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 UNESCO World Heritage Site 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.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
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 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. There are several smaller bus terminals in Cuzco that travel to other destinations around the Sacred Valley of the Incas. 5 Av. Grau 525. Cuzco—Chinchero - Urubamba 6 Calle Puputi 208. Cuzco—Pisac - Yucay - Urubamba 7 Av. Tullumayo 207. Cuzco—Pisac - Calca 8 Av. De La Cultura 1320. Cuzco—Urcos (Tipon - Piquillacta - Andahuaylilas) If you are staying in Cuzco for a long time, the combis are a cheap and reliable form of transportation.
1 Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo. M-Sa 09:00–18:00. In the Municipal Palace at Plaza Regocijo, this museum has exhibitions of contemporary art. Admission with the boleto turistico Included in boleto turistico. (updated Feb 2025) 2 Museo Histórico Regional, Calle Garcilaso, ☏ +51 84 582830. Daily 08:00–17:00. 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. Included in boleto turistico.
1 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. (updated Nov 2020) Get a massage. You will invariably be propositioned by young ladies handing out flyers advertising massages, especially near the Plaza de Armas. These are legit, only cost S/15–20 for an hour, but are not done by trained masseuses.
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.
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. 1 Mama Africa, Portal de Panes 109, ☏ +51 84 246544. Daily 19:00 - 05:00. 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.
Law enforcement related to drugs is very severe in Peru - that is, years in prison and no pleasure. Consider that many "long resident tourists" are part of the scene. It is already a felony that you "consider to maybe accept" an offer to buy. Although Cuzco is, in general, relatively safe, as in any urban area, muggings and petty thefts do occur. Use common sense and you should be fine. Don't wander alone away from the Plaza de Armas late at night. Don't flaunt your valuables around. Be conscious of what is going on around you. As Peru's main tourist attraction, Cuzco is a magnet for thieves and scammers. Pickpocketing (especially by children) is a major problem.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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