Best things to do in Cusco

Cusco's Absolute Essentials

Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, displays a fusion of pre-Columbian masonry and Spanish colonial architecture. This collection covers the city’s historical evolution, from the precision-cut Twelve-angled stone and Qoricancha Sun Temple to the Plateresque Cusco Cathedral. It includes the defensive ruins of Puka Pukara, the ceremonial water channels of Tambomachay, and the artisanal workshops of San Blas. The list also features the San Pedro Market for local commerce and the Museo Inka, which houses archaeological artifacts and mummies from the Incan period.

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Cusco Cathedral

The Cathedral of Cusco or Cathedral Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption is the main temple of the city of Cusco, in Peru and houses…

Martín Rodríguez Pontes / CC BY-SA 3.0

Qoricancha Site Museum

Coricancha, Curicancha, Koricancha, Qoricancha or Qorikancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, and was described by early…

Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

Plaza de Armas

The central square of Cusco’s historic district stands on the site of the Incan Huacaypata. Surrounded by colonial arcades, the Cusco Cathedral, and the Church of the Society of Jesus, it remains the primary venue for the city's religious and civic ceremonies.