Cusco, the cultural capital of Peru, will probably be the dreamiest of the cities you will visit in your lifetime. From the most amazing food and drinks to shopping your hearts out, from being a gateway to the Machu Picchu to strolling the cutest cobblestone streets, Cusco will offer you all. After all the time you spend in Cusco, you will most probably regret not being able to spend a few additional days – Cusco will leave such a lasting impression in your hearts and mind. Here is our complete guide on 10 Amazing Things to do In and Around Cusco.
If you are new on this page, we recommend starting your Peru travel planning with these two articles: Why Peru should be your next travel destination and our complete 2+ weeks itinerary for Peru.
10 Amazing things to do in and around Cusco
EAT your heart out
Cusco is heaven for vegetarians and vegans. You will be spoilt with choices here, and good ones for that matter. We tried so many restaurants and cafes and fell in love with each one of them. We didn’t have enough time to revisit any of the places we visited, but here is a list of our favorite spots in Cusco.
- Green Point – Probably the best place in Cusco to enjoy some well-deserved almuerzo (set lunch deal) which includes yummy vegetarian and vegan courses along with a drink. It’s really very affordable at 18 soles per person. They even have an ala carte menu, if you are in the mood for something fancier. We recommend going there at opening hours, as the food often sells out. We had our best meal in Cusco here, so this is on top of our list.
- L’Atelier Cafe – This is the Instagram famous cafe that you see in all Cusco photos. The cafe is located on top of a cute little boutique and has very limited seating. I found the coffee and cake rather ordinary but I would go back there just for the view. Also, our advice would be to go early in the morning, during opening hours as every person coming to this cafe wants that specific seat on the balcony.
- Limbus Restobar – You have to sample pisco sours when in Cusco, and no better place than the Limbus Restobar. The view from the balcony is just fabulous and the drinks are very good as well. Definitely recommend this place to kick back and relax during happy hours.
- Taste of India Cusco “Cafe Carvalho” – Raga craves some Indian food every time we travel and more often than not, the restaurants fail to satisfy his taste buds. But this place was amazing and probably one of the best Indian food we sampled in Peru. Definitely worth visiting, if you are looking for something different.
- The Meeting Place – A nice cozy little place to enjoy some breakfast or lunch. You will find wraps, waffles, and many other things that are prepared in a homely environment. We really liked the ambiance of the cafe with a pretty courtyard.
- Organika – The day we landed in Cusco, the hostel we were staying at suggested this place. The warm quinoa soup bowl and the delicious organic vegetarian food warmed up our souls. It’s a very cozy place for a quiet dinner.
- Choco Museum – We stumbled on this place while strolling around Cusco. The hot chocolate here is just fantastic and there are so many products made of chocolate for you to choose from. I bought a lip balm and it still brings a smile to my face whenever I use it. You can also enroll yourself in a 2 hours chocolate-making workshop.
Stroll around San Blas
Think cobbled stoned streets, whitewashed buildings, pretty cafes, and artisan shops. San Blas is one of the prettiest parts of Cusco and you would want to hang out there all the time. Most of the cafes and restaurants mentioned above are in the San Blas area. We spent days just strolling around San Blas and falling in love with everything it had to offer.
On a side note, while you walk around you will see locals with baby Alpacas and Sheep. Baby alpacas are the cutest and would definitely recommend you get a photo with them, however, bargain on the price beforehand.
Hunt for the best Alpaca sweater or cardigan
Alpaca woolens are but of course very famous in Peru and Cusco has a lot of shops offering a great variety of products. If you are not into spending a lot of money, then a local roadside shop or the one in the market will have traditional-looking mixed wool sweaters for around 30 soles.
Pure Alpaca (especially baby alpaca) woolens are expensive and you would be looking at spending a minimum of $100 USD. Sol Alpaca and Pure Alpaca are two of the most famous shops in Peru. However, we would suggest looking through other shops and local boutiques as well, before making your purchase. Remember that pure alpaca products will be cold on touch, while the synthetic mixed ones won’t be and they (especially baby alpaca) would be soft and won’t itch.
Enjoy Cusco from above
Cusco looks amazing from the top. Think terracotta tiled roofs and a city that spans across the valley and mountains. You will come across many viewpoints while you walk around the city. Some of the best places to enjoy the view of Cusco from above are
- San Blas area: RestroBars like Limbus and View House offers some of the best views of Cusco, especially during sunset.
- San Cristobal: This church on the way to Saqsaywaman, offers one of the best views of the city. You can either hire a taxi to this place or climb a flight of stairs. We recommend climbing only after you have acclimatized yourself to the altitude.
Hangout at Plaza de Armas
As Cusco, is the cultural capital of Peru, more often than not you will witness some event / cultural program going on. Take out some time and enjoy the colors, dances, parades, and culture of Peru. We bet you won’t see anything like that in your lifetime.
All these events happen around Plaza de Armas, the main square of Cusco. It’s a huge square filled with locals and tourists alike. The square is surrounded by numerous shops and restaurants and is a cool place to hang out.
12 Angle Stone
Definitely don’t miss out on the 12 angle stone, which is just a few minutes walk from Plaza de Armas. The will blow your mind to comprehend how Incans built walls. The level of precision they had at the time when tools and heavy machinery weren’t a thing is something worth admiring. Definitely add this to your list of things to see in Cusco, as you will be amazed to see how the stones align with one another so well.
Shop at San Pedro Market
Bring all your senses to life at the San Pedro market. Shop for those quintessential llama sweaters, bargain for the colorful trinkets, enjoy a smoothie, or purchase some of the local South American fruits. Soak in all the colors, smells, and flavors as they will make a lasting impression on your mind and heart.
We bought so many weird-looking and tasting fruits that we had never seen before – of course, that’s what we call to experience the country to its fullest.
Walk around the Tres Cruces Street
Just around the San Pedro Market, is Tres Cruces street where you will see the most normal day-to-day life of Peru. Locals sell everything from food to flowers to cheese and people living their busy lives. Of course, this is very different from the mall and supermarket culture we westerners are used to. Buying your potatoes from the street will seem to be far more exciting than a small section in the supermarket.
Take a day trip to Saqsaywaman
Pronounced as sexy-woman, this place is one of the many Incan marvels you will come across while in Peru. This large stone complex was one of the most important religious complexes in Peru and was used by both Incans and Spaniards.
You can either walk, take a colectivo or a Taxi to this place. Walking can be difficult as it involves climbing multiple stairs and high altitudes. Another option is taking a day tour from the city which will also include a trip to one of the sacred valley sites.
Take day trips to Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, and Machu Picchu
Last but not the least, almost all travelers use Cusco as a base for their trips to Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain, and Machu Picchu. There are multiple-day tours available to various sites. You can also hire a taxi and visit these places on your own.
We stayed in Cusco for 7 nights, excluding one night at Machu Picchu, and toured around for a couple of days. We first took a day trip to Sacred Valley by hiring a taxi until Ollantaytambo and took a colectivo back to Cusco. Then we did a two-day hiking trip to Machu Picchu. And finally, we took a day tour to Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley.
Read other articles to plan your day tours from Cusco
- Short Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu
- Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley Hike in Peru
- Guide to Peru’s Sacred Valley
Read also:
Our other articles from Peru:
- Huacachina, Sandboarding and Buggy Rides
- Alternative Laguna 69 hike : Panorama Trek
- Day Tour to Laguna Paron, Peru
About our adventures from around the world:
- A magical trip to Prague
- Martian Landscape of Wadi Rum
- A weekend getaway guide to Budapest
- Backwaters of Kerala and houseboat experience
- Postcard from London
- Postcard from Segovia
Things to Keep in Mind while traveling to Cusco
There are a number of things to keep in mind while traveling to Cusco –
- Cusco is a high-altitude destination, situated at approximately 3200m. Altitude sickness is a real deal and acclimatization is a must. Our recommendation would be to take a late afternoon flight to Cusco. That way you would spend most of your first evening and night acclimatizing and not waste any precious daytime.
- While you are acclimatizing, keep your walking around to the minimum and keep altitude sickness medicines handy.
- If you are doing a hiking tour to Machu Picchu, our recommendation would be to do it before taking a trip to Rainbow Mountain. Rainbow Mountain is situated at a much higher altitude than Cusco. Chances are that you might end up getting sick and would have to cancel your trip to Machu Picchu.
- Cusco is highly walkable, and all the important sites are in close proximity to one another. However, remember that you might have to climb a number of stairs while strolling around the city. Our advice would be to wear comfortable shoes.
Where to stay in Cusco
We stayed Kurumi Hostel during our entire trip and found it very affordable. We booked an entire room for ourselves. Even though the room was a tad bit tiny, it was comfortable and the staff was very helpful.
Pin Us for Later
