Cusco is a delightful city to stay in for a little longer and recover from all the traveling. The historic center has many characteristic streets full of nice shops, restaurants, and cafes. Not only is the city center beautiful, but you can also make a lot of great day trips from Cusco. Most travelers stay here for about a week. We visited Cusco twice and did almost everything there is to do. In this article, we share all our tips, from cool activities to where to eat well in Cusco.
Tip: Cusco is located at an altitude of 3,399 meters (11,152 feet). Therefore, take it easy on the first day you are here to acclimate well.
A bit of history of Cusco
From the 13th century, the Incas lived in and around the former capital Cusco. Later, in the 16th century, the city was taken over by the Spaniards. The Spaniards demolished most Inca temples so they could build churches in those places. Fortunately, some buildings have been preserved in and around the city and the remnants are still visible today. The Incas had a unique way of building. They used large rocks that they stacked on top of each other without using cement. One specific rock even has 12 corners and still can’t fit a needle between them. You can find these special rocks in Hatunrumiyoc Street.
How to get to Cusco?
By far, most people travel to Cusco from Lima, Colca Canyon, or Arequipa. Below you can read how to travel from these destinations to Cusco.
From Colca Canyon to Cusco
From Arequipa to Cusco
From Lima to Cusco
What to do in Cusco?
Cusco is a beautiful city to explore. Below are our tips for cool attractions in Cusco.
Explore the San Blas neighborhood
Perfect for day one in Cusco! The San Blas neighborhood is a creative neighborhood near Plaza de Armas. Here you’ll find all kinds of boutique shops selling art, souvenirs, handmade rugs, sweaters or scarves. Wander through the narrow white alleys at your leisure. There are also many good restaurants and cafes in this neighborhood. Our two favorite places are Qura Bowl Bar and Green Point. Qura Bowl Bar serves delicious and healthy bowls, and at Green Point they have great vegan food. These places are across from each other and are both great lunch spots. Plus, at Green Point, you sit in a cozy courtyard. At the bottom of this article, you’ll find more tips for good restaurants in Cusco.
San Pedro Market
Time for a little bit of culture! Experience local life in Cusco at the San Pedro Market. You’ll be amazed by everything they sell there. Buy a delicious fresh smoothie and stroll around the market.
Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas is the heart of Cusco and the most important square in the city. This square is surrounded by a beautiful cathedral and two churches. There is always something going on here, and it’s lovely to sit on a bench and take in the surroundings. It’s also nice to have a coffee or a beer on one of the many balconies at cafes around the square.
The shoe shine scam: In Cusco, you’ll see many shoe shiners on the streets who will ask you if they can shine your shoes for 1 sol. When you agree, they start using various products, and in the end, they will ask for ridiculous amounts of money. The price of 1 sol that was mentioned earlier is only for wiping off your shoes. It’s a nasty trick, and due to the pressure they put on you, people often pay the money just to get rid of them while these men are pure scammers.
Fun day trips from Cusco
You can make many beautiful day trips from Cusco. The following are a must-see.
Humantay Lake
If you don’t have Huaraz on your travel route, you should definitely make a day trip to Humantay Lake. This lake is located about 4,200 meters (13,800 feet) above sea level and is surrounded by extremely high snow-capped mountains. Unfortunately, we were here on a cloudy day, but it was still incredibly beautiful. However, it’s even more beautiful on a sunny day because the mountains are more visible and the water will be even bluer. The hike to Humantay Lake takes about 1.5 hours, and it’s a bit of a tough climb if you’re still getting used to the altitude. You might also experience altitude sickness, which can make you out of breath more quickly. You climb about 350 meters (1,150 feet) in total, and once you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view.
Sacred Valley: Salinas de Maras & Moray
Located 1.5 hours away from Cusco are Maras and Moray, two unique Inca constructions that are perfect to combine. One of them is the salt terraces of Maras, where there are about 3000 salt terraces with a maze of paths in between. The Incas built these for the same purpose they are still used today: to extract salt. You can still see people working on the salt extraction, and fun fact: one of the most expensive types of salt in the world comes from here.
Eight kilometers (five miles) away is Moray, which is one of the most interesting Inca constructions. There are different theories and speculations about Moray, but no one knows exactly what the circular terraces were used for. One theory is that it was an agricultural experiment. They investigated which crops grew best depending on the amount of sun, light, and wind they received on the terraces. Moray also has an irrigation system, which was very exceptional at the time. Additionally, it is a beautiful sight to see those perfect circles.
Machu Picchu
We have arrived at perhaps the highlight of your trip: the magical Machu Picchu. A trip to Machu Picchu is one that you will remember for the rest of your life. This ancient Inca city, most likely built around the year 1450, was inhabited for only about 100 years. This is because the Spanish took over the area surrounding Machu Picchu. Fortunately, Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish, and the city remained well-preserved. Not only is the city itself beautiful, but the nature around it is phenomenal. There are many different ways to visit Machu Picchu, and you can find our tips for Machu Picchu here.
Tip: We recommend visiting Machu Picchu at sunrise at 6:00 am to make your entire experience extra special. However, you will need to set aside two days for your visit to Machu Picchu as you need to spend a night in Aguas Calientes, the village near Machu Picchu.
Rainbow Mountain
You have undoubtedly seen it on your timeline: the famous hike to Rainbow Mountain. Until a few years ago, Rainbow Mountain was almost always covered in snow or ice, and it took a 6-day hike to visit this place. Due to climate change, Rainbow Mountain has been almost never covered in ice since a few years ago, and the colors can now be admired. Not only is Rainbow Mountain beautiful, but the walk to get there is also stunning. On one side, there are large snow-capped peaks, and on the other side, there is a bright red valley.
Best restaurants in Cusco
There are a lot of good restaurants to be found in Cusco. We spent about 2 weeks in Cusco and ate at many different restaurants. These are our favorites.
If you love avocado, then you really have to have lunch at Avocado, Toast & More. The best and healthiest breakfasts can be found at Qura Bowl Bar, and Green Point is the best vegan restaurant we have ever been to. If you like sushi, then you should definitely eat at Takysan Sushi Bar. It’s a tiny restaurant with an extensive menu and delicious sushi. However, if you prefer to taste the Peruvian cuisine while in Peru, you should try the delicious lomo saltado and ceviche at Nuna Raymi.
Our favorite places to stay in Cusco
Tariq Boutique Hotel is a great hotel to stay at in Cusco. The rooms have a beautiful design, there is a lot of natural light, and some rooms have fantastic views of the city. The breakfast buffet is included and delicious! For a fun and lively atmosphere, you should check out Selina. Selina is a creative hostel with a great design. It’s only a two-minute walk from Plaza de Armas, so the location is fantastic. You can choose to sleep in a teepee tent, a basic or luxury double room, or a dormitory. It’s often lively at night at Selina, but do note that you may hear the music from your room. Another fun and social hostel is Viajero Kokopelli. The staff is very friendly, and they often organize games or movie nights. There is a cozy bar, a pool table, and it’s centrally located in Arequipa.
  Tariq Boutique Hotel |
  Selina |
  Viajero Kokopelli |
