Things to Do
Best Things to Do in Cusco for First-Time Visitors
From the cathedral bells over Plaza de Armas to the climb up to Sacsayhuamán, here's an honest, practical guide to your first days in the old Inca capital.
April 18, 2026Read more →
Cusco · Peru · 3,400 m
The Andes Remember Everything
A practical guide to Cusco's stone streets, altitude, ruins, markets, Sacred Valley tours, Machu Picchu routes, hotels, restaurants, and first-time visitor essentials.
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For first-time visitors to Cusco
Cusco rewards a slow first day. Drink coca tea, walk gently uphill through San Blas, and let the altitude settle before the Sacred Valley calls.
Acclimatize on day one
Light meals, lots of water, no alcohol, no big climbs. Your lungs will thank you on day three.
Read the guide →Walk the old centre
Plaza de Armas, Hatunrumiyoc, Qorikancha. Two easy hours that orient you to Inca and colonial Cusco.
Read the guide →Book the train early
Vistadome and Expedition seats sell out in high season. Plan Machu Picchu before you fly in.
Read the guide →
Things to Do
Inca sites, stone streets, and the city you'll keep returning to
Sacsayhuamán in late afternoon light. Qorikancha at opening hour. The twelve-angled stone on a side street most tour groups miss. Cusco is a city to walk slowly, with good shoes and a paper map.
- · Plaza de Armas and the cathedral
- · Qorikancha and the Santo Domingo overlay
- · The four ruins above the city: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukara, Tambomachay
- · San Blas viewpoint at sunset
Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
The valley starts where the city ends
Pisac for the market and terraces, Ollantaytambo for Inca masonry that rivals Machu Picchu, Maras for salt pans cut into the mountainside. Sleep in the valley before the train. The lower altitude helps, and the mornings are extraordinary.
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Everything you need to plan a Cusco trip
Food & Markets
San Pedro and the chicherías
Where to eat caldo de gallina, drink chicha morada, and find the textile aisle locals actually use.
San Blas
The artist quarter, slowly
A walking guide to woodcarver studios, blue doors, and the rooftop coffee that makes the climb worth it.
Altitude & Planning
Breathe first, then follow the stones
Cusco sits higher than most visitors realize. A calm first 48 hours, plenty of water, and a sensible itinerary will protect the rest of your trip. We've put together the things that actually help, and the ones to skip.
Read the altitude guideLatest Cusco Guides
Fresh from the field
Altitude & Travel Planning
Altitude in Cusco: How to Acclimatize Without Wasting Your Trip
Cusco sits at 3,400 metres. Here's what actually helps in the first 48 hours, what to eat, and how to plan your itinerary around your lungs.
April 12, 2026Read more →
Sacred Valley
A Slow Sacred Valley Itinerary: Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Maras and Moray
Skip the rushed day tour. This three-day route gives the Sacred Valley the time it deserves, with honest notes on transport, food, and where to sleep.
April 5, 2026Read more →
Machu Picchu
Choosing the Right Train to Machu Picchu
PeruRail or IncaRail, Vistadome or Expedition, Ollantaytambo or Poroy. The trade-offs nobody explains until you're already at the station.
March 30, 2026Read more →
San Blas & Neighborhoods
San Blas: A Slow Walk Through Cusco's Artist Quarter
Steep stone lanes, woodcarver studios, blue doors and the best rooftop coffee in the city. A walking guide to the neighborhood worth getting lost in.
March 22, 2026Read more →
Food & Markets
Eating Your Way Through San Pedro Market
What to order at the juice stalls, where the locals queue for caldo de gallina, and the textile aisle that's actually worth your soles.
March 15, 2026Read more →
Culture & History
Read the city like a textile
Inca foundations under Spanish facades, weavers in San Blas working motifs that are centuries old, and a calendar of festivals that still moves the city. Cusco is layered, and worth taking the time to read.
Explore culture & history →The Cusco Dispatch
Slow travel notes from the Andes
One thoughtful email a month with new guides, seasonal tips, and small finds from Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
