Cusco and the Sacred Valley
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Cusco and the Sacred Valley - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sort by:
21 Recommendations
{{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }}
0 Recommendations
Loading...
-
1. La Catedral
Plaza de Armas | Religious Building/Site/ShrineDominating the Plaza de Armas, the monumental Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin (or Cusco Cathedral) is one of Cusco's grandest buildings. Built in 1550 on the site of the palace of the Inca Wiracocha and using stones looted from the nearby Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán, the cathedral is a perfect example of the imposition of the Catholic faith on the indigenous population. The grander the building, went the theory, the more impressive (and seductive) the faith. With soaring ceilings, baroque carvings, enormous oil paintings, and glittering gold-and-silver altars, the cathedral certainly seemed to achieve its aim.Today, Cusco's Catedral is one of the town's star attractions, noted mainly for its amazing collection of colonial art that mixes Christian and non-Christian imagery. Entering the Catedral from the Sagrada Familia chapel, head to your right to the first nave, where you'll find the famous oil painting (reputed to be the oldest in Cusco) depicting the earthquake that rocked the town in 1650. Among the depictions of burning houses and people fleeing, you'll see a procession in the plaza. Legend has it that during the earthquake, the citizens removed a statue of Jesus on the cross from the Catedral and paraded it around the plaza—halting the quake in its tracks. This statue, now known as the Señor de los Temblores, or Lord of the Earthquakes, is Cusco's patron, and you'll find him depicted in many Cusqueñan paintings.To see the famous statue, head across the Catedral to the other side, where in the nave and to the right of the passage connecting the Catedral to the adjoining Iglesia del Triumfo, you'll find El Señor himself. The dark color of his skin is often claimed to be a representation of the indigenous people of Cusco; actually, it's the effect of years of candle smoke on the native materials used in its fabrication.Those interested in the crossover between indigenous and Catholic iconography will find lots to look at. Figures of pumas, the Inca representation of the Earth, are carved on the enormous main doors, and in the adjoining Iglesia del Triumfo you'll see an Andean Christ in one of the altars flanking the exit. No one should miss the spectacular painting of the Last Supper, by the indigenous artist Marcos Zapata, where you'll see the diners tucking into a delicious feast of viscacha (wild chinchilla) and chicha (a corn beverage)!The cathedral's centerpieces are its massive, solid-silver altar, and the enormous 1659 María Angola bell, the largest in South America, which hangs in one of the towers and can be heard from miles away. Behind the main altar is the original wooden altar primitivo dedicated to St. Paul. The 64-seat cedar choir has rows of carved saints, popes, and bishops, all in stunning detail down to their delicately articulated hands. If you're interested in a more in-depth look, enlist the services of a guide—you'll find them right outside the Catedral. Agree on a price before you start; it will cost a minimum of S/30 per group. Alternatively, there is a free audio guide.
Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-254–285Sight Details
Rate Includes: S/25; combined admission with Templo de San Blas and Museo de Arte Religioso S/30 -
2. Museo de Arte Precolombino
Museum/GalleryFor a different perspective on pre-Columbian ceramics, head to this spectacular museum, known as MAP, where art and pre-Columbian culture merge seamlessly. Twelve rooms in the 1580 Casa Cabrera, which was used as the convent of Santa Clara until the 17th century, showcase an astounding collection of pre-Columbian art from the 13th to 16th centuries, mostly in the form of carvings, ceramics, and jewelry. The art and artifacts were made by the Huari and Nazca, as well as the Inca, cultures. The stylish displays have excellent labels in Spanish and English that place the artifacts in their artistic and historical context. On the walls is commentary from European artists on South American art. Swiss artist Paul Klee wrote: "I wish I was newly born, and totally ignorant of Europe, innocent of facts and fashions, to be almost primitive." Most Cusco museums close at dark, but MAP remains open every evening. For a break after a walk around, find your way to the on-site café, one of Cusco's best restaurants (reservations are required for dinner).
View Tours and ActivitiesPlaza de la Nazarenas 231, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-233–210Sight Details
Rate Includes: S/20 -
3. Qorikancha
RuinsBuilt to honor the sun god, the Empire’s most important deity, Qorikancha translates as "Court of Gold." Walls and altars were once plated with gold, and in the center of the complex sat a giant gold disc, positioned to reflect the sun and bathe the temple in light, while terraces were once filled with life-size gold-and-silver statues of plants and animals. Much of the wealth was removed to ransom the captive Inca ruler Atahualpa during the Spanish conquest. Eventually, the structure was passed on to the Dominicans, who constructed the church of Santo Domingo using stones from the temple and creating a jarring imperial–colonial architectural juxtaposition. An ingenious restoration lets you see how the church was built on and around the temple. In the Inca parts of the structure left exposed, estimated to be about 40% of the original temple, you can admire the mortarless masonry, earthquake-proof trapezoidal doorways, curved retaining wall, and exquisite carvings that exemplify the artistic and engineering skills of the Inca. The S/15 entrance allows you to visit the Monasterio de Santa Catalina and Qorikancha's ruins and church; a free pre-recorded tour is available, but hire a guide to get the most out of the site.
Pampa del Castillo at Plazoleta Santo Domingo, Cusco, Cusco, PeruSight Details
Rate Includes: Ruins and church S/15; museum entrance via Boleto Turístico -
4. Rainbow Mountain
MountainWith almost as many names as colors, Rainbow Mountain, aka Vinicunca, aka Montaña de Siete Colores (Mountain of Seven Colors) is a fairly recent addition to Peru's top-attraction list. Until a few years ago, the multicolored mountain was just another snow-capped peak. When the ice and snow that covered the mountain started to melt (this might be the one time in your life that you will want to say "thank you, global warming"), the water mixed with minerals in the ground like iron sulfide, chlorite, and goethite to create the striking stripes of color. Rainbow Mountain is about three hours from Cusco by car, and requires a strenuous, high-altitude hike, so you will need to plan your visit with time to acclimatize first. Do yourself a favor and book a tour. This is a full day's adventure and hiking in high altitude can really knock you out; you'll appreciate the chance to nap on the drive back to your hotel. Many photos of this mountain are heavily Photoshopped so do not be disappointed if the mountain is not quite as vivid as you have been led to expect. Also, dull weather conditions can dampen the effect, so try to plan around good weather, if you have flexibility in your schedule.
Cordillera de Vilcanota, , Cusco, Peru -
5. Casa de Garcilaso
Historic HomeYou'll find a bit of everything in this spot, which may leave you feeling like you've seen it all before. Colonial building? Check. Escuela Cusqueña paintings? Check. Ancient pottery? Check. Inca mummy? Check. This is the colonial childhood home of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, the famous chronicler of the Spanish conquest and illegitimate son of one of Pizarro's captains and an Inca princess. Inside the mansion, with its cobblestone courtyard, is the Museo de Historia Regional, with Cusco School paintings, pre-Inca mummies—one from Nazca has a 1½-meter (5-foot) braid—ceramics, metal objects, and other artifacts.
Heladeros at Garcilaso, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-223–245Sight Details
Rate Includes: Boleto Turístico -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
6. ChocoMuseo
Plaza Regocijo | Museum/GalleryThis museum provides a delicious introduction to the history and process of chocolate making, from cacao bean to bar. Workshops allow you to make your own sweets; they are offered three times a day for a minimum of three people at an additional cost of S/75, and advance reservations are required. There is an additional museum location in Ollantaytambo near the archaeological site and in Pisac near the main square.
-
7. Colcampata
Neighborhood/StreetTo behold colonial Cusco in all its beauty, take the 15-minute walk up to Colcampata. Following Procuradores from the Plaza de Armas to Waynapata and then Resbalosa, you'll come to a steep cobblestone staircase with a wonderful view of La Compañía. Continuing to climb, you'll find the church of San Cristóbal, which is of little intrinsic interest but affords another magnificent panorama of the city. The church stands atop Colcampata, believed to have been the palace of the first Inca ruler, Manco Cápac. The Inca wall to the right of the church has 11 niches in which soldiers may once have stood guard. Farther up the road, the lane on the left leads to a postconquest Inca gateway beside a magnificent Spanish mansion.
Cusco, Cusco, Peru -
8. Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús
Plaza de ArmasWith its ornately carved facade, this Jesuit church on the Plaza de Armas gives the Catedral a run for its money in the beauty stakes. The Compañía, constructed by the Jesuits in the 17th century, was intended to be the most splendid church in Cusco, which didn't sit too well with the archbishop. The beauty contest between the churches grew so heated that the pope was forced to intervene. He ruled in favor of the Catedral, but, by that time, the iglesia was nearly finished, complete with a baroque facade to rival the Catedral's grandeur. The interior is not nearly so splendid, however, although it's worth seeing the paintings on either side of the entrance depicting the intercultural marriage between a Spanish conquistador and an Inca princess. Tourists are admitted to Masses under the condition that they participate in them; start wandering around and taking photos, and you'll be shown the door.
Cusco, Cusco, PeruNo phoneSight Details
Rate Includes: S/10 -
9. La Merced
Religious Building/Site/ShrineThe church may be overshadowed by the more famous Catedral and Iglesia de la Compañía, but La Merced contains one of the city's most priceless treasures—the Custodia, a solid gold container for Communion wafers more than a meter high and encrusted with thousands of precious stones. Rebuilt in the 17th century, this monastery, with two stories of portals and a colonial fountain, gardens, and benches, has a spectacular series of murals that depict the life of the founder of the Mercedarian order, St. Peter of Nolasco. A small museum is found to the side of the church.
Mantas 121, Cusco, Cusco, PeruSight Details
Rate Includes: Free for church, S/6 museum, Free for church, S/10 museum, Closed Sun. -
10. Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena
Religious Building/Site/ShrineAn extensive collection of Cusqueñan religious art is the draw at this still-working Dominican convent, which incorporates a 1610 church with high and low choirs and baroque friezes. Although there's not much to show of it these days, the convent represents another example of the pasting of Catholic religion over indigenous faiths—it was built on the site of the Acllawasi, the house of some 3,000 Inca chosen women dedicated to teaching, weaving Inca ceremonial robes, and worship of Inti, the Inca sun god. The entire complex was given a face-lift in 2010.
Santa Catalina Angosta 401, Cusco, Cusco, PeruSight Details
Rate Includes: S/8; S/15 combined ticket that includes Qorikancha, S/8 -
11. Museo de Arte Religioso del Arzobispado
San Blas | Museum/GalleryThe building may be on the dark and musty side, but this San Blas museum has a remarkable collection of religious art. Originally the site of the Inca Roca's Hatun Rumiyoq palace, then the juxtaposed Moorish-style palace of the Marqués de Buenavista, the building reverted to the Archdiocese of Cusco and served as the archbishop's residence. In this primary repository of religious art in the city many of the paintings in the collection are anonymous, but you'll notice some by the renowned indigenous artist Marcos Zapata. A highlight is a series of 17th-century paintings that depict the city's Corpus Christi procession. Free audio guides are available.
Hatun Rumiyoq and Herejes, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-225–211Sight Details
Rate Includes: S/15; S/40 combined admission with Catedral and the Templo de San Blas, S/15; S/30 combined admission with Catedral and Templo de San Blas -
12. Museo Hilario Mendívil
San Blas | Museum/GalleryThe former home of San Blas's most famous son, the 20th-century Peruvian religious artist Hilario Mendívil (1929–77), makes a good stop if you have an interest in Cusqeñan art and iconography. Legend has it that Mendívil saw llamas parading in the Corpus Christi procession as a child and later infused this image into his religious art, depicting all his figures with long, llama-like necks. In the small gallery are the maguey-wood and rice-plaster sculptures of the Virgin with the elongated necks that were the artist's trademark. There's also a shop selling Mendívil-style work.
Plazoleta San Blas 634, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-240–527Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
13. Museo Inka
Museum/GalleryEveryone comes to "ooh" and "eeww" over this archaeological museum's collection of Inca mummies, but the entire facility serves as a comprehensive introduction to pre-Columbian Andean culture. Packed with textiles, ceramics, and dioramas, there's a lot to see here, and displays bear labels in Spanish and English. One room is dedicated to the story of Mamakuka ("Mother Coca"), and documents indigenous people's use of the coca leaf for religious and medicinal purposes. The building was once the palace of Admiral Francisco Aldrete Maldonado, the reason for its common designation as the Palacio del Almirante (Admiral's Palace).
Ataúd at Córdoba del Tucumán, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-237–380Sight Details
Rate Includes: S/10, Closed Sun. -
14. Museo Machu Picchu Casa Concha
Museum/GalleryArtifacts that Hiram Bingham unearthed during his 1911 "discovery" of Machu Picchu and brought back to Yale University resided with the university for a century. After a hotly contested custody battle, an agreement was reached between Peru and Yale, and the artifacts began to be returned to Peru in 2011. Some can now be seen on display at this small but fascinating museum housed in a colonial mansion built atop the palace of Tupac Yupanqui. While the artifacts are interesting, the real reason to go is for the video, which presents research findings on these pieces. If you have time, visit the museum before your trip to Machu Picchu for a deeper understanding of what is currently known, and still unknown, about this world wonder.
Calle Santa Catalina Ancha 320, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-255–535Sight Details
Rate Includes: S/20, Closed Sun. -
15. Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo
Plaza Regocijo | Museum/GalleryTake a refreshing turn back toward the present in this city of history. As is typically the case in Cusco, the museum is housed in a colonial mansion. But the art exhibits, which rotate constantly, display some of the best work that contemporary Peruvian artists have to offer.
Portal Espinar 270, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-240–006Sight Details
Rate Includes: Boleto Turístico, Closed Sun. -
16. Palacio de Inca Roca
Castle/PalaceInca Roca lived in the 13th or 14th century. Halfway along his palace's side wall, nestled amid other stones, is a famous 12-angled stone, an example of masterly Inca masonry. There's nothing sacred about the 12 angles: Inca masons were famous for incorporating stones with many more sides than 12 into their buildings. If you can't spot the famous stone from the crowds taking photos, ask one of the shopkeepers or the elaborately dressed Inca figure hanging out along the street to point it out. Around the corner is a series of stones on the wall that form the shapes of a puma and a serpent. Kids often hang out there and trace the forms for a small tip.
Hatun Rumiyoc and Palacio, Cusco, Cusco, Peru -
17. Plaza de Armas
Plaza de ArmasWith park benches, green lawns, and splendid views of the Catedral, Cusco's gorgeous colonial Plaza de Armas invites you to stay awhile. Take a seat on one of those park benches, and the world will come to you—without moving an inch, you'll be able to purchase postcards, paintings, and snacks, organize a trip to Machu Picchu, get your photograph taken, and get those dirty boots polished. What you see today is a direct descendant of imperial Cusco's central square, which the Inca called the Haukaypata (the only name indicated on today's street signs) and which extended as far as the Plaza del Regocijo. According to belief, this was the exact center of the Inca Empire, Tawantinsuyo, the Four Corners of the Earth. Today, continuing the tradition, it's the tourism epicenter. From the plaza you'll see the Catedral and Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús on two sides and the graceful archways of the colonial portales, or covered arcades, lining the other sides. Soft lighting bathes the plaza each evening and creates one of Cusco's iconic views. Many of the city's frequent parades (and some protests) pass through the plaza, especially on Sundays. Enjoy the views of colonial Cusco, but note that any attempt to sit on one of those inviting green lawns will prompt furious whistle-blowing from the police.
Cusco, Cusco, Peru -
18. San Blas
San Blas | Neighborhood/StreetFor spectacular views over Cusco's terra-cotta rooftops, head to San Blas. This is where the Incas brought the choicest artists and artisans, culled from recent conquests, to bolster their own knowledge base. The district has maintained its bohemian roots for centuries and remains one of the city's most picturesque districts with whitewashed adobe homes and bright-blue doors. The area and its surrounds is one of the trendier parts of Cusco, with several of the city's choicest restaurants and cafés opening their doors here. The Cuesta de San Blas (San Blas Hill), one of the main entrances into the area, is sprinkled with galleries that sell paintings in the Cusqueña-school style of the 16th through 18th centuries. Many of the stone streets are built as stairs or slopes (not for cars) and have religious motifs carved into them.
View Tours and ActivitiesCusco, Cusco, Peru -
19. Templo de San Francisco
Religious Building/Site/ShrineClose to the Plaza de Armas, the Plaza de San Francisco is a local hangout. There's not a lot to see in the plaza itself, but if you've wandered this way, the Templo de San Francisco church is interesting for its macabre sepulchers with arrangements of bones and skulls, some pinned to the wall to spell out morbid sayings. A small museum of religious art with paintings by Cusqueña-school artists Marcos Zapata and Diego Quispe Tito is in the church sacristy.
3 blocks south of Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco, Cusco, Cusco, Peru084-221–361Sight Details
Rate Includes: S/5, S/10 -
20. Templo Santa Clara
Religious Building/Site/ShrineAustere from the outside, this incredible 1588 church takes the prize for most eccentric interior decoration. Thousands of mirrors cover the interior, competing with the gold-laminated altar for glittery prominence. Legend has it that the mirrors were placed inside in order to tempt locals into church. Built in old Inca style, using stone looted from Inca ruins, this is a great example of the lengths that the Spanish went to in order to attract indigenous converts to the Catholic faith.
Santa Clara s/n, Cusco, Cusco, PeruSight Details
Rate Includes: Free
-
{{ (numCurrentPage-1)*numPageLimit+index+1 }}.
{{ item.neighborhood }} | {{ item.first_keyword }}{{ item.review }}
{{ item.address }}{{ item.phone[0] }}{{ item.details.title }} Details
{{ item.details.content.toString() }}View Tours and Activities -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
No sights Results
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName }} Sights in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
