Cusco Things To Do

Open to the public for mass several days a week, these massive sacred houses stand as beacons along the Plaza de Armas, boasting baroque façades, bell towers, and gilded alters.

Set in Plaza San Francisco, Baroque-style Merced dons a 17th-century monstrance, with over 600 pearls, 1,500-plus diamonds and more than 22 kilograms of solid gold. The latter church’s appeal stems from ceiling frescoes, skull and bone decorations and Spanish artworks.

Wander the city’s narrow, pedestrian-only streets near the Plaza to find remnants of original Inca stone walls, the oldest of which is on Calle Loreto. The fabled 12-angled stone – guarded by a man dressed in traditional Incan garb – is on Calle Hatunrumiyoc.

For the best example of intermingling Spanish colonial and Inca influences, note the finely wrought walls of the colonial Santo Domingo church, which rest upon the remains of the Korikancha, the Inca’s golden temple dedicated to sun god Inti.

The former home of 16th-century writer/poet Garcilaso de la Vega, son of a Spanish conquistador and Inca princess, this converted museum exhibits pre-Inca objects, pottery, Inca textiles, agricultural tools, music instruments, and other historical treasures.

Archaeological wonderland showcasing gold and silver handicrafts, jewelry, ceramics and other artifacts from both Inca and pre-Inca cultures. Best of all, it shares a patio with posh Map Café.

Take a short taxi ride or city day tour to these ancient stone ruins overlooking the Plaza de Armas and zigzagging high against a backdrop of rolling pastures. Keep walking (or continue your tour), and you’ll eventually hit the feet of the Cristo Blanco (White Christ) statue and the limestone outcrop of Quenko.

Just beyond Sacsayhuamán is the small red fortress of Puca Pucara, possibly a storage facility or guard post once connecting Cusco and the Sacred Valley; and Tambomachay, also known as Los Baños del Inca (Inca baths), assumed to be used for water ceremonies, worship, and rest between journeys. Both are included on Cusco city tours.