Cusco, Peru Travel Itineraries and Places to Stay
Until the arrival of the Spaniards in 1532, Cusco (elevation 11,152 feet) was the center of the Inca Empire and is the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent. Many of the city streets are lined with Inca-built stone walls and crowded with the Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas.
Throughout the city, one can appreciate the syncretism of Inca and Catholic symbols, constructions, and beliefs. This cultural layering is especially evident in structures like the Coricancha, once the most sacred Inca temple, later overlaid with the Santo Domingo Church.
Narrow cobblestone lanes wind past colonial mansions built atop impeccably crafted Inca foundations, creating a striking visual dialogue between two civilizations. Festivals such as Inti Raymi and Corpus Christi demonstrate this fusion in vibrant form, blending indigenous and colonial traditions into a unique expression of Cusco’s living heritage.
Beyond its monumental architecture and vibrant traditions, Cusco pulses with the rhythm of daily life shaped by centuries of resilience and adaptation. Its bustling markets, such as San Pedro, are treasure troves of local produce, handmade textiles, and herbal remedies—echoes of an enduring Andean worldview. Women in traditional dress carry their wares in brightly colored mantas, while the scent of roasted corn and alpaca meat drifts through the air, blending the everyday with the ancestral.
Just outside the city, archaeological sites like Sacsayhuamán speak to the architectural ingenuity of the Incas, with stones so precisely fitted that even modern engineers marvel at their construction. From this vantage point, the city sprawls below in the shape of a puma—an animal revered by the Incas—reminding visitors that Cusco is not merely a relic of the past, but a living symbol of cultural synthesis and spiritual continuity. Whether encountered in its ancient ruins or in the quiet rituals of its people, Cusco’s soul speaks in both stone and spirit.
Things to do in Cusco, Peru
Cusco Local Tours and Excursions
City tours, walking tours, mountain biking, day hiking, river rafting and horseback riding. Inca ruins and local markets. All within an hour or so of Cusco.
Hotels in Cusco, Peru
Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel – Cusco, Peru
The Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel is the essence of luxury and comfort in the heart of Cusco, Peru. The Aranwa Cusco is located on Calle San Juan de Dios 255, near Plaza Regocijo, two blocks from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco. The hotel is also a museum built in an old colonial mansion that has been divided into seven strategic areas, transporting guests to the 16th century.
Costa Del Sol Wyndham – Cusco, Peru
Ramada by Wyndham Costa Del Sol Cusco is a four-star hotel in the Central Historical District of Cusco, Peru - with convenient access to Machu Picchu. The Hotel Costa del Sol Ramada Cusco is the perfect base for discovering the beautiful heritage of the Inca civilization.
Hotel Rumi Punku – Cusco, Peru
Hotel Rumi Punku is located in the historic center of Cusco, Peru, just 5 minutes from the main square and next to the traditional neighborhood of San Blas, on Choquechaca Street. The entrance of the hotel is an Inca building, which is one of the most beautiful and classic entrances of the Inca period in Cusco.
Inkaterra La Casona Relais & Chateaux – Cusco, Peru
The first boutique hotel in Cusco, Peru, Inkaterra La Casona Relais & Chateaux Hotel is located in the traditional Plaza de las Nazarenas, surrounded by vibrant, cobblestone streets. This 16th Century manor house stands on the training grounds for an elite army of Incas, and had Spanish Conquistador Diego de Almagro and ‘Libertador’ Simón Bolívar among its illustrious guests.
Maytaq Wasin Boutique Hotel – Cusco, Peru
The Maytaq Wasin Boutique Hotel is located in the heart of Cusco, Peru only a few steps away from the main plaza. They have 24 cosy rooms and a bright open terrace with breathtaking views of Cusco city and the surrounding mountains. The hotel is contemporary in design, boasts high ceilings, lots of natural light and makes our guests feel welcome and relaxed. We’ve tried very hard to make Maytaq Wasin a discerning travelers hotel.
Monasterio – a Belmond Hotel, Cusco , Peru
Close to the lively Cusco central square is Monasterio, a Belmond Hotel, Cusco, a former monastery and national monument dating from 1592. This delightful Belmont Hotel combines its centuries-old charm and ambiance with luxury hotel service, inspired restaurants and boutique rooms and suites.
Palacio Manco Capac by Ananay Hotels – Cusco, Peru
Palacio Manco Capac by Ananay Hotels is a hotel built on what used to be a XIX century Peruvian republican mansion in San Cristobal, Cusco, Peru. Built on the foundations of Manco Capac’s original palace, this sumptuous house is surrounded by authentic Inca platforms and located behind the San Cristobal Church. Part of the palace wall is still standing and only a few meters away from the hotel.
Ruinas Boutique Hotel – Cusco, Peru
The Ruinas Boutique Hotel is located two blocks from the main square, in the historic center of Cusco City, Peru. The 34 nicely decorated rooms have private bathrooms and offer the very best services. It is close to Inca Garcilaso de la Vega Stadium and Wanchaq Station.
Sonesta Hotel Cusco – Cusco, Peru
The Sonesta Hotel Cusco is located only 8 minutes by car from the Velasco Astete International Airport and a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru. Sonesta Hotel Cusco offers guests easy and fast access to the train station and the main tourist attractions such as the Koricancha Palace, Sacsayhuamán and the most important Artisan Center of the city.
Tierra Viva Cusco Centro – Cusco, Peru
Tierra Viva Hotel Cusco Centro in Cusco, Peru maintains the feeling of an antique residence built with stone, tiles, adobe and wood. Tierra Viva has restored the residence belonging to the Velasco Ordoñez family in order to open a hotel with 43 rooms distributed between three floors.
Tierra Viva Cusco Plaza – Cusco, Peru
Tierra Viva Hotel Cusco Plaza is located next to the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru, in a remodeled colonial residence known as Casa Pizarro, which maintains great part of its traditional architecture. There, you will be able to appreciate the arches, columns and stone walls, an exquisite collection of colonial art, and even a lithic lanzon which was restored during the hotel’s remodeling.
Tierra Viva Cusco San Blas – Cusco, Peru
Tierra Viva Cusco Hotel San Blas is located in the heart of San Blas which is Cusco Peru's most artistic neighborhood and is also called the Artisans' Neighborhood. Tierra Viva remodeled an old colonial residence, which was constructed in adobe, carefully preserving the most traditional aspects of its architecture.
Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi – Cusco, Peru
Tierra Viva Cusco Saphi Hotel is the starting point of your Peru adventure. The hotel is a remodeled colonial residence from the 17th Century, which was constructed in adobe, with the most traditional aspects of its architecture carefully preserved. The residence has 21 spacious rooms, an old water fountain made of stone and two indoor patios.
XO Art House – Cusco, Peru
XO Art House is a unique accommodation experience in Cusco, Peru. Surround yourself with modern Cusqueñan art in Casona-style guest rooms. We are pleased to introduce our new Mountain Lodges of Peru signature property located in San Blas, Cusco’s flourishing arts quarter, with charming views of the city’s picturesque streets and surrounding landscapes.
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