Cusco City Tour
James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.
Last Updated on June 29, 2023 by James Bustamante
The Cusco city tour takes you through the fascinating city as well its surrounding landmarks located at over 11,000 feet (3,300 meters).
One of the biggest parts of the entire Peru trip other than the Machu Picchu hike is usually the full-day tour of Cusco.
This is usually the first full-day tour you have in Cusco so it sets the pace for the rest of this leg of your trip.
Start in Cusco
The Cusco city tour is famous among other day trips due to its vast number of archeological sites that are so close to the city.
These monuments were left by the ancient Inca people over 500 years ago.
Cusco is known as the gateway to the Inca citadel where you will take a Machu Picchu tour.
It is however much more than that. Cusco as a destination is home to interesting locations which doesn’t just focus on the Inca.
The city tour provides a blend of two distinct cultures like the native Inca and the Spanish.
The tour starts at the majestic city of Cusco to then head to a number of museums and also visit the famous San Pedro Market.
Your expert guide will also take you to The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, the Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), and the massive ruins of Sacsayhuaman that overlook this entire Andean city.
Here is a brief list of some destinations visited over the Cusco city tour:
- The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the virgin.
- The Qorikancha Museum.
- Sacsayhuaman Ruins.
- The San Pedro Market.
- The famous San Blas Neighborhood.
We end the Cusco city tour back at the main square near your hotel. We suggest visiting one of the local restaurants for a delicious, Andean dinner.
The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin
It was built in the 1600s using large slabs of red granite taken from the Inca construction of Sacsayhuaman, another incredible construction.
Inside you’ll find colonial period gold and silver collections, wooden alters with elaborate engravings, and a spectacular collection of oil paintings.
The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, also known as Cusco Cathedral is located just across from the main square.
This enigmatic monument is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cusco.
The entire building was built between 1560-1654 and is deemed as impressive by all visitors.
The mere notion of a catholic church of this magnitude being constructed and tucked away at over 11,000 feet in the Andes mountains is certainly something quite spectacular.
The Cathedral, in addition to its official status as a place of worship, has become a major repository of Cusco’s colonial art.
It also holds many archeological artifacts and relics you won’t see anywhere else.
The cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the City of Cusco listing in 1983.
There is no photography allowed inside the cathedral and definitely not near any of the delicate paintings.
There are very strict with this rule so take caution when entering the cathedral.
The San Pedro Market
The San Pedro market is no more than a 20-minute walk from the Cusco main square.
A walk through San Pedro is customary for anyone taking the city tour. There are several reasons why you might want to take a walk to this traditional Cusco market.
It is certainly one of the cheapest places to buy souvenirs in the entire city in case that’s what you were ultimately looking for.
If you are looking to get to know the locals and aren’t much for “touristy traps” then this is definitely something you will want to do.
You get to see how the local’s shop, haggle pricing, what they eat, and even visit the more obscure section of the market which focuses on traditional medicine and magical remedies.
It’s certainly a worthwhile stop over the course of your Machu Picchu travel experience.
Covenant of Santo Domingo and Qoricancha
Next up we have the Convent of Santo Domingo.
More Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coricancha
It was built on the spectacular Qoricancha, known as the “Golden Enclosure”.
This was the most important temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun and whose walls were lined with solid sheets of gold.
Nowadays all that remains is fine stonework, the conquistadors took the rest. It also houses an impressive collection of canvas paintings.
Priests also used Coricancha as an observatory, keeping track of major celestial events that held an impact on their everyday lives.
Cusco City Tour to Quenqo
Another place to visit is Q’enqo (meaning ‘zigzag’ or ‘labyrinth’).
It contains the most impressive carved rocks in the Cusco area with some being a little indistinct: a llama, a condor and snakes have been identified.
There are many zigzag channels on top of the rock, probably used for pouring sacrificial chicha (a local wine made from maize).
Inside the rock, there are a number of caves, passageways, and even an altar. This alter was most likely used to sacrifice llamas.
Sacsayhuaman
Finally, we have Sacsayhuaman, one of the most impressive sites built by the Incas.
Most people generally referred to it as a fortress; however, current research suggests that it was more likely to be used as a temple, as Inca tombs have been discovered in the area.
Even though this site was destroyed, you can still marvel at this astounding archeological feat. Made of pure stone with the largest weighing over 300 tons!
The grounds surrounding Sacsayhuaman are still used today for the colorful festival of Inti Raymi which is held on June 24th every year.
Most travelers tend to see these sites on their first day in Cusco and are definitely worth checking out. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
You can make the Cusco city excursion part of your Machu Picchu travel package.
