Things to Do in Cusco, Peru

Plaza de Armas (Cusco main square)

The Plaza de Armas occupies the geographic and symbolic heart of Cusco, originally the Inca ceremonial space called Huacaypata. Today a broad, open rectangle is ringed by colonial arcades, cafés and municipal buildings; the square’s anchors include the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus, both raised atop earlier Inca foundations.

The plaza still functions as the city’s public living room: arcades house shops and cafés, open lawns host processions and gatherings, and plaques and nearby small museums explain the site’s layered history.

Use the Plaza de Armas as a starting point for nearby museums and walking routes through the historic centre, and check local schedules for seasonal festivals or temporary closures.

Cusco Cathedral (Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin)

Standing on the north side of the Plaza de Armas, the Cusco Cathedral occupies land once used for an Inca palace and was built from the mid‑16th century onward in Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque forms.

Its twin towers and heavy façade present a formal colonial face to the main square, while inside the building remains a working church and a major repository of viceregal art.

The cathedral’s nave, carved choir stalls, gilded retablos and silverwork come from local workshops, and the collection includes Cusco School paintings—most famously a Last Supper that incorporates regional foods. The complex also contains a museum and chapels; allow time to view devotions and conserve quiet during Mass and conservation work.

Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun)

Qorikancha—literally the “golden enclosure”—was the Inca Empire’s principal temple dedicated to Inti, the sun god. In central Cusco, polished Inca stonework survives at ground level while the colonial Convent of Santo Domingo was built atop those foundations, creating an immediate, visible layering of imperial and colonial architecture.

The site showcases exceptional ashlar masonry with precisely cut stones fitted without mortar and trapezoidal corners for seismic strength. Interpretive displays in the convent museum explain Inca ritual practice and the temple’s role in state ceremony and astronomy.

Controlled visitor paths protect exposed masonry, so consult official sources for current exhibit details and any restricted areas.

Sacsayhuamán archaeological complex

Sacsayhuamán crowns the ridge above Cusco with massive, zigzagging terraces and enormous andesite blocks fitted together without mortar. The site’s monumental walls, terraces and plazas are often described as defensive, ceremonial and emblematic of Inca engineering; the exact blend of functions reflects a long building sequence attributed to several rulers.

Visitors walk among giant megaliths to inspect stone joints and enjoy panoramic views over the historic centre. Conservation and archaeological work continues, and interpretive signage at the site explains construction techniques and probable uses.

Allow time for steep walking and variable high‑altitude weather, and check official guidance for permitted routes and seasonal restrictions.

Official Sacsayhuamán archaeological complex website →

San Pedro Market (Mercado San Pedro)

San Pedro Market is a working food and craft market in Cusco’s historic core and remains primarily a place for daily life rather than a theatrical attraction.

Inside a dense covered hall, narrow aisles display Andean tubers, native potatoes, highland fruits, dried grains and bundles of coca leaves, while small comedor counters serve soups and local lunches to neighborhood shoppers.

The market also hosts textile and craft stalls where local women sell handwoven goods and simple silverwork. For visitors it’s a practical place to sample regional ingredients, observe foodways and support local livelihoods; carry small local bills, respect vendor space when photographing, and verify current visitor guidance through municipal channels.

Museo Inka (Inka Museum, Cusco)

Museo Inka occupies a historic colonial house near the main square and presents a comprehensive local archaeological collection administered by the local university. Galleries move through pre‑Hispanic cultures into the Inca imperial period, displaying ceramics, lithics, metalwork and textiles in a building adapted for fragile materials.

Highlights include ceremonial queros, finely made textiles and curated human remains that illuminate funerary practice and social ranking. Exhibits emphasize provenance, technique and archaeological context rather than speculation.

Photography and handling are often restricted to protect delicate objects; group visits and academic requests typically need prior coordination with museum administration.

Official Museo Inka (Inka Museum, Cusco) website →

Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (Machu Picchu)

Machu Picchu sits on a ridge at about 2,430 metres, set within a protected sanctuary of steep cloud‑forested slopes and jagged peaks. The citadel’s terraces, plazas, stairways and carved walls form a finely ordered stone city with distinct agricultural, residential and ritual sectors.

Key features include the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun and intricate dry‑fitted masonry.

Designated a World Heritage Site, the Historic Sanctuary balances archaeological protection and fragile Andean ecosystems. Trails and stone surfaces are steep and uneven at altitude, so move slowly, allow acclimatization time, and consult official management sources for regulated visitor routes and current access rules before your visit.

Official Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (Machu Picchu) website →

Sacred Valley (including Pisac and Ollantaytambo)

The Sacred Valley follows the Urubamba River northwest from Cusco through fertile slopes and deep gorges, combining rich farmland, transport corridors and ritual landscapes. Major centers such as Pisac and Ollantaytambo cluster along it because the valley’s microclimates supported diverse crops and complex agricultural systems still visible today.

Pisac features high terraces, a hilltop citadel and a lively market below the ruins; Ollantaytambo preserves a living Inca town with massive terraces and a Temple of the Sun that reveal precise stonework.

The valley forms an accessible circuit of markets, terraces and living communities, and links readily with rail and road routes toward Machu Picchu and other sites like Moray and Maras.