Cusco Peru is one of the most historic places in Latin America. The city was the center and the economic and spiritual center of the Inca Empire for many centuries and therefore today has a considerable number of highly interesting archaeological sites. The influences of the culture of the Quechua Indians are still palpable in many places and make Cusco a highlight not only for travelers interested in culture and history.
In the 13th century, the Incas made Cusco their capital and the city remained central until the Spanish invasion of 1535, led by Francisco Pizzaro, finally overthrew the civilization of that time. After their victory, the Spanish conquistadores destroyed most of Cusco and the city suddenly lost its immense importance.
It wasn't until the 20th century that the world took notice of the small town in the Andes again. In 1911, the nearby Machu Picchu was rediscovered in the cloud forests and thus Cusco developed into the central starting point for researchers and travelers on the way to the famous Inca ruins. Today the Andean metropolis is the most important tourist center in Peru.
Even at first glance, it is noticeable that the city has a high police presence and exudes a high level of security. The historical center is very clean and tidy.
What you should not miss in Cusco Peru
While most travelers come to Cusco and Machu Picchu, you should stay definitely plan a few days in the city. Cusco offers an exciting architectural mix of Spanish colonial style and the impressive walls of the Incas. The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and even if you are not particularly interested in history, Cusco will certainly not disappoint you with its pretty buildings and cozy restaurants.
Under no circumstances should you miss the following sights.
Plaza de Armas
As in almost all Latin American cities, the Plaza de Armas is the center of the old town in Cusco. Around the large rectangular square, you will find impressive buildings such as the magnificent Catedral de Santo Domingo. A few years after the Spanish victory over the Quechua Indians, the church was built on the foundations of a destroyed palace for the Inca god Wiracocha and today, with its eight altars and several side churches is one of the largest sacred buildings in Latin America. With a weight of around 6 tons, the cathedral also has the heaviest church bell on the continent.
Even more impressive than the cathedral, in my opinion, is the second sacred building on the Plaza de Armas, the Jesuit church Iglesia La CompanÃa de Jesús. Although smaller than the cathedral, it has a beautiful facade and an imposing interior. Just like the cathedral, the Jesuit church was built on the foundations of Inca temples and is now one of the most beautiful baroque churches in South America. One of the bell towers can be climbed.
But even apart from the imposing churches, the Plaza de Armas offers a beautiful sight. Small, white-painted houses with colored wooden balconies can be found around the square. These accommodate everything the tourist desires. Countless cafes and restaurants, ATMs and exchange offices and even McDonalds and KFC are at home in the Plaza de Armas.
Mercado San Pedro
The Mercado San Pedro is the city's central market hall. A ten-minute walk from the Plaza de Armas, you can't miss the Mercado San Pedro. Although there are now numerous tourists, the market has retained its originality. You can still tell that it is mainly used by the locals for their daily shopping, so in the Mercado San Pedro, you can finally feel that you are actually in Peru.
Like most South American markets, the Mercado San Pedro is strictly divided into individual sections. In one corner there is fruit, in another place flowers are sold and in the next aisle, there is meat. A word of warning: you shouldn't be overly sensitive to the meat department, as the dead animals are happy to look at you from the counter or you can witness the cutting up of the slaughtered goods.
The freshly offered fruit juices and desserts in plastic cups and countless different types of corn, which are found in almost every Peruvian dish, are particularly exciting for travelers. You can also find all kinds of coca products on the market. These help with altitude sickness and are therefore very popular. But beware, the import of products from the coca plant into the EU is not permitted.
Dried llamas and alpaca fetuses are also for sale at Mercado San Pedro. This curiosity is mainly associated with the witches market in La Paz, but the custom of dead baby llamas, which bring good luck, has also survived in Cusco.
Museo Histórico Regional
In fact, the museum was not uninteresting. The first impression was very positive as it is housed in a pretty two-story old colonial building with a cozy inner courtyard. There are exhibits from a wide variety of areas. There are numerous archaeological finds from the Inca and Pre-Inca periods as well as paintings, but also natural history finds such as fossils from the Cusco region.
The museum is not very big, so you don't have to plan more than two hours for it. If you are interested in the history of the area, the time is definitely well invested.
Walk to the highlands
Cusco is located at 3,400 meters above sea level in the midst of a green, hilly landscape. In order to be able to enjoy a perfect view of the city, I advise you to take a walk up into the old town. Many narrow streets lead over stairs and cobblestone paths a few hundred meters above the center of the city. From up there you have a great view of the Plaza de Armas with its churches and the wide landscape around Cusco.
As you walk, keep in mind that at an altitude of 3,400 meters above sea level, small efforts feel more difficult than in lower regions. So it's best to take a little time for your ascent and rather relax and get a picture of the many small alleys. These are far less crowded than the absolute city center.
Take part in a free walking tour
If you've been following me for a while, you might already know that I love free walking tours and do one in almost every city if possible. The tours do not require long-term planning or registration. You simply show up at the meeting point at the specified time and join the group. Usually, on these tours, you will be led through the city by a local guide for 2-3 hours on foot and you will learn a lot about the history, everyday life of the city, and insider tips. The tour is paid for at the end on a tip basis and you give as much as you want. A minimum amount of the equivalent of 5-10 dollars should be a matter of course.
In Cusco – and incidentally also in Lima capital of Peru – The tours take to three times a day, six days a week, and take you to all the important points of the city, such as the Plaza de Armas, the City Hall, the Mercado San Pedro, the former palace of the Inca King Pachaquteq and the botanical gardens.
The guides are knowledgeable and fun, giving you an extra insight into Peru and Cusco's past and present culture.
Why an alpaca is not always an alpaca...
As you already know, Cusco is a city that is extremely oriented toward tourism and in this context there are also some scams about tourists. Let's talk about alpacas. The cute animals have gained enormous popularity in Europe in recent years. What was once the owl and the unicorn is now the alpaca, an extremely hyped animal on social media.
In Cusco and the entire Andes region, alpacas have been common farm animals alongside llamas for thousands of years and therefore old traditions and alpaca-loving tourists are now clashing. Everywhere in Cusco, you will see ladies in traditional colorful Quechua attire holding a baby alpaca. For a small tip, you can choose to have your picture taken with both or just the alpaca.
But take a close look at the little animal. In the majority of cases, the supposed white alpaca baby is a lamb. These are also cute and of course you are still welcome to take your picture and support the locals with it. An alpaca photo comes out in the rarest of cases.
The same applies to the countless pullovers made of alpaca wool in the souvenir stands. Often advertised as baby alpaca, in most cases, it is normal alpaca or even llama wool. How do you recognize that? at the price. Baby alpaca is expensive and the price for a piece of clothing is in the three-digit euro range, even in Peru. With the alpaca sweaters offered for the equivalent of around ten euros, you, therefore, have to make compromises in terms of quality. They are beautiful nonetheless, and I also bought them despite the obvious swindle.
The Boleto Turistico
If you are interested in museums and archaeological sites in and around Cusco, we recommend buying the so-called Tourist Ticket at the beginning of your stay. This tourist pass is valid for up to ten days and grants entry to almost all interesting attractions in the greater Cusco area.
The Tourist Ticket includes, for example, entry to the Museo Histórico Regional as well as to some art museums and interesting Inca sites in the surrounding area such as Sacsayhuamán, Pisac, Moray, Chinchero, and Ollantaytambo. You can buy the ticket at the entrance to all included attractions and all you have to do is decide on one of the following variants, depending on how much time you spend in the region.
The Tourist, the ticket is not included Machu Picchu city, Choquequirao, Vilcabamba and others
Tourist Ticket, 10-day pass
Entry to 16 tourist attractions
Price: S/130 Soles, the equivalent of just under 50 Dollars
Tourist Ticket day pass for one day
3 different sections are selectable
Depending on the section, entry to 4-8 tourist attractions
Price: S/ 70 Soles, the equivalent of around 25 Dollars
If you have time, I would always advise you to pay the 10-day ticket. You can find more information about the Boleto TurstÃco on this website.
Excursion to Sacsayhuaman
Accommodation in Cusco
Restaurants in Cusco
In no other Peruvian city is it so easy to find cozy cafés and restaurants as in Cusco. While the typical Peruvian cuisine is among the best and most creative on the continent, Cusco, with its international influence, offers gastronomy from different countries and for every price range
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