By air
Cusco (CUZ), ~5 km
South America · Peru
Cusco, Peru
The Inca capital of stone walls and colonial plazas
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — dry and sunny
Don't miss
Qorikancha
Sacsayhuamán
The Cathedral
The Twelve-Angled Stone
Things to do
Walking the Plaza de Armas
Sacsayhuamán
The San Pedro market
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Layers for cold nights, sun protection; take the altitude slowly
A quieter corner
San Blas, the artisans' quarter on the hill
Questions travellers ask
When should I go to Cusco?
May to September, when it's dry and sunny. Cusco (CUZ) airport is about 5 km away.
How should I handle the altitude in Cusco?
Take the altitude slowly. Pack layers for the cold nights and sun protection.
What should I see in Cusco?
Walk the Plaza de Armas, then visit Qorikancha, the Cathedral, the Twelve-Angled Stone and Sacsayhuamán. San Blas, the artisans' quarter on the hill, is worth a wander.
What should I eat in Cusco?
Lomo saltado, and a juice from the San Pedro market's juice stalls.
About Cusco
- Mountains
Where it is
Cusco is a city in the Andes of southern Peru, capital of the Cusco region, in the Huatanay valley at about 3,400 m, and the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
History
Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire, rebuilt in stone in the 15th century under Pachacuti, and many believe it was planned in the shape of a puma. Francisco Pizarro arrived in 1533, and the Spanish built churches and mansions on Inca foundations, such as the convent of Santo Domingo over the Qorikancha temple; the city became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
People
Cusqueños speak Spanish and Quechua, the language of the Incas, which is widely spoken in the city and the surrounding villages. Festivals such as Inti Raymi, the Inca festival of the sun each June, and Corpus Christi fill the plazas, and the San Blas quarter is known for its artisans.
Known for
- Qorikancha and the Santo Domingo convent
- The fortress of Sacsayhuamán
- Inca walls and the Twelve-Angled Stone
- The Inti Raymi festival in June
- The San Pedro market
Did you know?
In Cusco Cathedral, a colonial painting of the Last Supper shows Christ and the apostles about to eat roasted guinea pig, a traditional Andean dish.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.