In between the hikes, altitude and the Inca ruins, Cusco was the most hyped city in Peru because of its ancient Inca history and layered buildings.

It was also the city that I finally could truly rest after hiking the Huayhuash Circuit and also using it as a base for Machu Picchu.

The daily daytrippers, and constant stream of tourists can make it seem a tad bit touristy. There are so many endless walks that you may find it repetitive or charming depending on how long you are staying there for!

But the biggest draw for me in Cusco is their sacred valley, the insane number of day trips you can do, and how their cute cobblestone streets can feel like you have travelled back in time to some parts of Spain.

I love the city and the hotels we stayed in! Fun fact: Cusco is at an altitude of 3,400 metres. You won’t be surprised to hear or know that some bougie hotels even provide an oxygen tank!

Here is my complete recommendation on what you should do in Cusco, the day trips you must take, and the places you need to stay.

The Cusco List: Know Before You Go

here is my list of unique things to do in cusco peru

⏱️Short on time? Rest and Wander in San Blas and on Day 2 or 3 go for Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley Tour

✈️Getting There: Fly Lima to Cuzco 1.5 hours, pre-book airport pick-up

🫁Altitude (3,400m): Hotels with oxygens in the rooms: Jw Marriott, Monasterio Belmond Hotel, Aranwa Cusco Boutique

📶Sim Card: I used Sim Local eSIM there

🗺️Best Day Trips: Palcoyyo (quieter than Rainbow Mountain), Humantay Lake & Ausangate Lakes Trek, Peruvian Cooking Class & Local Markets

🏨Where To Stay

Splurge: Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel
Mid-range: Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel
Budget: Luna House / Culinary Stay & Taste
Unique Stays (18.9km away): Sky Dome
Best Area to stay: Hotels near Plaza de Armas; wouldn’t recommend San Blas as it is steep and they do have water issues sometimes

The Best Things To Do in Cusco: My Experiences

1. Experience a Festival in Cusco

the festivals in cusco - this was during inti raymi festival

You should know that Cusco is a festival city — everytime I was there, whenever returning from a long day trip, there were dancers in the streets, fireworks I wasn’t expecting.

When I went this time, it coincided with Inti Raymi festival (June 24), the most important festival in Cusco.

I think it is worth checking out important festivals when you are there because it was so nice to see Andean/Inca traditions and Catholic celebrations side by side. I will say Peruvians are quite reserved in the way they celebrate as in we can’t join their festivals and we are mostly there as spectators.

But it was so interesting, vivid and colourful. Even if you're not there for one of the 'big' festivals, there's a good chance you'll walk into a smaller one. Other festivals you should know here so you can plan your trip to Peru:

🌟 Qoyllur Rit'i — May/June (before Corpus Christi), near Ausangate. A pilgrimage-festival up in the mountains, deeply spiritual and physically intense.
🍞 Corpus Christi — June, Cusco. Saint statues paraded through the city, big food traditions (chiriuchu).
🐴 Señor de los Milagros — October, Lima. Peru's largest religious procession where everything is decked in purple.
🎊 Fiestas Patrias (Independence Day) — July 28-29, nationwide. Parades, fireworks, patriotic everything.
🌾 Puno Candelaria — early February, Puno. Massive dance and music festival on Lake Titicaca, one of the biggest in South America

2. Dine in a Farm To Table Restaurant

nuna raymi, one of the best farm to table experiences in cusco

I absolutely loved farm to table restaurants as you can truly appreciate and know where the ingredients are sourced from.

If there is one restaurant you have to visit, is Nuna Raymi, they give you an intro to local agriculture, the 3500 potatoes that’s available in Cusco. I am shocked by the variety.

We tried guinea pig (called cuy) and their vegan cerviche.

It was so nice to see how incredibly passionate the staff are about the aim of keeping the spirit of true Peruvian gastronomy alive.

3. Get A Sweater At The Wholesale Shop for $10

There are countless good quality baby alpaca shops everywhere but I stumbled into this place that was a wholesale shop with all the souvenirs you need under $10.

I had so many gifts and sweaters, caps and pens that I wanted to buy for home and this was a cheap wholesale shop to get what you need. I would save this for your last day so you don’t carry everything with you.

The shop name is Tienda souvenirs casacas a $35soles (ver foto)

4. Explore San Blas neighbourhood.

I love San Blas for its artsy hillside quarter with blue and white contrasting buildings that make you think you are in Greece for a bit.

There are so many cute cafes and shops to be at that if you want a nice walk away from Plaza de Armas, this place would not dissapoint.

Just walking around and up their stairs is worthy enough to get all the scenic shots of San Blas that you need.

5. Have The Meanest Juicy Cheap Sandwiches in Mercado San Blas

san blas mercado — i loved the food here

I was walking around San Blas and I was super hungry when I stumbled across sandwiches and juices that were so cheap and fresh. Their avocados and big jugs of juices is enough for you to drool.

Betty Jugos naturales Mary sandwiches are only $2 and shockingly filling. The place is clean, they wear gloves and it is so airy.

There are even other shops there I wanted to eat at but were closed: this spot called Govinda Lilla does amazing vegan food and THE ALPACA STATION - Farm to Table Experience is also another place with the best alpaca burgers.

6. San Blas View Point

san blas viewpoint - you have to go during sunset

While everyone goes far away to get amazing views, I found Mirador de San Blas point really nice to take a breather and to burn whatever I had eaten.

You can see Cusco’s terracotta rooftops nestled against the surrounding mountains. There were plenty of benches to chill at as well and we grabbed one under a tree to enjoy the atmosphere.

7. Savouring Cacao & Joining The Choc Museum Workshop

After the viewpoint, I was looking for a cafe to chill out and have the best cacao. I loved the cacao at Altura coffee which you absolutely must check out and another cute place with a relaxing backyard and the most adorable dog is Barrio cafe. The garden is tucked away in the back and the pancakes are amazing!

I also had the time to join the Chocolate museum workshop which I absolutely recommend. I tried the drinks like the Maya and the conquistadores did in ancient times — it was definitely worth it knowing from bean to chocolate how everything was done from scratch.

8. Local Market Tour of Cusco

This was so worth the price as you get a real good introduction to the markets, and get to make cocktails and enjoy the food.

I think Peruvian cuisine is so varied and complex with its flavours and tropical twists that this walking tour of San Pedro Market, learning to cook 3 Peruvian dishes, crafting 2 refreshing cocktails, and taste the traditional Picarones was the best intro to Peru.

You can book it here via Viator or through GetYourGuide. Both are equally good!

9. Take a Day Trip to Palcoyyo Rainbow Mountain

Everyone was doing the touristy Rainbow mountain but bear in mind that is 5,200 metre up and it is crazy high. If I were you I would do the Palcoyyo Rainbow (4,900m) mountain as it is less touristy and a much better gentle experience on the body.

If you want a bit of adventure, Pallay Punchu (4,790m) is also an option but it is a much more adventurous option with a ridge hike.

Every drone has captured the breathtaking beauty of this place and it is hard to beat — in fact I wanted to do it, but I was so sick with the altitude that I ended up just doing Palcoyyo.

10. Do The Ausangate 7 Lakes Trek or Humantay Lake

If you are not doing the Salkantay Trek (which passes Humantay lake anyway), pick one of these two as your lake day in Cusco.

Humantay Lake is definitely crowded but it is also a long trek and the turquoise colour against the glacier is genuinely stunning. It reaches up to 4,200m and most people manage fine as long as you have picked a day or two to acclimatise.

Ausangate 7 Lakes is the one I did and it deserves more hype. It was quiet but you get to up to around 4,900m at the highest viewpoint, looking at a string of glacial lakes in green, blue, and turquoise.

The colours were insane but it is a 15km walk and it wasn’t so strenuous except for the beginning part. It is definitely way less touristy which was the most appealing part and you see alpacas and local herding communities rather than the usual daytrippers.

11. Stay at Mountain View Peru

staying at mountain view experience in peru

This was hands down one of my favourite stays in Cusco. Tucked in Maras next to the salt mine, Mountain View Experience is the best treat you can give to yourself if you are in Cusco.

With a great passion for the outdoors, the owners wanted to make sure Mountain View Experience was tastefully designed with regional materials like adobe, stone, and hand-carved timber directly into the surrounding mountain landscape.

12. Do The Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley Tour Like What I did

doing the machu picchu and sacred valley tour

I combined the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu into one trip rather than doing them as two separate day tours, and honestly it made more sense logistically.

We stopped through the Sacred Valley first, weaving through Pisac’s market and terraces at Ollantaytambo, before catching the train up towards Agua Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.

Spreading it over a couple of days instead of cramming it meant I was in relaxation mode, and was grateful for this given how much walking Cusco already has you doing.

My biggest tip is to go with an organiser like what I did or if you want to DIY it yourself book your train and entry tickets well in advance!

Also read: Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley 2-Day Tour Itinerary: My Experience

13. Visit Sacsayhuamán and Hike Up To The Eucalyptus Forest of Qenqo

Sacsayhuamán completely blew me away. The scale of the stonework is hard to process until you’re standing next to it. It is a steep 30 minute walk from Plaza De Armas, so I recommend doing this once you are acclimatised.

From there, I wandered over to Quenqo, the eucalyptus forest — it is crazy how they brought it from Australia to here. Both are included on the Boleto Turistico, so grab it ahead of time if you’re planning to see a few sites.

I did this on foot but there are guided tours who walk you through the history and take you to a lot of unique points like Qoricancha if you’re interested.

14. Quelcayya Suyuparina Ice Cave Glacier Tour

This was easily one of the wildest and most unique day trips I did around Cusco. Quelccaya is the largest tropical glacier in the world and going inside it felt like being on another planet.

It is a long drive though like 6 hour long (one way) to Phinaya and then a very short hike to the glacier itself. That’s 12 hours on the road if you have extra time and don’t mind the long road trip.

You can book it here.

15. Experience a Local Stay with Culinary Stay & Taste

a local communal experience - staying at the culinary stay and taste

I loved the bougie hotels and staying in luxurious places but if you’re on a budget and want to still have the “community feel” and have a local dinner and breakfast stay, you have to stay at The Culinary Stay and Taste.

Mike is such a wonderful owner and gem. He goes above and beyond with providing a authentic Peruvian dinner experience (his breakfasts and dinner is so amazing — I loved the homemade jams!).

You can also keep your luggage here if you’re away for a long time. The property is about a 12 minute walk away from the main area but it is easy to grab a Uber. I highly recommend mixing up your accomodations and trying new places like this!

Also read my other Peru posts:

South America

The Peru I Saw: 15 Unique Things To Do in Cusco