The ultimate guide to Cusco - what to do & where to eat

I have been writing about different places I've visited in Peru but not a lot on Cusco, even though I was staying mainly there in my 2.5 months living in Peru. So, I wanted to dedicate a post to my recommendations and favorite spots in Cusco itself.

This is how I would spend one (or several) days in Cusco as a tourist:

1. Start with a walk around the "Plaza de Armas"

The Plaza de Armas is the center of Cusco and I would really recommend to get a hotel within walking distance of here. This area is also really safe, as there are always plenty of police officers around. The cafes and restaurants that are facing this square are really overpriced though, so I'd recommend to walk into one of the many side streets.

My favorite cafe is the "Three Monkeys Cafe" and the "Florencia y Fortunata Cafe", both about 3 min walk from the central square. If you speak Spanish and are looking for a budget-friendly lunch, I recommend visiting the "Cafe Restaurant Julieta" that is located in one of the side streets. This place offers each day a lunch menu for 14 soles (around 4 USD) that includes a soup, a main dish and a lemonade.

2. Check out the artsy streets of "San Blas"

San Blas is the "artsy" district of Cusco with small streets, street art and shops. There are also many cute photo spots. From the main square you can walk there, passing the stone with the 12 angles. One of my favorite shops in San Blas was "Naturlandia", they offer vegetarian / vegan snacks and food (plus they are the only place that sells Tofu in Cusco). 

My cousin runs a small chain of cafes called "Pantastico" that sells empanadas, cakes and drinks. I especially like their location in San Blas, as you get an amazing view over the city.

3. If you want a good workout: walk up to Saqsaywaman and the Cristo Blanco

Saqsaywaman is an impressive complex built by the incas in the 15th century and is a great place to witness the detail of the inca constructions. From San Blas you can walk pretty much straight up here and it will take around 30 to 45 minutes. I don't recommend doing this on your first day though, as it is quite steep and you might not be proper acclimatized to the altitude yet. As an alternative you can take a morning / afternoon tour leaving from the center or take a taxi (should cost you around 15 soles). At the entrance there are also tour guides offering their services in different languages. Usually getting a tour guide for around an hour will cost you around 40 to 50 soles, which can be also split up if you are sharing with another group of people. The tour guides can give you lots of background information, as on the site itself there are no signs or information.

I recommend using your boleto turistico to enter Saqsaywaman as the day entry is almost half of the price of the boleto turistico and with the latter you get access to over 15 sites.

Once you exit Saqsaywaman you can walk up to the Cristo Blanco (around 10 minutes walk). The entry is free and you can take pictures of the statue and of the view. To be honest, I was not too impressed with this place. If you are nearby and have time you can visit it but it is quite cramped and the views of the city are comparable to the ones at Saqsaywaman.

If you want to visit both of these places and decide to go with a taxi, I recommend starting with the Cristo Blanco and then walking down to Saqsaywaman.

4. Visit the Coricancha temple and Inka museum

I'll be honest: I'm not a big museum person. But even if you just make time to visit two museums while in Cusco, I'd recommend the Coricancha temple and the Inka museum. Both of them are within walking distance of the Plaza de Armas.

The Coricancha, also known as the temple of the sun, was the most important temple during the inca times. It used to be covered completely in gold (which was sent to the Spanish king after the colonization) and still remains an impressive construction. There is information and signs available inside the temple, however, not everything is available in English. For the best experience, you can hire a tour guide in front of the temple.

Contrary to the name, the Inka museum actually provides a great overview of different cultures  that were relevant in Peru (pre and post inca) and exhibits many interesting pieces.

5. Get your souvenirs at the Centro Artesanal Cusco and visit the Pachacutec statue

I've already written in my DO's and DON'Ts article about it: I prefer to buy any type of souvenir at the artisanal markets in Peru, as they provide a big variety and fair prices. My favorite market is only a 15 minutes walk from the main square in Cusco and called "Mercado Artesanal de Cusco". 

From this market you can walk another roughly 15 minutes towards the Pachacutec statue. Pachacutec was an inca leader that is said to have played an important role in expanding the inca empire back in the 15th century. He was also responsible for building the Coricancha temple. With the boleto turistico, you can enter the stone tower and go to the top for an unique view over Cusco.

6. Try some local desserts and fresh juices at Cafe Ayllu

I want to create a separate food guide for the different typical foods there are in Peru and especially Cusco. But one of my longtime favorite spots to take a break while walking around the centre of Cusco is a cafe called Ayllu. We've been coming here since I was little and the desserts have remained the same. My favorite one is called "Lengua de Suegra" (translated: tongue of your mother in law). Despite the name it is not a sour dessert but actually has a very sweet and caramel-like filling. My recommendation is to get a fresh juice with it.