23 Best Things To Do In Cusco Peru

23 Best Things To Do In Cusco Peru

Let’s now take a look at some of the very best things to do in Cusco. Whilst many of these can be seen with ease, others may take longer so make sure you plan enough time when heading to this unforgettable Andean region.

1. Visit The Sapantiana Colonial Aqueduct

Everywhere you go in Cusco, you will find historical places, ancient ruins, architecture, etc. You could, for instance, continue after seeing the Twelve-Angled Stone onto the colonial hydraulic architecture built over a river stream in the traditional neighborhood of San Blas, below Sacsayhuaman park. This XVIII century arch and aqueduct offers a fresh environment due to running water and trees in which birds fly from time to time, but most importantly, you can stand in front of the archway for pictures. See more about Sapantiana aqueduct.

2. Explore The Abode Of The Gods

This is one of the new tourist attractions in Cusco, easily reachable in a 25 minutes car drive from the historical center to the countryside about 13 km to the northeast of the city.  There you can appreciate the images of the Inca mythology carved into the rock: A jagged teeth Puma as well as Pachamama; represented in a figure of a face emerging inside the bedrock, then a three-dimensional door and other wooden sculptures around. 

It was Michel de Titran Monteagudo Mejia, the sculpturer who began the works chiseling the hard lime rock on the place, but for five years, the figures were under construction, and only a few people would know about it. It wasn’t until 2020 that the sculptures have blown up in popularity. 

3. Experience Apukunaq Tianan (the Abode of Gods)

It is located on a hilltop, a perfect location for the sculptures to see even larger. Once at the site, you will pass a little tunnel-like corridor and walk the stairs and bridges made with little planks of wood and sticks that lead to the viewpoint and admire the views. The entrance fee is 3 soles per person.

4. Stroll Around The Famous Plaza De Armas

Experience this historic main square that for centuries witnessed all kinds of events, all from the Inca period to the present day. Nowadays, this is the scene for local major religious festivals in Cusco and other civil activities.

Restaurants, cafés, and other shops function in the surrounding beautiful buildings with balconies furnished in colonial style overlooking the main square. This is the perfect place when whatever party is being celebrated, then to see that, sitting while sipping some coffee and admiring the old cathedral and the convent of the Jesuits which just add more beauty and make this plaza a worth visiting place In Cusco.

5. Touch The Twelve-Angled Stone

While strolling around downtown Cusco, one of the must-see places is the 12-angled stone, about 150 meters from the main square of Cusco in an impressive narrow alleyway called Hatun Rumiyoq. This is a 1×1.20 meters volcanic Diorite polished with twelve angles and embedded in an Inca wall, fitting so perfectly with the surrounding rocks. The good thing is that it is listed among the free things to do in Cusco, therefore after a few shots of pictures with the famous stone and others that appear finely chiseled in the background, carry on the walk.

6. Walk Around Qoricacha (Sun Temple)

Nowadays, Santo Domingo convent and church. Whether you are on a tour group or exploring Cusco on your own, you will most likely get to see the Coricancha sun temple; the absolute feat achieved by the Inca architects in terms of stony masonry and the most sacred temple for the Inca civilization. Getting here is very simple: from the central plaza, walk two blocks by one side of the Jesuit’s convent. 

At the sun temple and Inside the convent, there are the remains of rooms known as temples for deities built with lime dark rocks, as well as galleries with pictures and paintings from the colonial era. 

7. Learn In The Inca Museum

A fine two floors former house of a Spanish admiral (casa del Almirante), with an interesting collection inside, reflects the history of Cusco. The exhibits build up slowly from pre-Inka times to the viceregal period with artifacts consisting of carved rock sculptures, pottery, metalwork, vestiges of Inca burials, Inca portraits on painting, old Machu Picchu pictures, and so on. Additionally, you will get to see weavers in the courtyard; they keep the textile tradition of Peru alive. So If you are a History enthusiast, start in the main square and walk up the Cuesta del Almirante street, turn left, and there it is. Payment is upon the entrance, 10 soles per person, and you can even hire a guided tour at the control desk. 

8. Try Foods In The San Pedro Market

Ever since the San Pedro market was first inaugurated nearly a hundred years ago, it has hosted and still hosts to nowadays merchants of Cusco.

If you are interested in experiencing the local culture of the city, then this is the place to go, because, above all things you can see around Cusco, there is no other market like this; with more than a thousand market stalls distributed from food to clothing and from handicrafts to shamanic ritual kits, meats, cereals, and special round loaves of bread, etc. It is a neoclassic style one-floor market with tall steel beams and assembled frames supporting the heavy calamine ceiling, where lots of locals eat because the prices are cheaper and by the way; tourists themselves sometimes try some food or papaya juice or simply buy chocolates and fruits. Getting here is easy, a 10-minute walk from the main square of Cusco, across the Plaza San Francisco, and to the front of San Pedro Church. That is it.

9. Visit The Goblin Valley Cusco

Similar to Apukunaq Tianan the Goblin valley or El Valle de Los Duendes displays sculptures carved into the rock and is the newest tourist attraction of Cusco in 2021. Valle de Los Duendes lies about 8 km from downtown Cusco which not only offers carved sculptures but referring to its name; there is a set of little elves and goblins placed in the little caves because the place itself is at a rocky outcrop.

There is a particular boulder, which when somebody hits another small rock on it, you hear a strange sound, a sound very similar to a bell ring; therefore, it is called Campana Huancac concerning a bell sounding. Everyone visiting the Cusco Goblin Valley pays only 3 soles. 

10. Head To The Planetarium

As in anywhere else in the world, nightlife and exciting social scenes in the clubs seduce visitors to go and join the parties and drink Cerveza cusqueña, well that is all joyful. But let’s see other things to do in Cusco at night; for instance, there is Cusco´s Planetarium which is a private family-run company and an interesting place where to spend a different experience gazing at the stars with professional guides. This is more educational to understand how the Ancient Incas interpreted the skies, constellations, and through it interpreted the life on earth, their planting season, architecture, and others. If the night offers its starry sky, you will be able to see the constellations from telescopes, so it ends up being a fun and informative visit.

The station of this Planetarium is about 15 minutes drive from Downtown Cusco near the Saqsayhuam archeological site. You can find them on the web as Cusco planetarium. 

11. Hike Up To The San Cristobal Viewpoint

A pleasant viewpoint for sunset as the twilights appear up in the sky and Cusco city lights up. If you are looking for free things to do In Cusco while acclimating, this is the one you should go for and make your visit memorable within a short time because it is a good spot to get the layout of the city; you will be able to see the main square with its old churches but also the industrial areas outside the historical center. If you go in the morning, you might even see the Ausangate mountain in the far distance. 

To get to Mirador San Cristobal, start at the main square and follow Suecia street, then the Resbalosa street, and walk up to till the end of it. That is all!

12. Relax With A Traditional Spa Treatment

Treat your muscular pain and soreness after the Inca trail Hike with Inca healing massage at one of Cusco’s best massage places. However, you may see and pass by ladies offering “masajes” or massages for cheap, investing in your massage experience is definitely worth it every soles. Relaxing Time Massage is located in the heart of Cusco inside one colonial House, Inti Killa. It is a memorable experience after a long hike in the Andes mountains or even a just one-day hike to the famous rainbow mountain in Cusco. At Relaxing time Massage you can find couple massage, body wraps, facial cleansing, manicure, and pedicure. Is the place to relax with local highly qualified masseuses who will restore your body and mind with Andean energy.

13. Visit The Stone Ruins Of Sacsaqhuamán

The formidable Inca culture not only created the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu, they also built a massive amount of other temples and ceremonial sites all throughout the Sacred Valley. Saqsayhuamán is one of these, which are known for their giant stone boulders which are perfectly fitted together with no adhesive materials (and have since been famously claimed that not even a needle can be pushed between these extremely heavy stones).

Thankfully Sacsaqyhuamán is one of the closer ruins you can visit in Cusco, which is just a 15-20 minute walk up from the main Plaza de Armas. We highly recommend heading here in the morning when there are less crowds, and especially so if visiting during the more popular dry season months.

14. Head On The Legendary Inca Trail To Machu Picchu Trek

Whilst we are mainly focusing on the city of Cusco itself in this guide, there’s certain experiences we simply cannot miss out on which you’ll want to make the time for. One of these is the Inca Trail trek, which is famous for its incredible mountain vistas and collection of ancient ruins which can’t otherwise be seen (such as Wiñay Wayna and Intipata).

It’s important to remember that this trek only allows 500 permits per day, so you’ll want to try and book in advance to guarantee your spot. Here at AB Expeditions we operate our own 4 Day Inca Trail To Machu Picchu Trek, where your professional, experienced guide will lead you all the way along this sacred path which was once walked by the Inca. You’ll also have all transport, meals, camping gear and more all included. 

15. Hike Up To The Cristo Blanco Viewpoint

Whilst there are closer viewpoints already located within the city, those who want the most epic Cusco views must head up to the Cristo Blanco mirador. Here we can see the entire city in all its glory, as well as the  Andean mountains that surround it around the valley. There’s also a giant Christ statue up here too which is great for that memorable Cusco photo!

There’s different ways of getting up here, with the most simple being that you take a taxi (or head on a hop-on hop-off bus that also stops here). If you want to walk up, then it will take roughly 45 minutes to do so from Cusco’s historic center. During the walk up we suggest stopping off at Q’enqo ruins along the way, where you’ll also get to walk through a portion of the forest.

16. Explore Cusco Like A Pro With A City Sightseeing Tour

As we have seen throughout this article, Cusco is full of incredible things to see and do. Now whilst you can visit them independently one at a time, you may also benefit from heading on a Cusco city tour which is better structured. This is ideal since you’ll have a private knowledgeable guide show you around every destination, and also give you better attention than a usual site guide would. 

Here at AB Expeditions we offer our very own tailored Cusco city tours, which have flexible departure times either in the morning or in the afternoon. Here we will visit key highlights such as Q’enqo, the Cathedral, Qorikancha as well as the San Pedro Market. We’ll also get to visit the ancient Inca ruins of Saqsayhuamán, Tambomachay and Pucapucara.

17. Try A Unique Food Class In Cusco

Peruvian food as a whole is some of the most diverse and exciting in the Western Hemisphere, which is also growing rapidly on a global scale. Whilst you can try classics like Lomo Saltado, Ceviche and Ají de Gallina, it’s also worth trying some of the more popular dishes from the Cusco region.

Within the historic center we can find various food classes, both in private organized tours as well as in open tours (such as those which are run by hostels). Not only is this a great way to try some of the more iconic foods that hail from the Andean mountains of Peru like Papa a la Huancaina and Cuy, you can also take pride in learning how to make one or two of them for friends and family back home!

18. Visit Machu Picchu

No trip to Cusco can be complete without visiting one of the New Seven Wonders Of The World, with Machu Picchu being a staple of any trip to Peru (let alone just Cusco). The great thing about Machu Picchu is that it’s located at an altitude of 2430m which is much lower than Cusco, and means that you won’t need to spend time acclimating in the city before you visit.

Whilst it’s a good idea to visit other Incan sites and museums within Cusco prior (so you can better understand these ancient ruins), it’s not entirely necessary. This is especially so if you want to head on a day tour of Machu Picchu when is best for you, where you’ll have a private knowledgeable guide teach you all of the same interesting facts as well as having everything else included.

19. Head To The ChocoMuseo

Did you know Peru is amongst the biggest cacao exporters on the globe? It’s also argued to be one of the tastiest varieties too, with the majority of the chocolate beans being grown around the Andean mountains and valleys of Peru. This includes Cusco, meaning that it’s highly worth trying different types of Cacao when walking around the city.

Whilst you can easily purchase chocolate bars in boutique shops as well as within the San Pedro Market, you can also have a more immersive experience too. The ChocoMuseo is located close to the Plaza de Armas, and offers a unique chocolate experience – where you’ll make your very own bars right from the bean! You’ll also get to sample many famous varieties from different regions of Peru too.

20. Attend The Inti Raymi Festival

One of the most famous festivals in the entire country, spectating the long-awaited Inti Raymi Festival is one of the best things to do in Cusco if you’re lucky to be here during the celebrations. Held annually on the 24th June, the entire city descends into giant parades along with events that celebrate the importance of the ancient Inca civilization.

Translated as “The Festival of the Sun” from the native Quechua language, we’ll find that the heart of the festivities takes place right in the Plaza de Armas. The sites of Qorikancha and Sacsayhuamán also play important roles during the pilgrimage, where we will see many historic reenactments as well as locals dancing in traditional garments.

You can learn more about the Inti Raymi Celebrations in June, as well as what else you can do during this ideal month to visit Cusco.

21. Enjoy The Nightlife Along Tecsecocha Avenue 

Whilst Cusco is best-known for its ancient ruins, historic celebrations and beautiful colonial architecture, it’s also home to quite a memorable nightlife scene too. All around the historic center we’ll find many bars and nightclubs open until late, and also some great parties within certain hostels too most nights of the week. 

The heart of it all centers around Tecsecocha Avenue, which is just a block north of the Plaza de Armas. Many bars like La Chupiteria and Berlin Bar are perfect for getting things kicked off, whilst nightclubs like Chango and known for their wild antics which go on late into the night. Thursday until Saturday are the most lively times to enjoy the nightlife here, whilst the atmosphere will still be quite good during the midweek.

22. Explore The Forested Ruins Of Q’enqo

Most tourists who visit Cusco will likely only see the ruins of Saqsaqhuamán within the city, given how popular and well-known it has become. However, those of Q’enqo shouldn’t be overlooked – given that they are also close to the historic center and also offer a nice change of scenery.

Located just a few blocks higher up from the San Cristóbal Viewpoint, here we’ll be able to see how the Inca once designed tunnels and temples out of the surrounding rocks of the area. These ruins are also located within a forest, meaning you can enjoy nature whilst getting some memorable photos with a different kind of scenery all around you.

23. Head On A Day Trip To Rainbow Mountain

Another one of Peru’s most mystical natural sites, Rainbow Mountain really does have to be seen with your own eyes to be believed. And whilst it does look like a really well-done photoshopped photo, the truth is that there really are many real vibrant hues of reds, greens, yellows and more all imprinted within this iconic mountain!

This is due to millions of years of volcanic activity and erosion, and today we can easily see all of these bright contrasts. We highly suggest heading on this Rainbow Mountain Day Tour, which includes all private transport, breakfast and lunch during your trip. The best thing about this tour is that you’ll also have a visit to the lesser-known Red Valley included, which is just as impressive with less crowds around.

Overview Of The Best Things To Do In Cusco Peru

And that’s all for our guide on the best things to do in Cusco, as well as some of the more incredible nearby experiences and hikes.

Once the beating heart and soul of the Inca civilisation, Cusco still houses that same magic and energy that they also once thrived with. Around the city we can still see many ancient temples and sites that they once used, as well as the more modern highlights such as the markets for eating local foods as well as unique activities to experience within the city.

Have you booked your trip to Machu Picchu yet? Entrance tickets to the New Seventh Wonder Of The World can sell out fast, so be sure to explore our different Machu Picchu tour options and secure your spot now!