Why go
Cusco's walls are Inca and its churches are Spanish, often stacked directly on top. It sits high enough that arriving travellers should plan two slow days, ideally spent lower in the Sacred Valley before returning.
Five things to do
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01
Qorikancha
Inca stonework beneath a Dominican convent.
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02
The twelve-angled stone
A masonry joint with no mortar.
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03
A Sacred Valley day
Pisac, Moray, Maras, Ollantaytambo.
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04
Chinchero weaving co-ops
Natural dyes, demonstrated.
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05
Palccoyo instead of Rainbow Mountain
Same geology, a fraction of the crowd.
Neighbourhoods
San Blas
Artisan workshops on steep lanes.
Plaza de Armas
Cathedral, arcades and old Inca kancha walls.
San Pedro market
Juice stalls, chicharrón and textiles.
Sacsayhuamán
Megalithic terraces above the city.
Getting around
Buy the transport card on arrival — every city on this list has one, and it is cheaper than single fares within about four journeys. Walking covers more than the map suggests: most of the districts above are within thirty minutes of each other on foot.
Taxis and ride apps are worth it late at night and when you are carrying luggage. Everything else is faster on the metro, the tram or the ferry, in that order.
Where to eat
The rule that holds in Cusco is the rule that holds everywhere: eat at the busy place, at the hour the locals eat, and order the thing the kitchen makes most of. Reserve for dinner in the districts above; lunch rarely needs it.
Two days here
- Morning: Qorikancha
- Afternoon: walk San Blas
- Evening: A Sacred Valley day
- Day two: Palccoyo instead of Rainbow Mountain
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