What to See in Cusco

Overview

Sites, Monuments, and Architectural Ensembles

Loreto Street
Like Hatun Rumiyoc Street, Loreto is an Inca cobblestone alley flanked by towering walls of perfectly fitted stones.

Historic Centre of Cusco
Remarkable and even unique, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It abounds with Spanish-era buildings, often constructed on top of ancient Inca structures, churches, squares, and narrow cobbled streets.

Hatun Rumiyoc
A narrow cobbled street in old Cusco, quite well-known and lined with imposing stone walls (including the famous "Stone of Twelve Angles") from the Inca period.

San Pedro Market
The city's largest market, serving both locals and an increasing number of tourists with food and handicrafts.

Plaza de Armas
It's the heart of the historic city, which among other things earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. All around are several major colonial buildings, including the cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus.

Q'enqo
This is an Inca sanctuary located on the northern outskirts of Cusco. With a semi-circular shape, it is generally regarded as an amphitheatre.

Qoricancha et Couvent Santo Domingo, Cusco, Pérou

Qoricancha and Santo Domingo Convent
Also known as the "Temple of Gold". Of what was once the most sacred site of the Inca Empire, only a few walls remain today next to the Santo Domingo Convent, which the Spanish built in its place in the 16th century and which is still visible.

San Blas District
One of the city's most "typical" neighbourhoods, with its cobbled streets, beautiful colonial façades, Baroque squares and churches, as well as its shops, bars and restaurants that now give it a lively atmosphere.

Sacsayhuaman
On a hill overlooking Cusco stand the impressive remains of a 15th-century Inca architectural complex whose exact functions are still not fully understood. This is where the Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, is held every year on June 24.

Religious Buildings

Cathédrale de l'Assomption, Cusco, Pérou

Cathedral of the Assumption
It stands on the main square, next to the Church of the Society of Jesus. Like the latter, it dates from the mid-16th century and contributes to the city’s UNESCO World Heritage status through its cultural and architectural wealth.

La Merced Convent
Not far from the Plaza de Armas, this Spanish-era basilica has a lovely cloister and garden. You can also see a small collection of religious art.

San Francisco Convent
In the historic centre, on the eponymous square, this church may look a little austere but it has a beautiful cloister.

Église de la Compagnie de Jésus, Cusco, Pérou

Church of the Society of Jesus
Originally built in 1571 (then rebuilt a century later after an earthquake) in the colonial Baroque style, right next to the cathedral.

San Blas Church
This is a small Baroque church from 1569 located on the square of the same name. It has a beautiful interior.

Museums

Casa Concha
In the former beautiful residence of a colonial-era governor of Cusco, Casa Concha houses archaeological pieces found at Machu Picchu.

Museum of Pre-Columbian Art
Housed in a former conquistador’s residence, the museum showcases diverse collections of artifacts and other testimonies from Inca civilizations as well as lesser-known cultures of the region.

Museum of Religious Art
On the edge of the famous Hatun Rumiyoc street, this museum occupies the episcopal palace built on the site of an ancient Inca palace.

Inca Museum
Housed in the "Palacio del Almirante", this museum showcases the Inca civilization, from its origins to its fall, through various collections of artifacts, jewelry, weapons, and more.

Overview

Sites, Monuments, and Architectural Ensembles

Religious Buildings

Museums

In the Surrounding Area

For Further Reading

Must-see & highly recommended

Recommended

Worth a look / Other