Those pools are where the water evaporates out leaving the salt for harvesting. These terraced pools have been farmed by locals for generations.
Close by, the Moray Terraces are another interesting Incan site and included in the Cusco Tourist Ticket. The Inca people are believed to have used the terraces to cultivate and test crops for different microclimates in the mountains. It’s both a beautiful site and an incredibly interesting site explaining how societies have been genetically engineering food for hundreds of years.
Both sites are relatively close by meaning that most tours go to both destinations.
Rainbow Mountain
Cost: $90/person | Time: Full day
I hesitate to put this activity on a list of top things to do in Cusco, because we don’t think it’s worth the time. However, as you’ve likely heard of it, I’ll explain why. Have you ever been to a “rainbow” mountain? There are ones all over the world, including in Death Valley. It’s various minerals in the soil that make the mountains look like they are a rainbow. However, as with any rainbow mountain in the world, the “rainbow” looks way less vivid in real life than it does in the pictures. In real life, it looks like various shades of brown. Go to the one in Death Valley – you can drive there. Skip the full day hike at above 15,000 feet to wait in line to see a glorified dirt pile.
Or go on one of the tours below and come back and disagree with me in the comments section 😉
Pisac Markets
Cost: $15+/taxi ride | Time: 1-2 hours
A day trip to the small town of Pisac is a classic day trip from Cusco. The most famous stop in Pisac is the famous handicraft markets. It’s a super easy day trip, often combined with other Sacred Valley sights. And while the market is famous, don’t expect to find any more genuine articles of alpaca wool than you find at the other tourist markets. While in Pisac, the Pisac ruins are another popular stop. The ruins are also included in the Cusco tourist ticket.
What To Budget For Cusco
Activities
We think it is worth while to budget for a tour or a guide for at least some of the things to do in Cusco, specifically the historic sights. While the beauty of Cusco’s historic sites can be appreciated by anyone, you really need a licensed guide to understand the historical significance of the sights. Cusco has done a great job keeping their tourist attractions clean and safe. However, they don’t do a great job making the attractions suitable for self guided tours. There is a shortage of plaques and brochures that would help you take a self guided tour. So we were extra thankful for our guide and we’d recommend one for everyone visiting Cusco.
Guided tours will always cost you more than the entrance ticket. For the activities listed above we’ve included the entrance ticket prices. however, a guide will typically cost you about $20 USD/ attraction or about $80 USD/day.
Cusco Tourist Ticket
You may have noticed above that several attractions had the Cusco Tourist Ticket listed as the cost. That is because several attractions in Cusco do not have separate admission tickets. Instead, these tourist attractions have joined together charging one overall admission fee that allows you into all of the sites listed on their website. You can purchase the full pass for 130 Soles (about $45 USD) or you can purchase a “circuit” that includes attractions in a specific area for 70 Soles (about $21 USD). The full pass lasts 10 days and the circuit passes last 1-2 days depending on the circuit you choose. You can buy these passes at any of the attractions that accept them.
It’s a good idea to look at things to do in Cusco ahead of time and figure out which attractions you have time to visit. We bought the full pass but we only had a short period of time in Cusco so we only actually needed the Circuit 1 Cusco Tourist ticket.
In addition to the Cusco Tourist ticket, there is the Cusco Religious Ticket or Boleto Religioso. This ticket includes entrance into the Cusco Cathedral, San Cristobal Church and the Museum of Religious Art. The pass is 50 Soles (about $15 USD) and is a good value if you’re going to the Cusco Cathedral and one other stop. You can buy it at any of the stops.
Accommodations
Cusco is a very affordable place to visit in terms of accommodations. You’ll spend between $80-200 USD/night on hotels in the city center. If you’re willing to walk 4-5 blocks from a residential area, you can find nice places to stay for $40/night. If you’re willing to go so far as to stay in a shared hostel, you can do that for around $20/night.
Food
Food in Cusco can be enjoyed for as little of $4 USD/meal. For around $15 USD/meal, we felt like we were eating so incredibly well. And for $30 USD, you could eat a beautifully crafted piece of art. Overall food in Cusco was so affordable and we even tended toward the lower price ranges and Cusco’s food seemed so hearty we didn’t need as much as we did in the fresher food capital of Lima.
What To Pack For Cusco
Cusco is a large city – which is always great for packing because if you forget something you can buy it (or am I the only one who does that on every trip). Additionally, you don’t really need anything super specialized. We’d recommend your travel staples, such as your camera, daypack and comfortable shoes. For clothing, definitely make sure to pack in layers! It is so incredibly cool in Cusco in mornings and evenings. Lastly, while the tourists shouldn’t drink the tap water, still bring your refillable water bottles, many hotels offer water fill stations to fill up with filtered water.
Safety In Cusco
As always, be aware of your surroundings. Don’t go places that are unsafe (you can ask at your hotel about different neighborhoods). And take care not to flash your valuables around.
Now that we’ve gotten those general safety tips out of the way, here are some Cusco specific pieces of advice. Cusco has far more wild dogs than other cities we’ve visited. And some of them are vicious with each other. We witnessed several dog fights in the streets. We were also warned by locals not to pet the sometimes wild/sometimes tame dogs. And while “If not friend, why friend shaped?” may be running through your brain – pet the alpacas in the street, not the dogs.
One of the biggest threats to your wellbeing is the altitude. Make sure to take a slow when you arrive in Cusco, drink coca tea, hydrate and get plenty of sleep. If you start feeling unwell, head to a pharmacy – they have over the counter altitude sickness medication as well. You can also get a prescription from your doctor and take the medication with you from your home country.
Hopefully, this post has helped you to create your own perfect Cusco itinerary. Cusco is a great destination and one most Peru visitors get to experience. You can find plenty of different activities to fill your time in Cusco. If you have any questions or suggestions of your own, leave a comment below. Of if you’re interested in more information to help plan your Peru vacation, check out all of our Peru articles here.
