Cusco is one of the oldest living cities in the world in the Americas. It is a modern but ancient city that features many historical monuments and architecture that are still well-preserved to this day. It was once the capital of the Inca empire in the 13th century, conquered by the Spanish in the 16th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage site in itself. I found the city vibrant and bustling, with a good mix of culture, food and even nightlife, and there are so many fun things to do there.
Here are some of them:
1. Hang out at Plaza de Armas
No trip to Cusco is complete without a visit to the central square of Plaza de Armas. The Plaza is surrounded by shops, restaurants and the famous landmarks of the Cathedral of Cusco and Church of the Society of Jesus.
You can find many locals and tourists hanging outside the Cathedral at any time of the day. There are street vendors selling snacks and drinks and kids playing in the square. It is super lively and a great starting point for a tour around Cusco city.
2. Join in the local festivities
There are also many festivals and parades at Plaza de Armas. Considered the heart of Cusco, it is likely that you will walk past a parade any day of the year. Consequently, the roads around the main square are also often closed to traffic because of this.
When I arrived, I bumped into the Corpus Christi festival where men dressed up in white masks and carried fake dead llamas while whipping each other’s legs. They even had some small kids take part. It was frankly, quite bizarre. The festival itself is to celebrate the corpse/body of Christ. The whole time I was in Cusco (end May to mid-June), it seemed like every day was a festival with closed roads, fireworks at night and parades and dancing in the streets.
One major festival in Cusco to attend is Inti Raymi, the festival of the sun. The Incas celebrate the God of Sun and Inti Raymi falls on Winter Solstice, usually the day with the shortest amount of sunlight in winter on June 24th. It is a huge celebration in Cusco with thousands of people visiting and artists wearing traditional garments and performing and dancing at Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha and Saqsaywaman.
You can check this calendar for more festivities in Cusco throughout the year.
3. Visit the San Blas neighbourhood
This was my favourite neighbourhood in Cusco due to the aesthetically pleasing colonial white houses with brightly painted blue windows and doors. It is also a fantastic area with many cool boutiques, art galleries and eateries with a view. Situated uphill, getting there can be a bit of a slow walk, especially if you are still acclimatizing to the altitude.
In San Blas, you can find the Plazoleta San Blas where the San Blas temple is and many hip cafes on Calle Tandapata, as well as the San Blas viewpoint for some scenic photographs. There were also many street vendors selling handmade jewellery, crafts and art on Calle Tandapata.
4. Try the Peruvian food
One of the things that I was excited to try was all the Peruvian cuisine in Cusco. Coming from Asia, authentic Peruvian food was rare to find and I must say that almost everything I ate was very flavourful. First of all, most of the ingredients that they use in the restaurants are locally grown and often organic, so they are very fresh and flavourful. Furthermore, there are so many interesting, native varieties of grains and vegetables like potatoes and corn that cannot be found elsewhere. For someone on a healthy diet, I also found so many vegan and vegetarian cafes that made eating out in Cusco a dream.
You can read my post about Peruvian food and restaurants in Cusco to try.
5. Visit Qorikancha
Qorikancha is one of the most important and sacred temples from the Inca Empire that is located in Cusco city. During the war with the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, it was destroyed and Santo Domingo convent was built over it. The temple was said to be covered in gold and remained intact even after three major earthquakes in Cusco. It is one of the top sites to visit in Cusco.
6. Visit Saqsaywaman
Another important ruin on the outskirts of Cusco, is Saqsaywaman – a citadel built with huge interlocking granite stones on a steep hill overlooking the city. The walls are up to 10 metres tall and some of the stones weigh over 125 tonnes! It was built in the 15th century and is a massive site where they continue to celebrate Inti Raymi and other festivals. The site is an engineering feat of its time as the Incans were amazing stonemasons and you can also have great views of the city from there.
7. Check out San Pedro market
One way to have a great introduction to Peruvian food is through visiting the local markets, such as the main San Pedro market. You can find market stalls selling all sorts of produce like fruits, grains, and vegetables native to Peru. We saw so many different varieties of potatoes, corn and grains that you have probably never seen elsewhere in the world. It is a great place to buy souvenirs and gifts, taste local street food and have fruit juice. Definitely a vibrant and sensorial experience for visitors!
8. Take a trip to the ChocoMuseo
A visit to the ChocoMuseo is a must do for chocolate lovers! You get to learn about the history of cacao and how chocolate is produced and transformed. You can even take workshops to make your own chocolate. Of course, you can’t forget to sample all the different types of chocolate or sit down at the cafe to indulge in some hot chocolate and desserts. In their shop, you can also buy gifts like chocolate bars, chocolate truffles, chocolate dessert spread, cacao beans and much more.
It is no wonder that Cusco is a bustling and growing city. There are many tourists from all over the world who come year round and there are so many activities to explore and do in Cusco, Peru!