13 Fascinating Things To Do in And Around Cusco

The reason I am able to put together this guide on 13 fascinating things to do in and around Cusco is because we are currently still IN Cusco. 

After starting our delayed world trip (thanks, Corona!) with Costa Rica in October, we managed to get to Peru via Mexico.

While the main sites in Peru are already open, some - especially the hiking trails - aren't yet. That's why we decided to stay in Cusco longer than planned.

But this evidently gave us the opportunity to explore more than the average visitor!

Here's our compilation of 13 fascinating things to do in and around Cusco!

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First things first

Getting around in Cusco

The main things to do in Cusco aren't very far from each other. Walking will probably be your number one way of getting around.

For longer trips, it's always better to make usage of the numerous taxis and private drivers than to rent a car yourself.

You'll understand once you've seen taxis manoeuvring like crazy just to get out of the labyrinth that is the historic centre. 

Also, if you're staying in San Blas like we recommend below, it's next to impossible to find a decent accommodation with a parking spot included... 

Plus: their driving style is quite particular. 

Where to stay

San Blas neighbourhood

If you really want to take in the whole city at once, look for accommodations in the San Blas neighbourhood, the most historic area of the city.

The narrow cobblestone streets will quickly charm you and you might even forget about the fact that the walk from the historic centre, the Plaza de Armas, up to San Blas goes uphill all the time. 

It's also the safest neighbourhood in Cusco where you can easily head out for a drink at night and come back alone to your accommodation (after what happened to us while driving around in Costa Rica, this was good to know).

We went to Cusco twice during our trip and booked an accommodation with the same host, Yolanda, both times.

Quinua Villa Boutique

The host, Yolanda, is the most friendly and helpful person there is. Always ready to give advice and super responsive via WhatsApp. It helps that she also lives in the building herself so we always had someone reliable if we needed help.

For other possibilities in the San Blas area, check out the map below:

1 - Stroll through the historic heart of Cusco

Cusco = higher altitude = lesser oxygen

This is obviously the absolute first thing to do when arriving in Cusco. 

You should know that Cusco was built in the mountains, at an altitude of approximately 3400 m above sea level.

Anything above 2500 m does things to your body when you're not used to spend time in this kind of altitude: the atmospheric pressure decreases, causing oxygen molecules to be further apart which results in a smaller amount of oxygen present in each of our breaths.

Although the healthy human body is able to adapt to high altitudes, it takes some time. To prevent acute altitude sickness, you should take at least two to three days to acclimatise before heading out for difficult hiking trails.

Especially if you stay in the San Blas area: every time you get down to the Plaza de Armas, you'll have to climb up again to your accommodation. That can be strenuous when you're not used to the altitude yet.

Read also | Beating altitude sickness in Cusco: the best tips

Acclimatising at higher altitude

The best way to do so is: 

Strolling through the city while having a few rest-stops here and there at cafés or restaurants is the best way to get used to the altitude. Especially when you came straight to Cusco by plane and didn't get a chance to gradually climb.

Also bear in mind that your digestion might work in a funny way. In higher altitudes, the body concentrates on getting oxygen to your organs and thereby tends to neglect the digestive functions. I definitely felt this the most as I struggle with Ulcerative Colitis and food has always been an issue.

Inca architecture along the way

Cusco was the capital of the impressive Inca empire from the 13th to the 16th century, until the Spanish invaded* the city in 1533.

While you are getting used to the altitude, be sure to completely take this particular city in! Especially the massive Inca walls displayed in the little streets of the historic centre.

When the Spanish invaded Cusco, they partly used the stones from the Inca temple to build their own churches but they also re-used already present walls to just build their constructions on top.

*No, this is no mistake: as a sign of respect for the Cusqueños, I called them 'invaders' instead of 'conquerers' as this is how people from Cusco see the Spanish themselves.

Cusco's heart: the Plaza de Armas

Have a look at the beating heart of Cusco: the Plaza de Armas. With it's typically colonialist balconies, the imposing Cusco Cathedral and the smaller Church of the Compañia de Jesus, it's an ideal place to get your first Cusco-impressions. 

Also mind that the Plaza the Armas is where you'll find a huge concentration of people wanting to offer you tours, massages, painted pictures (for 1 sol) and other seemingly handmade stuff...

You'll probably cross this square several times so just be prepared to say 'no gracias' several times a day. 

If you want to chill out with a better view, try one of the (slightly pricier) restaurants and bars that have a balcony on the second floor.

Santa Clara & San Blas

Admire the beautiful streets of Santa Clara and San Blas and don't miss the 'piedra de los 12 ángulos' in the calle Hatun Rumiyoq.

It is basically just one massive stone with 12 angles, integrated in a beautifully constructed Inca wall that is now the palace of the Archbishop of Cusco.

This is where you'll find a huge concentration of touri-shops and people wanting to show you this particular stone in exchange for a few soles.

You might get annoyed at some point when you pass this street frequently but don't forget that these people rely on tourists alone - so just stay friendly even if it's the millionth time they ask the same question.

2 - Explore the colourful markets

Related to the first thing to do in Cusco is this one: exploring the city's colourful markets. There are a few ones we would recommend because they display the authentic Peruvian lifestyle.

The Mercado Central de San Pedro

This is the main and biggest covered market in Cusco. It's also where you will experience the authentic Peruvian vibe you might miss in the rest of the historic centre as over-tourism caused Cusco to adapt to visitors.

The mix of sounds, smells and tastes (that is, if you want to try the local cuisine served here) with colourful displays of vegetables, fruits and - yes - souvenirs is quite interesting.

It's also here that you will get an impression of what the Quechua language is like - the ladies communicate very loudly from one stall to another.

Feria Artesanal De Productores El Marquez San Francisco

When walking back to the Plaza de Armas from the San Pedro market, we passed by this unimpressive little entrance that said 'Feria artesanal de productores El Marquez San Francisco'.

It's a small market with several stalls selling traditions Peruvian handcrafts such as blankets, clothing, jewellery and - currently - face masks. 

The producers are local communities and these little markets make sure that they get a fair price for their goods.

It's also the kind of market where you are expected to heavily negotiate the prices.

Be aware that you will always pay a higher price as a tourist in the end. But also bear in mind that these people earn very little money so don't try to go as low as you can.

Mercado de San Blas

If you're staying in the neighbourhood of San Blas anyway, you might want to do your grocery shopping in this little covered market.

Prices are generally lower than in the main one in San Pedro as less tourists venture here.

3 - Enjoy Cusco from above

The Cusqueños believe that the whole city was built in the shape of a puma.

You should know that the puma is one of the Inca's sacred animals: the puma represents the current world we live in while the mighty condor represents the heavens and the serpent the underworld.

Knowing this, it's obvious why climbing to the outskirts of the city is one of the best things to do in Cusco. When standing at one of the viewpoints I'll show you below, you can use your imagination to find this shape in the city. 

The most beautiful viewpoints are the following:

While the viewpoints of the Cristo Blanco, Parque San Marco and San Cristobal church are just beautiful spots with a few information panels, the Limbus RestoBar and the ViewHouse are both restaurants with a terrace offering magnificent panoramic views over the city.

Read also | Restaurants in Cusco: where to find the best food

From the San Cristobal viewpoint, it's only about 5 minutes by foot (400 m) to another one of the best things to do in Cusco: Sacsayhuamán.

4 - Sacsayhuamán & Qenqo

At about 3 km from Cusco's centre, high up on the hills, lie a few archaeological site that are definitely some of the best things to do in Cusco.

I list both Sacsayhuamán and Qenqo together as you should definitely check out both at the same time. It's manageable by foot as they are only 1,7 km from one another.

If you are heading up there anyway, why not check out several things at once, right?

Sacsayhuamán and the massive walls: 

Our first real look at the incredible ingeniousness of Inca architects other than the rests of foundation walls in the city was here: Sacsayhuamán.

The name stems from the Quechuan words for 'satiated hawk'

According to Inca oral history, it was built by the Inca in the 13th. However, archaeologists found that parts of the site had been built about two centuries earlier by the Killke culture.

Nevertheless, the technique of cutting the boulders to fit together tightly so that there was no need for any kind of mortar is definitely Inca. 

The site was plundered by the Spanish and they used to stones to build their houses in Cusco. 

Sacsayhuamán was put on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983, together with the city of Cusco.

The most impressive part are the huge terraces, zigzagging around the main temple area. One boulder clearly stands out as it is the biggest one on the site: a height of 9 m, a width of 5 m, 4 m thick and a weight of more than 200 tons - can you even imagine?

Today, the site is still used to celebrate de 'Inti Raymi', the feast of the Sun.

Q'enko and the blood rituals

Q'enko is rather small in size but it is one of the largest holy places ('huacas') around Cusco and therefore also one of the things to do when visiting Cusco.

Like many ritual platforms, this one was also created on a natural rock by carving elements inside it.

Some of these carving are supposed to be little canals to catch the blood from the llama-sacrifices. Depending on what direction the blood flowed, the harvest would be good or bad that specific year.

This place was probably also used for mummification rites.

5 - Tambomachay & Puka Pukara

Tambomachay, the sacred fountain

A terraced rock and a series of aqueducts, little waterfalls and canals: that's Tambomachay.

The spring used to water this fountain is located farther away and the water is channeled through three waterfalls still actively flowing nowadays.

It's a small site with nothing more to see but you gotta admire the perfect symmetry of this thing! According to our guide, they measured the quantity of water flowing out of the double section and it's exactly the same on both sides.

Regarding the function there are several theories: some say it's a military outpost, others talk about a 'spa resort' for the Inca elite. 

The most plausible one would be a religious function, though. That is because water was the most sacred element for the Incas (the presence of water means life after all) and so every major Inca temple has sacred water fountains as well.

Puka Pukara, the red one

This was most likely a military rather than a religious site.

It got its name from the type of rock used, 'puka' meaning 'red' and 'pukara' meaning 'fortress' in Quechua.

Though this was probably not the original name.

Puka Pukara was most likely a defense post for Cusco due to the unobstructed view on the Cusco valley and Tambomachay. It was probably also a kind of customs facility for anyone who wanted to enter the city.

Cusqueños also believe that it was a sort of guesthouse for visitors to the city to rest and relax before making their entrance to Cusco. There are indeed remains of baths, canals, fountains and several distinct rooms on the site.

Alpaca-farms on the way

Not far from Tambomachay, on the road to Qenqo, lies the tiny town of Huayllarcocha. If you have a driver, he will probably stop at this place for you to buy some alpaca-wool-clothing or drink a mate de muña. 

If you are visiting on your own, stop there anyway. It's a community that works together in order to produce quality products made from adult and baby alpaca wool. 

They take so much time to explain the difference between synthetic fabrics, mixed synthetic-alpaca-fabrics and the real thing. And they don't push you to buy anything!

Well, this non-pushing tactic worked very well as I bought my first sweater made from adult alpaca for about 25 € (about 30 US$) here. 

6 - Qorikancha and the golden dream

'The Golden Temple' from the Quechuan words composing the name. This was THE most important temple in the Incan Empire.

This one can be found in the middle of the historic Cusco as the temple has been desecrated but the walls reused by the Spanish to build the Santo Domingo Convent in the 17th century.

Qorikancha was originally named Intikancha or Intiwasi, dedicated to the deity Inti, the 'Father Sun'.

The whole temple of the sun around which the site was built was covered in sheets of fine gold. Richly ornamented statues were displayed in all the wall-openings, along with decorated mummies.

Needless to say, the Spanish were super thrilled when they found all this gold. To the Inca, it was just the colour that mattered as it represented the sun. It didn't have any more significance than simply ornamentation. 

The convent got damaged by several earthquakes but here's where the Inca genious shows off once more: the walls barely moved!

According to our guide, the Inca knew very well about the seismic activity and had developed a technique so that the walls would move along instead of breaking down.

7 - Moray, the 'laboratory'

At about 50 km northwest of Cusco, a drive to the fascinating site of Moray will take you about 1h30. 

And it is more than worth it!

Moray is a complex of circular terraces - which is very unusual by itself - and an underground irrigation system.

While it is not entirely clear what the function of the site was, the general consensus is that the terraces were used as a 'farming laboratory'.

Each of the depression has a specific temperature thanks to the form and the position in relation to the winds and the sun. Research has shown different types of soils used in the terraces and the temperature difference between bottom and top is of 15°C.

This means that there are several micro climates here and nowadays researchers suppose that the Inca used these to 'test' which type of plant grew best in a certain altitude and climatic environment.

There is a total of three circular terrace-structures but only one remains in good condition, the others having suffered from heavy rains and the huge amount of tourists visiting every year.

8 - Maras and the 'salineras'

The little town of Maras, right next to Moray, is actually not that special. What makes it one of the most fascinating things to do in and around Cusco are the salt evaporation ponds.

More than 5000 of them are located in an area between two hills, collecting naturally salty water from within. They have been used since the Inca times and most are now owned by families, making it their sole source of revenue.

There are three types of salt coming from the 'salineras de Maras': salt with spices for grilling ('parrilla'), the pink and the gourmet salt. That last one is also called the 'flower of salt' - the finest but also most expensive one.

Ask for a local guide to explain the process, they will also show you how they extract and process it afterwards.

9 - Chinchero, the authentic town

Here again, we have the typical example of a sacred Inca site reused by the Spanish.

The complex consists of a palace, a residential area, a sacred temple part and agricultural terraces for quinoa, kiwicha and other crops. These terraces show yet again the importance of agriculture during the Inca empire. 

And of course: the genius irrigation system was found here as well.

The whole complex is also said to have served as a retreat for the Inca ruler as remains of baths were found as well. 

Chinchero is one of the few remaining towns still practicing what Inca already did long before them: the 'troque'. Instead of paying with money, people exchange all kinds of goods.

They also have ancient traditions that have survived the arrival of the Spanish such as their clothing style, their devotion to their deities and their strong sense of community.

10 - Ollantaytambo, the Inca stronghold 

This town and its archaeological site deserves a whole blogpost on its own!

I'll give you the short version here:

The 'fortress' of Ollantaytambo

Located at about 72 km from Cusco, Ollantaytambo was built under the Inca emperor Pachacuti, the main ruler of the Inca empire.

It was later at the centre of the Inca resistance against the Spanish invaders and is said to be the only reason that Machu Picchu never got discovered.

Manco Inca Yupanqui supposedly ordered all the access roads to Machu Picchu to be destroyed while they fought off the Spanish in Ollantaytambo.

It is one of the most famous sites in the Sacred Valley and therefore one of the major things to do in and around Cusco.

Ollantaytambo is also the starting point for the famous Inca trail leading to Machu Picchu as well as the main station for the train bringing you directly to the latter.

Although it did serve as a fortress during the resistance, it wasn't originally built that way as it was yet another sacred temple site for rituals and such.

The town of Ollantaytambo

The layout of the town is pretty particular as it reflects they way the Inca conceived their cities: four longitudinal streets crossed by seven parallel streets.

At the centre you'd always find a larger plaza and the blocks around were all in the same design: a central courtyard with four buildings around, all in two walled compounds.

The remains of the Inca origins are easily detectable throughout the city such as in the doorways with double walls and a single lintel which showed the importance of the house.

Also special are the storehouses ('qullqas' in Quechua) visible from down the town up in the surrounding hills. These were constructed in a way that the cold wind in the higher altitudes would blow though a special ventilation system in order to preserve the goods stored inside.

If you really want to learn about this fascinating site, try to at least spend the night here. 

11 - Machu Picchu, the world wonder

Okay this is probably THE most important thing to do in and around Cusco. It's probably a bucket list item for everyone!

I won't go into detail over this 'new world wonder' as I feel the need to write a whole post about this site alone - especially the impressions we got and what we felt when we were up there.

In this post, I'll just tell you how to get there from Cusco and why it's better to spend the night before in Ollantaytambo rather than Cusco - though both are possible.

I will just say: I had goosebumps when I was up there and it will always remain one of the most special experiences I had so far.

Want to know about other unforgettable experiences? See below:

12 - Eat

Yes, eat!

Cusco has a huge amount of restaurants and eateries and it is nearly impossible to NOT find a type of cuisine!

Be it traditional Peruvian dishes like lomo saltado or papa rellena, a fusion of Peruvian-Japanese cuisine, a traditional Italian trattoria or a plain McDonald's or KFC: you'll find everything in Cusco.

That's what you get when travelling to the 'touristic capital of Peru'.

While you might think that this makes authentic food difficult to find, fear not. It's still very present everywhere. 

And yes, eating is a huge part of travelling, that's why I list it as one of the  must things to do in Cusco.

Read also | Restaurants in Cusco: where to find the best food

13 - Shop

This is also something I personally count as a travel-experience. Even if you can only get tiny items because you're travelling on a budget and with a heavy backpack like us.

Cusco has several cute shops that offer other things than the usual seen-it-everywhere-souvenirs that you can get on every bigger market in Europe as well.

Shops that have a very ecological and fair trade thinking by working with local alpaca-farmers and seamstresses. Or by upscaling vintage clothing by adding some traditional, Peruvian fabrics.

If it doesn't fit into your backpack but you absolutely fell in love with an item, Serpost is a very trustable postal service.

You can put it all in a package and have it sent anywhere in the world - it takes time, sure. But it most definitely arrives at destination (you even get a code to track the package online). Don't forget to bring your own packaging as they don't sell them.

You could choose DHL as well, they do have an office in Cusco. But it will cost you three times more only to arrive like a week earlier - don't know if that's worth it.

Watch this space as I'm going to do a proper 'shopping-in-Cusco'-post as well!

It is, in my honest opinion, also one of the top things to do in Cusco - hence listed here.

For more inspiration, check out the activities in and around Cusco here below:

Conclusion: there are a lot more things to do in and around Cusco

But I leave it to you to discover some more! The thing is, we were travelling during Covid19-times. 

Which means that a lot of things were still closed, especially the hiking trails. Otherwise we would definitely add treks like the one going to the Rainbow Mountains ('Vinicunca'), the Salkantay- or the Choquequiraro-trek.

They were all in our original world-trip plan but South America went into a full lockdown for 7 months.

Instead, we travelled extensively through Europe by car! If you're not tired of reading yet, have a look at our Plan B: 

Anyway, we are still in Peru, hoping that the border to Bolivia might open.

If you want to have direct updates about our current whereabouts, give us a follow on Instagram where we document everything in our posts and stories.

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