What to do in Cusco
To visit Cusco is to discover the capital of the great Inca Empire which was, in its heyday, the most important city in South America.
Today it is a city with a lot of charm and a must-see in Peru thanks, among other reasons, to its proximity to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu.
To help you organize your trip, here is my guide to Cusco with the 30 things to do and sights to see in the region, and my top tips for getting the most out of it.
I have also included my suggested itineraries for visiting Cusco in 1, 2, 3 or 4 days, as well as my hotel recommendations for all budgets.
Before visiting Cusco
Buying the tourist ticket
The tourist ticket is mandatory to access several must-see places in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
That means that it is impossible to buy separately the tickets to the attractions included in the ticket.
There are mainly two types of tickets:
The integral ticket which gives access to all the attractions included for 10 days.
The partial ticket with 3 different circuits, valid for 1 or 2 days depending on the chosen circuit.
To know all the attractions included, the prices and where to buy it, here is my full article about the Cusco tourist ticket
Cusco Guide: 30 places to visit
The Main Square
The Plaza de Armas is always the heart of the historic center of Latin American cities, so it is a strategic place to start a visit to Cusco!
Here the famous Inca festival of Inti Raymi in honor of the sun is celebrated every June 24.
What to see and do in the Plaza de Armas:
The huge baroque cathedral built over the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. It is accessed through the Iglesia del Triunfo, the first Christian church in the city. Admission 25 soles, students 12.50 soles or with the religious circuit ticket.
The Church of the Society of Jesus, built by the Jesuits in the former palace of the Inca Huayna Capac, is also a must in Cusco. Entrance fee 10 soles or students 5 soles.
Attend the festivities (free) every Sunday with music and dance.
Have a drink on one of the 2nd floor balconies of the buildings surrounding the square (ex: Bar Nuevo Mundo, Calle del Medio).
The Basilica of La Merced
A few steps from the main square, in front of Plazoleta Espinar, is the church and convent of La Merced.
It is an imposing temple with a baroque interior and a magnificent cloister with several paintings.
Among the objects of great value that can be found in the church, is the monstrance that weighs 22 kg with 1.25 m high.
With its 24 carats, 1518 diamonds and 615 precious stones, it is considered one of the most important jewels in Peru and even in all of South America!
Free admission, museum (recommended) 6 soles.
Open from 8 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 5:30 pm.
The stone of the 12 angles
Among Cusco’s tourist attractions is the Stone of the 12 angles on Hatun Rumiyoc street.
But it is not just a stone! It is a great example of Inca engineering: very thick walls with stones so perfectly fitted together that, even without the use of cement, they are still standing today after several centuries.
This construction technique can be observed in several Inca archaeological sites (Coricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, etc.) but due to its complexity, this stone is classified as Cultural Heritage of the nation.
The Coricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo
The Coricancha, also written Koricancha or Qoricancha, means “golden temple” in Quechua.
It was the most sacred temple of the Inca Empire and the most important ceremonies were held here!
It was dedicated to the Sun and it is estimated that up to 4000 priests would have lived within its walls.
Richly decorated with gold, silver and precious stones, the temple was destroyed by the colonizers who erected the Convent of Santo Domingo (16th century) over its remains.
Some of the original walls can still be seen, made of large stone blocks that fit together perfectly, a typical Inca construction process.
