Cuzco.
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Overview

Cuzco or Cusco (Qosqo in Quechua, Cusco in Spanish), in the Southern Sierras, is a fascinating city that was the capital of the Inca Empire. Cuzco is a and is one of Peru's most visited cities as it is the largest and most comfortable city from which tourists can begin visits to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and other Inca sites in the region.

Understand

Cuzco is a beautiful city with well-preserved colonial architecture, evidence of a rich and complex history. The city is the center of indigenous Quechua culture in the Andes, and walking the streets you see the layers of history. Spanish colonial buildings erected directly atop Inca walls line the square, while the modern tourist nightlife flourishes in their midst. The city is surrounded by a number of ruins, the most impressive being Sacsayhuaman, the site of the 1536 battle in which dozens of Pizarro's men charged uphill to battle the forces of the Inca.

Nowadays, Cuzco is known for its indigenous population—often seen on the streets in traditional clothing—and its substantial tourist-fueled night life.

At 3,400 m above sea level, altitude sickness (soroche) can be a problem. See the Stay healthy section for advice. Altitude sickness tends to sneak up on you and although its symptoms may not be apparent at first, it has the potential to develop into something extremely dangerous.

Machu Picchu is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Latin America, so prices are rising every year.

In and around Cuzco, lots of places and landmarks have multiple spellings: often a Spanish spelling and a Quechua spelling, and sometimes two or three of each! The name of the city, for instance, can be "Cuzco", "Cusco", or even "Qosqo", depending on where you look. Get used to confusion and extra searching when trying to find the name of a place, especially if looking online.

Cuzco has two defined seasons. The dry season lasts from April to October, with abundant sunshine. The wet season lasts from November to March; in February the Inca Trail is closed.

Get in

Avianca (Bogota, La Paz) Latam (Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado, Lima, and Santiago de Chile) JetSmart (Arequipa, Lima) Sky Peru (Lima)

With only 5 gates and a few off the main terminal, this airport is fairly small, though it sees thousands of tourists a day, with restaurants and shops before and after security. Massage facilities and communication services are also available. There are a few ATMs in the check-in area. If you have time, look across the parking lot for last-minute shopping. Construction for a larger airport is underway in Chinchero (30.5 km NW of Cusco). The new Chinchero airport will include additional international flights from outside of Peru and accommodate more travelers entering the area.

There are no car rental facilities in the airport; car rental companies can be found around the airport perimeter, and meet-and-greets can be arranged to pick up your vehicle. Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and Thrifty have rental offices in Cuzco, as well as a number of local car rental companies.

The ticket desks for official are by the exit doors before exiting the building, with their drivers outside the doors. It is best to use the unofficial cabs and expect to pay around S/10–15 without much trouble. To find these taxis, exit the airport through the main gate and go to the street that is in front of the airport. Head right on the right-hand-side of the street for around 50 m until you hit the taxi stand.

There are plenty of buses passing outside of the airport main gate. During daylight hours, it should be easy to take one to the old town. S/1. Takes about 30–45 minutes depending on traffic.

The airport opens at 03:00 in the morning, so if you have to leave early in the morning, do not arrive before 03:00, if so, You will have to wait outside the airport (and it is pretty dark).

Cusco is surrounded by mountain peaks and most flights from Lima approach it by going to its south, overshooting it, and doubling back through a gap in the peaks on the south east side. If you are coming from Lima and are seated on the left side of the plane, you should get great views of the city and the surroundings on final approach.

The is on Avenida Vía de Evitamiento # 429, a 2.5 km walk (40 min) southeast from el Centro Histórico on Avenida El Sol and San Martin. You can also take a taxi for a few soles. The toilet in the terminal is S/1 at the first level and free for the other one on the second level.

Buses are plentiful to and from other Peruvian and Bolivian cities like Lima (about 22 hr), Puno (6–8 hr), Arequipa (10 hr, S/25 off season, S/40–120 otherwise), Nasca (14–16 hr), Copacabana (9–12 hr, S/60) and La Paz (12–15 hr, S/90) but are quite long and slow, although the views can compensate. The main roads are mostly quite good, but some can be bad, making trips take longer than expected.

Buses in Peru are not operated to first world standards, especially the cheaper ones. The drivers work long hours and poor maintenance is common. There are frequent accidents, often with fatalities. If you are of nervous disposition, stick with the more upmarket companies.

Peru Hop offers high-end buses to Puno, La Paz, Arequipa, Lima, and places in between. It's geared towards tourists, with stops where you can choose to hop off for sightseeing along the way to Cuzco and back.

Also, make sure your bus has a bathroom or that it stops for bathroom breaks every couple of hours before you buy tickets. There are Puno-Cuzco buses that have/do neither, and that can mean a very long 6–8 hours.

Expreso Los Chankas, Pje Cáceres 150. One of the only companies to offer direct service from Ayacucho to Cuzco. S/55 for a 22-hr ride on a semi-cama bus. Buses at 06:30 and 21:00.

Cuzco is connected to Machu Picchu and Puno by rail. Rail service to Arequipa has been discontinued. Service is operated by PeruRail and Inca Rail. Trains to Machu Picchu (more exactly to Aguas Calientes), generally operate from Poroy railway station.

Get around

The center of Cuzco is small enough to walk around, although you will probably need to catch a bus or taxi to the bus station, Sacsayhuamán or the airport. Beware about walking around at night alone or drunk as robberies have often been reported.

By bus There are several smaller bus terminals in Cuzco that travel to other destinations around the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

If you are staying in Cuzco for a long time, the combis are a cheap and reliable form of transportation. These are the Volkswagen vans and small buses with names like Imperial, Batman, or Zorro. If you are unsure whether a combi will take you where you want to go, just ask. They will call out the stops as they go and if you want to get off, you just yell "Bajo!", as in, "I want to get off!" They run until 22:00. But if you are a fan of lots of personal space, this may not be the best option for you, as they tend to be quite full. Carry your backpack in front of you.

For large groups, a tourist bus can be very convenient to get to places like Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Check with one of the many local travel agencies.

By taxi Taxis are very common in Cuzco. Call Cusco Taxi. Often the drivers isn't a local. Beware when using taxis at night; robberies have been reported in collusion with taxi cab drivers, and at certain times radio taxis may be the safest option. The driver might also try to extort a hefty sum of money (S/15) for a short ride if you don't haggle before – which is likely if you're just arriving at night at the bus terminal and want to avoid the hordes of touts. Just pay S/5 and leave it at that.

Do not get in any taxis which already have a passenger.

Uber is also available, with easy and cheap access using the global app. Prices are comparable to those of taxis, often slightly higher.

By car Driving in and around Cuzco can be very daunting, complete with a unique set of challenges that can make driving around Lima seem easy by comparison. However, a car does allow complete flexibility to enjoy the sites around the city and the surrounding region, without the complication of having to navigate the very confusing public transit system or being at the mercy of inflexible train schedules.

Two main challenges to driving in Cuzco are road quality and the city's topography. Road quality is very uneven, even in the city center, and there is significant road construction in areas such as around the airport. In the historic center, roads are often narrow and paved with cobblestone, and during wet weather they can be very slippery. Roads in Cuzco can also be winding and steep, with high gradients (above 6%) not uncommon in more elevated areas and towards sites like Sacsayhuamán. Highways are often two lanes only, and drivers commonly speed up and overtake slow trucks. Speeds on otherwise-low traffic roads can be very fast. Landslides are also a risk during rainy season.

Parking lots are available in major shopping areas like PlazaVea and big supermarkets, and parking spaces are available at many sites especially outside the city, but are generally rare in the historic center. Limited paid street parking (the Zona Azul) is available for S/1.50 an hour (except on Sundays, when it's free) in the center from 7:00 to 20:00; a parking attendant will approach you with a parking ticket. Parking must be paid in advance, so inform the attendant how long your vehicle will be parked for.

See

Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo. In the Municipal Palace at Plaza Regocijo, this museum has exhibitions of contemporary art. Admission with the boleto turistico

Museo Histórico Regional. In the home of the Inca historian Garcilaso de la Vega, this 2-story museum has many paintings from the 17th and 18th century as well as historical displays chronicling the pre-Hispanic Inca civilization, the invasion of the Spanish and the role of Christianity in the post-conquest era. A tour is unlikely to take much more than an hour.

Machu Picchu Museum. The largest collection of Machu Picchu artifacts in the world. These artifacts were collected by Yale University researcher Hiram Bingham beginning in 1912 and returned to Peru in 2011. The museum is housed in a late 18th-century house called Casa Concha.

Museo del Centro de Textiles Tradicionales de Cusco. A beautiful (and free) museum inside El Centro's textile store, featuring a gallery containing displays of traditional Quechuan and Andean textiles. The museum explains the historical significance of textiles and the techniques by which they are made. A must-see, and visitors can buy the traditional textiles as they come in. A large majority of the money goes to the women who produce them, and the textiles are of much higher quality than the synthetic and machine-woven textiles found throughout the city.

Museo del Sitio del Qoricancha. With information about the different pre-Columbian cultures and fragments of ceramics and textiles of the Inca culture. A very small museum, the showcase room includes three mummies and skulls modified by the Incas with holes or sloped foreheads. Allow an hour to an hour and a half. English explanations are present but lacking.

Museo de Arte Popular. Displays a collection of popular art featuring handcrafts of the modern era.

Galleries; the stunning sceneries of the Cuzco area are often very well depicted by local artists. It is possible to find cheap prints that are of surprisingly good quality if you're prepared to shop around.

Santa Catalina Convent. Also a collection of religious art. Admission with the boleto turistico.

Qoricancha. The central site of worship for the Incas. Like so many other testimonies of fantastic Inca architecture, it was severely devastated by the conquistadores, the Spanish conquerors, who built their Christian church, Santo Domingo, on top of the ruins. Yet most of the bottom part of the temple is fairly well preserved and makes the site worth several hours of your time. The site is one of the best in Cuzco, containing both Catholic and Inca heritage with stunning views of the surrounding area. Looking at the outside from Avenida del Sol, you get a perfect view of the church standing on the temple and you see the differences of the Inca and the Spanish way of building. Qoricancha also is the starting point of the yearly processions at Inti Raymi, the Sun Festival, in the remembrance of the Inca tradition of celebrating the winter solstice. This procession then moves all the way up to Saxayhuamán. In order to understand, especially the remarkable remains in the Inca section, a guided tour is advisable.

ChocoMuseo. A shop ("museum") explaining the history of cacao (free) and offering chocolate workshops (not free) as well as cacao farm tours (not free). Different recipes from around the world are available all made with chocolate from the factory inside the cacao and chocolate museum. Great artisanal and organically sourced hot chocolate.

Museo Inka. Extensive museum of pre-Inca, Inca, and colonial artifacts. Labels in English and Spanish, though the descriptions in English are sometimes pretty different from the ones in Spanish.

The stone walls of the city are Inca, particularly near the Plaza de Armas. Unlike the colonial walls, they typically have stones with very straight lines and no mortar.

Piedra de los doce ángulos. A large stone in one wall has 12 sides and 12 angles. This one has become almost a symbol of Cusco and is a striking example of the precision of Inca architecture and stonework.

Monumento Pachacuteq. Down Av. Sol, is a statue of the Inca warrior King Pachacuteq. The statue is placed on a cylindrical base and the total monument is over 22 m high. The cylindrical base can be climbed, but views are disappointing because the monument is in a lower part of town.

Cusco Cathedral. Elaborate large cathedral full of colonial-era religious paintings. The biggest church in Cuzco, in front of Plaza de Armas. As a tourist the entrance is S/25. If you go in a "misa" (mass) between 06:30–09:00, it is free. No photography allowed.

Palacio Inka del Kusikancha. The ruins of an Inca palace, the home of 15th-century Inca emperor Pachakuti Inka Yupanki, which you can walk around in. The Inca and colonial stonework and architecture is interesting.

Do

Plaza de Armas. The park square has churches, shops, restaurants and bars surrounding it, and is a great place to spend an afternoon. The historical center of Cuzco is beautiful, but you will have to deal with all the street vendors and hawkers of cheap paintings and other souvenirs. They are everywhere in and around the Plaza de Armas. They somewhat spoil the experience.

Get a massage. You will invariably be propositioned by young ladies handing out flyers advertising massages, especially near the Plaza de Armas.

Plaza de San Francisco,. A great place to visit one of Cuzco's many great coffee shops. Next to the Plaza is the main market, which is fairly traditional and is a worthwhile visit. The market has a mix of stalls selling food and other household items as well as clothing and souvenirs.

Play Sapo, a traditional bar game played in chicharias all over Peru. The game involves throwing small coins, called fichas, at a table with a bronze sapo (toad) attached. You get points for making it into holes on the table, and a ton of points for making it into the sapo's mouth. Best played while drinking chicha (corn beer) at a local dive. Ask old men to show you the correct throwing form, as it's difficult to master. Talk to local store owners, curators, waitresses and bartenders. They typically know a little English if your Spanish is not good, and are generally happy to share interesting information about the city not found in guidebooks. This is also a great way to find the best places to try cuy, alpaca, and chicha. Once you are accustomed to the altitude, go for a jog! This is a very humbling experience, as the hills and thin air prove a challenge to even those in great shape. It's also a good way to explore. Head east or south of the plaza for the safest places. If you're a woman out exercising, you may get a few cat calls, as this is common in much of Latin America.

Salseros Cusco. Take a Salsa class, or three. With enthusiastic teachers and a number of styles taught, this is the perfect time to polish your moves and get ready to shine on the dance floor. Ask for Franshesco Efernetti if you want private classes.

Plan trekking or other excursions in the area. The wealth of agencies and tour companies make Cuzco a good place to gather information and compare prices. Ladies in traditional clothing carrying baby alpacas will come up to you and ask if you want a photo. They will charge you S/5 for this. They might charge double if you take a picture with more than one lady. Beware, some of the supposed baby alpacas are actually baby goats or sheep.

Planetario Cuzco. Information about Inka astronomy, projection and explanation of the southern sky in the dome, observing stars, planets and other objects with telescopes.

Most day trips from Cuzco follow the following format: between 07:00 and 09:00, you are picked up from your hotel or you meet with your group in a public plaza very near to Plaza de Armas, or at the front door of the agency with which you booked the tour, which is also very likely to be near Plaza de Armas. Then you drive for 1–2 hours to your destination. The day ends back where it started, at 15:00-16:00. In practice this means that you can do only one day trip per day and that it will most likely occur during the beginning part of the day. An exception to this is the day tour of Cuzco which starts later, around 13:00. For all these trips, ask in your hotel if you want them to call travel agencies.

Archaeological day trips Day Trip City Tour or the Four Archaeological Ruins Tour bus around S/25 (Sacsayhuamán, Qenko, Pukapukara and Tambomachay) from 13:00 to 19:00. Look for the bus that says "Huerto".

Sacsayhuamán. The closest and largest of these ruins is the amazing Sacsayhuamán (sometimes called Saqsaywaman and pronounced "Sock-say-wah-mun"), the ruins of an Inca fortress high above Cuzco. It is a steep climb from the Plaza de Armas up Plateros street which changes to Saphi. Look for the long staircase on the right, follow the paved curvy road up to the next cobblestone pedestrian path and follow this climb past the first closed control point to the second control. No need to take a cab if you can handle it. But, be careful, as robberies have been reported in mornings and evenings. There is a charge to explore the ruins at the second control or present your boleto turistico. Those on a budget can get a sense of the ruins without paying by walking up the hill and up to the entrance. You can then walk to the adjacent hill with the big Jesus on it and look down on the city. The sheer size of the stones that were moved and the importance of the battle there make it worth entrance fee. Even though only 20% of the fortress remains, the ruins are huge—budget at least two hours for exploring them. They include a dark tunnel you can walk through and a sloped rock that kids love to use as a slide. Read up on the battle beforehand as the guides don't discuss it. Also, a view of the circular base of the former tower as shown in many of the photos is not possible due to the protective ropes. Go earlier in the morning as later visits are disrupted a bit by whistles from guards telling unobservant tourists to get off the ruins. Or go even more early (before 07:00) and get in for free (2013).

Qenko. The second site up the road from Sacsayhuamán. Take the combi shared buses up the hill for S/1 or take a walk of about 0.5–1 km up a gradual incline to visit the site. Its name means "Zig-Zag" in Quechua, and probably refers to the Zig-Zag channels carved into a rock. Explore the pass through cave and view the altar on which llamas were sacrificed. The large erect stone shown on the boleto turistico is a solar calendar. On each side of the stone is a square wall two stones high. Each stone is representative of a number of days, the total is the total days in the year. Opposite the stone are the familiar windows in which mummies and human remains were discovered. Adjacent to the site is the smaller archeological site Q'enqo Chico. Accessible with the boleto turistico.

Pukapukara. Named after the red hue of the hillsides nearby. The third site along the route, even heartier walkers will find the walk a bit long and a bit steep despite the paved and well traveled road. However, the views along the walk are great and small mud brick bars are intermittent between the sites. Hire a taxi or take a combi shared bus up from Qenko for S/1 to save time and energy. A larger site than Q'enqo, the guides have more to say about this site. It was likely a checkpoint or military control. Offerings of coca leaves among other things were received here. Accessible with the boleto turistico.

Tambomachay. The most distant ruin on the route from Cuzco. It is a small site with an ornamental fountain whose source is unknown as reportedly archaeologists lack the tools necessary to determine the source without damaging the site. Likely it is an underground spring. In several Incan sites such as Ollentaytambo water sources were covered or underground to protect the water supply from poisoning. Accessible with the boleto turistico. Bathrooms are free with the boleto. Take a combi all the way back to Plaza de las Armas in Cuzco for 1 sole.

Guides and tours to all four sites in one day, If interested, pay/negotiate for a guide at the second control at Sacsayhuamán to tour you through all four sites. Ask the guard at the ticket control which guides have been through the government training. Expect between S/60-80 depending upon the season which is S/15-20 per site. Allow 4-5 hr for the trip when taking the combis (shared buses). Pack a snack although water is available along the way. Bathrooms (clean and well maintained) are only available at the final site Tambomachay. A boleto turisitico is recommended as control points exist at three of the four sites and are carefully monitored.

If you don't want to hire a guide, then you could take a taxi or combi to Tambomachay/Pukapukara and walk back down the hill to the remaining sites. This is much kinder on the legs! If you go to the first two sites in the morning, there is a backpacker's cafe about 250 m down the road on the right that does tasty and inexpensive sandwiches and very good fruit juice. The walk down to Q'enqo and Sacsayhuamán has nice views.

Day Trip Sacred Valley (Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero) tour bus around S/35 from 08:00 to 19:00. Ollantaytambo is the most impressive ruins (after Machu Picchu, of course), it's a must see. There is lots of touristy stuff to buy, you can bargain, but the prices won't go down much.

Day Trip Chinchero, Moray and the Salineras de Maras tour bus around S/35 (plus S/10 the entrance of Salinas) from 08:00 to 15:00. Moray was the agricultural laboratory of the Incas. Several concentric circles up to 150 m deep caused temperature changes of between 2-4°C. Seeds were developed here and spread throughout the empire. 67.5 km (42 mi) from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico. On the same trip you should visit the Salineras de Maras, terraced salt ponds and also Chinchero. The Chinchero market is on Sundays and finishes early in the afternoon. Take the Cuzco-Chinchero-Urubamba bus from Av. Grau 525. Get off at Chinchero first to catch the market then head on to Moray and the Salineras afterwards.

Day Trip Valle Sur (Tipon and Pikillacta) tour bus around S/35 (plus S/10 the entrance of Salinas) from 08:00 to 15:00. It makes sense to see Pikillacta and Tipon on the same day as they're on the same bus route. Pikillacta is a little further from Cuzco than Tipon. Tipon has nice terraces, water channels and long staircases which are believed to be a part of the Incan royal estate. Here sits the largest irrigation system built by the incas (much of it still functioning) as well as an Incan cemetery. 22.5 km (14 mi) from Cuzco. Both sites accessible with the boleto turistico. Bus Av. De La Cultura 1320, Cuzco to Urcos (Tipon-Pikillacta-Andahuaylilas).

Cuzco and its vicinity have many other smaller and less popular but still interesting Inca ruins, ranging from reasonably well-known to very obscure and difficult to find .

Day Trip Waqrapukara An Inca fortress and temple complex, 3-4 hours away from Cusco depending on trailhead choice

Cochahuasi Animal Sanctuary. A one-of-a-kind rehabilitation center started by a family of biologists, which provides shelter to animals injured or victimized by poaching. It's a happy place where animals get better and those able are re-released. In 2012, there were three condors, llamas, alpacas, vicunas, macaws, pumas, an unusual furless Peruvian dog, local deer, all very friendly. This is the best place to see pumas, condors and vicunas up close. This is on the road from Cuzco to Pisaq. You can get there by motorcycle or there is usually person working for this refugee at corner of Plaza de Armas and Calle del Medio, which will organize transport for you in refugee's van for S/20 per person. Donations help with rehabilitation efforts. This place is ahead of its time, and very friendly and awesome.

Whitewater rafting, but not in the Sacred Valley of the Incas where the water is very polluted and the rapids are relatively tame. Instead head upstream to the Chuqicahuana or Cusipata sections of the Rio Urubamba/Vilcanota where the water is much cleaner and the rapids are excellent fun up to class 5 depending on what time of year you are traveling. Inflatable canoeing. On the Piñi Pampa section of the Rio Urubamba you can paddle your own canoe, fun but not frantic class 1 and 2 rapids. Rio Apurimac-rafting, If you have more time, try to raft the 3 or 4 day Rio Apurimac - the true source of the Amazon and one of the top ten rafting rivers in the world. Class 3 - 5 all in the most amazing 3,000-m deep canyon. Rent a motorcycle. There are several shops on Calle Plateros, just north of Plaza de Armas, that rent motorcycles for the day. You do not even need a motorcycle license, simply any kind of driving license from your home country. Sacred Valley Moto Tours, at Calle Plateros #399 (corner of Siete Cuartones), has new bikes in good condition. Where to go? A loop of the Sacred Valley, taking in the market at Pisac, lunch in Urubamba, and several Incan sites, can easily be done in one afternoon. The drive from Cuzco to Pisaq is a string of gorgeous switchbacks - and a great way to see the four Inca sites above Cuzco, the aminal sanctuary, and Pisaq on the same day on your own schedule. Or head south to some of the less-visited but just as pretty small towns and Inca ruins. Downhill Mountain Bike Tours are available either across the Chincheros plains, past Inca ruins and down through the spectacular Maras Salineras or the 75 km downhill from Abra Malaga to Santa Maria and onto the totally awesome hot springs of Santa Teresa (and easy and cheap access to Machu Picchu from here too). Again go with the experts as there are a lot of cheap bikes out there totally not up to the job. Go paragliding over the Sacred Valley. The scenery is gorgeous.

Rainbow Mountain. A challenging early-morning, high-altitude hike to a beautiful multicolored mountain. Tours usually start around 04:00 with a breakfast break near or in Cusipata at around 07:00. Now there's a new path leading to the mountain from the west, the former 3-hour hike (from the east) is more a 90-minute walk now. Horses can be hired for a fee, children with llamas or sheep offer to pose for a photo (free/included in the entrance fee, but a small tip is appreciated). Highest point: Montana Winikunka, 5036 m.

Work

Cusco has many opportunities for you to do unpaid work in contact with local people. Be aware that the helpfulness of voluntourism to communities is questionable anywhere you go in the world, and that some of the listings below may have been written by the organizations themselves as advertisements for their own programs. ProPeru, A great program for students and part of the NGO ProWorld Service Corps. They do sustainable community development work such as building kindergartens, irrigation systems, and fish farms in rural communities in the Sacred Valley. They offer semester programs, internship programs, and short-term group programs, all ranging from a few weeks to a few months. Programs include living with a host family, sightseeing, Spanish classes and other coursework. Sacred Valley communities, For the adventurous, communities in the Sacred Valley often welcome volunteers to teach English or provide other skills to community members. Bruce Peru. In the city, there are many opportunities to work with street children. The most notable is called Bruce Peru. There are also opportunities to volunteer at one of the cities' orphanages. Peru's Challenge: Volunteering at this NGO has provided communities surrounding Cuzco a better quality of life since 2003. More than 800 international volunteers of all ages and walks of life have taught English, sport, dance, art, health and hygiene classes while building schools and infrastructure. Volunteers play a huge part in increasing the wellbeing of rural communities through health and social work campaigns, creation of small businesses and sustainable development. The program includes accommodation, Spanish classes, lots of tours such as a trek to world famous Machu Picchu, trips to the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, Amazon Jungle and other Peruvian cultural experiences.

Buy

Mercado San Pedro. The largest market close to the center. Though it's becoming more tourist-oriented it still has plenty of genuine local colour, a nice change from Plaza de Armas. If you're looking for a full blown market with a special aisle for entrails, this is the place to be. Colorful, vibrant, packed, San Pedro Market is not to be missed. You can find all manner of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, chocolates, honey, meats, household items, clothing, gifts, fresh fruit juices, and even tailors to repair your clothes while you wait. This market is in a less (but still somewhat) touristy area. The market itself is somewhat poorly lit (shaded by an overhang). Watch your belongings.

Casa Ecologica. Good for fair-trade textiles.

T'Ankar Gallery. Good for well-made but pricey indigenous weavings and pottery. No obvious fakes or tourist junk.

Mercado de San Blas. A lovely place to enjoy a delicious breakfast before starting a journey. Handcrafts available as well as fruits, vegetables and grocery items.

Artisan Market. If you don't want to go so far away, but still want touristy stuff, go to the big red building near the fountain. Also try the main market by Plaza San Francisco. This market is almost exclusively tourist-oriented goods. There are a few restaurants inside as well.

Pisac, a town outside Cuzco, has a very big market. It is about 30 minutes from Cuzco by bus. The bus station is on Tullumayo street a couple blocks from Limacpampas. Sacred Valley, (Valle Sagrado), includes the towns/ruins of Chinchero, Ollantaytambo and Pisac. There is lots of touristy stuff to buy, you can bargain, but the prices won´t go down much.

Centro Comercial El Molino, Urbanizacion Ttio. In this market you can buy pirated merchandise including DVDs and CDs. A good quality copy DVD is S/3. Be aware that DVDs here may be region-encoded for region 4. These will not play on many DVD players purchased in the U.S. or Canada. Look for DVDs encoded for region 0, or you can see about modifying your DVD player to accept all DVDs.

The indigenous women at El Centro Bartolome de Las Casas have a store in which they sell homemade handicrafts and weavings. You can often watch them work, though they often don't speak Spanish, and rarely speak a word of English. It's a few blocks from the plaza on Avenida Tullumayu.

The further away you get from the main square, the cheaper things become. In the San-Pedro market where a glass of combination juices starts at S/3, and they give you a couple of refills. Don't go too far from the main square at night though, it can be dangerous.

Alpaca sweaters are not like they used to be. The only good ones are in upmarket shops. Make sure you come to Cuzco with room in your suitcase, you will need it.

In Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, prices can be double what they are in Cuzco.

Eat

The Cuzco area has some extremely good international food with tasty options for all budgets. Excellent at the end of the Av. La Cultura. Be sure to try an alpaca steak (don't forget a llama/alpaca is normally kept and used for its wool - so only old animals will be slaughtered). You can get alpaca pizza as well.

Most of the mercados listed in the "Buy" section have vendors selling prepared food. Usually this is authentic regional cuisine such as traditional Inca foods. The food is often among the lease expensive places to eat in the city.

The soups are amazing. Try sopa de zapallo, a type of pumpkin soup.

If you are looking for traditional Peruvian food try lomo saltado (beef tips stir-fried with tomatoes, onions, and spices, over a bed of French fries and rice), aji de gallina (chicken in a very good yellow pepper sauce with olives and hard-boiled eggs), or papa rellena (stuffed potato with beef, olives, hard-boiled egg, vegetables, and spices).

Cuy (guinea pig) is the absolute traditional holiday food of the region. You can buy a whole cooked cuy in many of the restaurants around Plaza de Armas. There are also dedicated 'cuyerias' that serve much cheaper cuy.

Chifa is the Peruvian version of Chinese food. The neighborhood of Wanchaq has many Chifa restaurants.

As far as drinks, try Inca Kola, a bubble gum/tutti-frutti-flavored yellow soda. This drink outsells Coca-Cola in Peru (which is why it was bought out by Coca-Cola in 1999). Also, chicha morada is a Peruvian specialty. It's a spiced non-alcoholic drink made out of purple corn.

When leaving Cuzco, there is a place called Boing Appetit (in front of the airport, just if you want to have breakfast or a sandwich before take the plane to Lima) it's the only place that provides a free internet connection in front of the airport.

Los Angeles. For late night food after clubbing, a very good fast food-type restaurant.

Chifa Status. Good quality Chifa. Dishes for S/2-3. Ample portions invite sharing. Credit cards accepted.

El Encuentro. Reasonably priced vegetarian restaurant with good portions. The S/10 dinner includes soup, main course and mate. Free salads with lunch. They also do soy meat very well. There are two of these restaurants but the one in Calle Tigre near Plaza de Armas is S/8 for exactly the same menu.

El Fogon. Nothing fancy but great cheap food: for S/10 you get a meal deal that includes a plate from the salad bar, a selection of soup, a selection of main dish, a dessert and a beverage. Or splurge with their more expensive menu offer for S/20. Very tasty Peruvian food. Friendly staff.

Victor Victoria. Friendly service. Great salad bar buffet included in all main dishes. Gorgeous garlic trout with rice or potatoes for S/10 (including the salad bar buffet and lovely fresh bread) but only for lunch. Great value breakfasts. Regular glasses of freshly squeezed juice for S/6. Also they have a proper espresso machine for good coffee in the morning.

Chia Vegan Kitchen. Arguably the best vegan place in Cusco, and very good value for money. Looks good, smells good, tastes good, and the staff is super friendly. Lunchtime offer includes drink and salad buffet for S/15. À la carte dishes are more expensive, but worth it. If you're up for a hot drink and/or something sweet, try the enormous hot chocolate for the (very enjoyable) sugar shock of the day.

Bagdad Cafe. This small restaurant seems to produce everything themselves. Local food is extremely good, in the evening small performance groups enter the restaurant and give excellent performances. The prices are mid-range, but it is sure worth it. The daily menu lunch special is more like a snack.

Jack's Cafe. This is a great place to get a big breakfast complete with eggs, bacon, avocado, toast and fantastic thick shakes. Very popular with tourists. Try the homemade lemonades. Right outside of Jack's is an empanada stand which has great rocoto salsa, a spicy salsa that goes well on the cheese or meat-stuffed pastries.

Cicciolinia. This is a very tasty place to go for breakfast. Another location, Cicciolinia Café, is on Ruinas, which is open from 7:00 AM and good for brunch.

Emperador. They have a 13-page menu with all sorts of foods from around the world. Try the pisco sour tall.

Encantasq'a. A nice place to have a break with coffee and a snack. Especially the chocolate cupcakes are delicious and make up for half a lunch. They also have fresh cakes, quiches and juices.

Green Point. Vegan restaurant popular with tourists, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Various international dishes, and some Peruvian food. Gluten-free and raw options. Menu in English and Spanish. Wifi available.

Inka Grill. Well-known and frequented by tourists but not a trap. Excellent food. Good place to try cuy (guinea pig); some people have reported mud butt after eating it, it is tastily done and served without the head so eating doesn't remind you of your pet hamster. Try the appetizer tiradito de trucha. Alpaca also on the menu.

Restaurant Inkazuela. This place specializes in stews. Food is delicious and friendly waitresses will take good care of you. Well chosen music and a fireplace create a romantic atmosphere.

Tunupa. They offer some of the best guinea pig or alpaca dishes from the local Novo Andino cuisine as well as other local specialties, including cuy; it's served here without the head (but with the feet).

Morena Peruvian Kitchen. Peruvian classics in an upscale setting on the Plaza de Armas. Reservations highly recommended months in advance during the high season. Walk-in wait times can be >2 hours during peak meal times.

There are several supermarkets close to el centro:

Gato's Market. Small and a bit pricey.

Mega, has several locations: the most central is on Matara, just north of Ayacucho. A larger one is at Plaza Tupac Amaru, on Matará 271 at Av Garcilaso. They have a home-furnishings store next door as well.

For larger supermarkets, take a combi or taxi a couple of kilometres south on Av. La Cultura.

Mega. This is the largest supermarket in Cuzco.

Drink

There are many clubs and pubs in Cuzco, and there are always people handing out flyers around the Plaza de Armas. These usually include free drinks. The clubs are almost always busy, even during the week, do not usually have cover charges, and most are open until 03:00 at the earliest and 17:00 at the latest. The hot spots change nightly; ask around and you will quickly find the crowds of travellers.

Mama Africa. On three levels. Snacks, a cafe on the rooftop, restaurant with a good cheap menu, two discos, the latest movies on DVD. Some of the decorations and paintings are by the owner/artist. Lots of people, good music, good atmosphere and free salsa lessons. Salsa starts at about 21:00 and goes until about 23:00. If you really want to learn some moves, dance with Carlos, Miguel, or Checo, who work there. It also plays host to the legendary 'crew' lively lot of Lima ladies whose exploits with gringo males have reached mythical levels. On the corner of Plaza de Armas.

El Muki. A place with more locals than the Plaza de Armas. It has a unique cave-like interior and is one of the city's oldest discos.

Caos. If you want to get away from the tourist crowd for a while and dance the night away with the locals, head to this very nice large club with a great mix of music and exotic drinks.

Paddy's Irish Pub. The night-brother of Jack's Cafe. Purportedly the highest 'Irish-owned' pub in the world at 3,400 m, it offers a good selection of pub food (think cottage pie, casseroles, mash and gravy), local and international drinks (even had cider and Guinness), and a useful "No Gracias" T-shirt for sale.

Mythology. Disco that offers salsa. If you want to learn Rueda Cubana, this is the place to go. Classes usually start around 21:00 and private lessons can be arranged with Cesar, the dance instructor. Mythology also offers a unique decor of gods and goddesses and has the cleanest restrooms of all of the nightclubs, by far.

Ukuku's. Live music with local and traveling artists playing a variety of different music styles including salsa, meringue, criolla, and Afro-Peruvian. There are great decorative masks in the walls and a huge wooden woman statue with butterfly wings.

Los Perros. Chill restaurant/lounge. Ethnic food and comfortable couches. Has a variety of their own locally brewed house beers.

Le Nomade. 2nd floor, cnr of Choquechaca and Cuesta San Blas 207. Coffee bar/lounge with live music every night. Reggae, Latin, cubano, afro-Jazz, blues, bossa, funk, soul, rock and española. No cover. Friendly staff.

The Lost City Roasters. Small basement bar one block from the plaza de Armas. Very friendly place to watch American football or basketball and chat to the regulars and owners. Great pizzas and paninis, cheap happy hour cocktails and beers. A real bar for locals, expats and Cusqueños.

Organika Bakery y Cafe. Modern, bright coffee shop serving hot and cold coffees brewed via chemex, french press, or Japanese sifon. Offers coffee drinks with alcohol. Sandwiches made with homemade breads.

Three Monkeys. A coffee lover's coffee shop where you can specify the kind of bean you want for your coffee, roast level, and method of extraction (from basic drip to french press or cold brew). Uninviting barebones interior, but good coffee anyway.

Sleep

Loads and loads of options in Cuzco to suit all budgets. Most won't need to be booked beforehand. San Blas, many new hospedajes/hostales have opened in this area 4 blocks up the hill from the Plaza de Armas.

Hospedaje Amanecer. A quiet place, private bathrooms, TV, wi-fi, hot shower.

Hostal El Arcano. A great little hostal overlooking the city with a variety of comfortable, affordable rooms.

Pisko and Soul. Really nice for a hostel. Very friendly staff. Hot water, continental breakfast, free wifi. It's a new establishment so some books may not have it listed especially if the print is a few years old.

Hospedaje El Artesano de San Blas. Well-kept place with good-value rooms around a colonial courtyard, hot water, common kitchen, helpful staff, wifi.

Taita Home. Dormitory beds in a freaky, chilled out and friendly atmosphere with a sunny garden, fireplace, outdoor kitchen and gas hot water.

Hostels Cusco Samanapata. Hostel in San Blas area of Cuzco, about 3 blocks from Plaza de Armas. Free wifi, 2 free computers, free breakfast, all rooms have cable TV. Very friendly staff, rooms cleaned daily. Much cheaper than similar places.

La Casa de mi Abuelo. A guesthouse near the Plaza de San Francisco run by a kind local lady that offers extremely clean and comfortable rooms, ensuite bathrooms, cable TV, and excellent breakfasts. 7-minute walk to Plaza de Armas

Pirwa Hostel Colonial Cusco. 24-hr hot showers, movies, in-house bar, pool (game) table, attentive staff, free breakfast, free internet, pick up service, and comfortable beds.

Pirwa Bed&Breakfast Posada del Corregidor Cusco. Movies, safe and relaxed environment, traditional meals, good view of the main plaza.

Hogar Clinica San Juan de Dios. Private and double rooms and windows that look onto the mountain range. Good service and daily egg breakfast. Non-profit hostel supporting the children's hospital next door.

Pariwana Hostel Cusco. Two blocks from the Plaza, hot showers, common areas are decorated with local designs, safe, clean.

Flying Dog Hostel. Great hostel with a wide range of rooms. Free wifi (in lobby, not room), breakfast, lockers, and coffee and tea all day. Check out their bar, and ask them to arrange tours for you. Friendly staff.

Hospedaje Estrellita. Shared double rooms surround a large concrete courtyard. There is a kitchen with a sociable commonroom with cableTV. It's popular with gringos.

Loki Cusco. 180 beds, noisy party hostel in a 450-year-old Peruvian national monument. Wifi, tea and coffee are included. Hot water with pressure in generally shared showers. 13:00 checkout and small lockers in reception that have plug sockets in them.

Saqray Hostel. Has very beautiful rooms with private or shared bathroom and two small dorms. The place has a nice patio with a fireplace, it's completely clean and there is another sitting room with TV and cable and a computer with free internet on which to burn your own CDs or DVDs. Free wifi, laundry service, breakfast available. 2 blocks from the main square, close to the centre of 'fiesta'. Pressurized hot water available around the clock.

Casona Rimacpampa. Close to the plaza. Amazingly hot showers, with good water pressure. TV, food available.

Welcome Cusco Hostal. Free internet and wifi throughout, hot showers, towels available, and warm bed available. Use of kitchen. Only 6 blocks from the main square.

Hospedaje Corona Real. Quiet and cheap option about 15-min walk from the city center.

Cusco Central Hostel. Old world nostalgia with breakfast. No internet.

Hostal Mirador De San Blas. Breakfast, cable TV, wifi, friendly staff. Large rooms some with desks and refrigerator. Posted prices are high, but they can be talked down to S/45 per night.

Mirador del Inka. Very big but nice place in a historic building with great view over the city. Free wifi, breakfast optional. Rooms on the upper floors are much better than the lower floors!

The Grasshopper Hostel. A relaxed backpacker hostel with dorms, private rooms and a super friendly staff.

VIP House Garden Hostel. One of the cheaper hostels in the city, but surprisingly nice. Wifi, free breakfast, inexpensive dinners available some days, bonfires in the evening, and a view of the city from the upstairs kitchen/dining room. (The affiliated VIP House Hostel is around the corner.)

Amaru Hostal I. Quiet and cheap option about 3 blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Rooms are decent sized and have private or shared bath facilities and TV.

Amaru Colonial Hotel. Quiet and cheap option about 2-3 blocks from the Plaza de Armas.

El Balcón Cusco Hotel. Awesome interior design, delicious breakfast and moderate prices. From Plaza de Armas, follow Plateros a block and a half or so. The hotel is in a lane up the hill. About half a block up, look for the door on the right. The sign is above the door, so you may not see it unless you walk on the opposite side of the lane.

Hostal Frankenstein. Clean, friendly and helpful German chef, a lazy iguana, creative interior, cosy atmosphere.

Orquidea del Cusco. The colonial building has original Inca walls and exposed wood beams, and the rustic accommodations are simply decorated in a cozy mountain lodge aesthetic. All rooms are oriented toward Cuzco below, offering panoramic views.

Ninos Hotel Meloc. Hotel with charitable purposes: all procedures from room booking and in-house restaurant go towards running an association that gives support to local unprivileged children.

Gran Hostal Machu Picchu. Comfortable rooms set around a courtyard filled with lush plants.

Hostal Rumi Punku. Rumi Punku means "stone door" in Quechua: the entrance to the hotel leads through an ancient stone door, obviously of Inca design. The doorway is all that has survived of an Inca palace. The door is considered a historic item by the city of Cuzco.

Casa San Blas Boutique Inn. In the historic artisan's quarter 2½ blocks from the main square in a neighborhood of narrow, cobbled streets and whitewashed colonial-era houses. Friendly staff.

Koyllur Hostal. Richly decorated and a nice place to splash out for a few nights. Big buffet breakfasts. Ask for room at top floor in the front - has skylights, lots of room, nice furnishings. Cable TV, wifi.

La Posada del Viajero. Free Wi-Fi, 2 blocks from Plaza de Armas, breakfast, hot water, kitchen.

Hotel Golden Inca. Very quiet, beautiful rooms, clean and cozy.

Tierra Viva Cusco Centro. Upscale hotel with spacious, clean, well-appointed rooms with quality linens, good smelling soaps, bottled water. On-site restaurant serves a hearty buffet breakfast.

Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi. Many of the rooms on the second floor have high ceilings with white-painted wood beams visibly charming. The hotel is organized around two interior courtyards. Breakfast is included. The staff are attentive, speak great English, and can help you make reservations. The most interesting aspect of Tierra Viva Saphi is the location it is at the boundary between fancy Plaza de Armas and the poor hills around Cuzco it's charming, but also somewhat out of place. Room 212 is excellent. 2nd floor rooms are preferable. 24 hour desk so it's easy to check out for those early Inca Trail departures. Free coca tea in the lobby a great way to warm up at night.

Palacio del Inka. The hotel was part of the Koricancha temple and during colonial times it became property of the conqueror Francisco Pizarro. Impressive interior with many paintings from the 17th century. Very good spread for breakfast. The hotel offers a daily, free, tour about the hotel and its history in the evenings.

Amerinka Boutique Hotel. Modern hotel that combines warm room atmospheres with professional and experienced attention. Near Plaza de Armas.

Hotel Monasterio. Housed in a former monastery, rooms are former monks' cells, but they are far from monastic. By far the most expensive place to stay in Cuzco. Avoid rooms 414-419, which are near a noisy generator.

Hotel Marqueses. The official hotel of SAS travel. Good staff and comfortable rooms. In the tourist district, 2 blocks from the Plaza des Armas.