Between all of the trekking nearby, the gorgeous Spanish colonial architecture, the traditional food, and lively culture, Cusco is simply a traveler’s dream. Famed as the gateway to Machu Picchu, it has become the launching point for enthusiastic trekkers looking to see a New Wonder of the World, experience the beauty of the Peruvian Andes, and get some face-time with the many llamas and alpacas roaming around.

It was once the capital of the Inca Empire, and you can still find some Incan ruins scattered about the city, including at Santo Domingo Convent which was built on top of the Incan temple of the sun. Aside from the long and colorful history of this city, you will also be captivated by the traditional heritage that is still very much alive and well. From the vibrant and highly-detailed traditional clothing worn by locals, to hearing Quechua (the language used by the descendants of the Incas) floating through the streets, you feel like you’re in another world. I’ve put together a guide of what to do and where to stay in Cusco so you can enjoy all that this magical place has to offer.

WHAT TO DO:

Question your reality at Rainbow Mountain:

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you and no I did not photoshop these images. Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, is indeed a real place and is truthfully hard to believe even when you’re standing right in front of it. I opted for the 2D/1N trek with Ayni Peru Expedition, and was blown away by my experience.

I loved having the afternoon and evening to really take in the surroundings and connect with nature. Opting for the overnight option also basically guarantees a less crowded experience, as most people opt for the one day trek, which puts them on a completely different trekking schedule than you. It had been my dream for about a year to see this natural wonder in person, and it was even more impressive in real life. For more information and more photos on my trek to Rainbow Mountain, check out my post 6 Reasons to Hike Rainbow Mountain with Ayni Peru.

Have an authentic cultural experience on the Lares Trek:

I love to hike, but it was also really important to me to get a proper cultural experience in Peru. Thank goodness Amanda of Ayni Peru told me about the Lares Trek, which combines a lot of both over 4 days. It’s the perfect mix between adventure, beautiful landscapes, and an inside look at authentic Peruvian life.

From eating freshly prepared home-cooked meals with Andean Mountain families, dressing in traditional clothing of the region, and playing with local school children in the remote Chaywacocha village, it was such an authentic cultural experience.

From trekking multiple summits, exploring an un-trekked part of the Inca Trail, and taking in sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, lakes, and alpacas grazing, it was also adventurous and full of the great outdoors as well. If you’re looking for a balance of the two, the Lares Trek is the way to go. For more photos and more information about my experience on the Lares Trek, check out my post What to Expect On the 4D/3N Lares Trek With Ayni Peru.

Understand what all the fuss is about at Machu Picchu:

They say it’s not a real trip to Peru without stopping to visit Machu Picchu, and now I understand why. This awe-inspiring 15th century citadel is full of mystery and wonder, even with all of the tourists (and even in low season, it’s packed with people). Although it rained during most of our visit, the rain and fog cleared just in time for us to enjoy the panoramic view of Machu Picchu from Sun Gate. It’s easy to spend an entire day here, exploring the many nooks and crannies and trying to wrap your head around the strange history of this place.

 My trip to Machu Picchu was organized entirely by Ayni Peru and was a part of the 4D/3N Lares Trek (which I mentioned above), and I would say, like most, that it’s a “can’t miss” during your time in Peru.

Take in the views of Cusco from Saksaywaman:

You don’t have to travel all the way to Machu Picchu to experience ancient Incan ruins. All you have to do is take a 30 min (very uphill) stroll to Saksaywaman, an ancient citadel with beginnings dating back to the 10th century.

Here you will find gorgeous stonework, beautiful views of Cusco from above, and of course, plenty of llamas. I found the entrance fee of 70 Soles ($22USD) to be pretty steep, but it is a Unesco World Heritage Site with over 1,000 years of history, so it’s worth it – especially if you’re short on time and can’t go on a multi-day trek.

Sip coffee and people watch from a cafe at Plaza De Armas:

I’m a sucker for a good cafe, but an even bigger sucker for a cafe with great views. In the bustling Plaza De Armas (the main Plaza in Cusco), head up to one of the many balcony cafes outlining the plaza to escape the many people trying to sell you selfie sticks, tours, and tattoos (yes, a guy offered me a free tattoo…)

Once you’re up on the balcony, with your coffee in front of you, overlooking this stunning square, it’s easy to tune out all of the salesmen and just take in the beauty of this place. With it’s dominating Cathedral, central fountain, and perfectly manicured greenery, it’s a place of gathering for both locals and tourists alike, and is a great place to start your day.

Cure your altitude sickness with Mr. Soup:

It is recommended to keep your diet light and stick to soup during your first few days in Cusco. Soup can typically get a little boring, but I was begging for more after our first visit to Mr. Soup. So good in fact that I went back a second time…I rarely do that when I travel, as there is just so much to experience through food, but it was that good.

The Criolla is a house speciality made with beef, pasta, onion garlic, tomato, egg, oregano and milk that is to die for. I know it doesn’t sound particularly light, in fact it was like the soup form of pasta carbonara, but I urge you to try it!!! I wonder if they deliver to Bogota…

Pick up some alpaca goods and enjoy some local food at Mercado San Pedro:

As soon as you land in Cusco, you won’t find a soul in sight (aside from the locals of course) not donning some sort of alpaca sweater. It just seems to be the thing to do here. There are thousands of different vendors and stores to buy these items at, but I found Mercado San Pedro to offer the best items at the best prices. I bought a sweater, hat & gloves for under 50 Peruvian Soles ($15USD). Of course these items were not 100% alpaca, but they were still incredibly soft, and as I was about to trek for 6 days in this thing, I didn’t want to worry about ruining an expensive sweater. I found all of the items I bought at this market to be of high quality and they kept me so warm on the treks.

Mercado San Pedro doesn’t just sell clothing items, however. Here you will find countless food stalls offering all sorts of local specialties, fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, herbs and spices, bread items…just about everything. I recommend heading there around noon for lunch and then taking the afternoon to shop around. And don’t forget to barter!

Treat your taste buds at Cicciolina Restaurante:

I’m all about street food and keeping food costs low while you travel, but sometimes it’s just nice to treat yourself. Head to Cicciolina Restaurante if you want to be wowed by a gourmet dining experience using fresh, local, and traditional ingredients. Located just around the corner from Plaza de Armas tucked away in a courtyard off of Calle Triunfo, Cicciolina is the gem of the Cusco dining scene.

As soon as I saw one of the many chefs in the kitchen stretching and then hanging handmade pasta, I was sold. We were wowed by the alpaca filet and the eggplant raviolis as well as our wine choice and dessert. The service was excellent, and even though this restaurant was considered a splurge to my traveling standards, the prices were extremely reasonable, with most aps costing 25 Peruvian Soles ($8) and most main entrees costing about 50 Peruvian Soles ($15). I mean, for a gourmet experience, it’s extremely inexpensive.

Recover from a Cusco trek with a spa treatment:

I can basically promise you that you’re going to want some sort of spa treatment after any kind of trekking in Cusco. Not only are most treks generally tough, the altitude it what really will get you. After both Rainbow Mountain and the Lares Trek, I indulged in a hot stone massage at Relaxing Time Massage and a Thermal Circuit treatment at Palacio Del Inka Spa. For more information about spa treatments in Cusco, check out my recent post, How to Recover From a Cusco Trek.

WHERE TO STAY:

For a cozy B&B with a beautiful courtyard & great ambiance: Hotel Cusi Wasi

I’m so glad we chose Hotel Cusi Wasi for many reasons, but the biggest reason has to be the value: for about $50 per night for a double room, you get a cozy private room with piping hot water, a great breakfast, free pickup from the airport, complimentary coca tea at all hours, and a gorgeous courtyard in the middle of the property.

The room was clean and comfortable and had plenty of room for all of our gear. The courtyard in the middle of the property was the main draw for me, as not only was it beautiful, but was a great place to hang out, have some complimentary coca tea (if you’re struggling with altitude sickness, this is said to help) and enjoy your complimentary breakfast.

They serve breakfast starting at an absurdly early time to accommodate for guests who will be leaving early for treks around Cusco. I figured we would kind of just be out of luck, so it was a nice surprise to enjoy a hot breakfast of eggs, rolls, and fresh fruit juice before heading off for our trek.

Although located outside of the main square, it’s an easy 10 min walk or less to get to the main attractions.

Price: $40 single, $50 double

For more information: http://www.cusiwasi.com/

For the classic backpacker experience: Intro Hostel

From the outside, it doesn’t look like much. Then you open the doors to a secret courtyard located in an authentic colonial mansion that was built more than 400 years ago. I swear you can feel the history of this place.

Our private room felt like a cave – and I mean that in a good way! It really did have a Medieval times feel to it, and I was totally digging it. Our ensuite bathroom had a nice clean, hot shower which was welcomed after returning from an overnight trek outside of Cusco. Also, Cusco gets really cold at night, so it was a life-saver that they provided an in-room space heater. We were toasty throughout the night and woke up to a nice warm room.

This hostel is located only a few blocks from the main area of bars, restaurants, and even a grocery store. I loved how centrally located the property was, as location is typically the first thing I look at when booking accommodation.

Although I opted for a private room and was a bit of a hermit during my stay here, there are plenty of dorm bed options and there were always other travelers lounging about or gathering around the nightly, onsite bonfire. It is a very social hostel that is perfect for meeting other backpackers.

Price: $40 private room, $8-$12 dorms 14-6 beds

For more information: http://www.introhostels.com/

For an upscale & romantic B&B: Samana Inn & Spa

My stay with Samana Inn & Spa was nothing short of magical. Looking out of the floor-to-ceiling windows from our gorgeous bedroom, all we could see were the endless tiled rooves of Cusco with mountains off in the distance. At night we opened the curtains to watch the twinkling lights of the town, and in the morning, we were happily woken to the sounds of the nearby church bells. It most certainly was the most romantic hotel I’ve ever stayed at.

Aside from loving the room itself, I loved the medieval details like the cobblestone walls and the giant lanterns in the staircases. Everything about this place felt charming. With only 4 rooms available, you almost feel like you have the place to yourself. The complimentary breakfast is made to order by one of the super friendly staff members. Breakfast consists of freshly cut fruit, eggs and rolls with some of the best jam I’ve ever had. We had to be up and out early for a trek and they were more than willing to get breakfast going for us at an early hour.

The Inn is centrally located, but is just enough off of the beaten path that you’re removed from the noisiness of the city.

The only thing that could have possibly made our stay better would be if we were able to experience one of the raved about spa treatments. The owner, Juan Manuel is a trained and certified massage therapist. He was so accommodating and had an appointment made for us, but we had to cancel at the last minute as our train was late coming in from Aguas Calientes. So sad we missed out, but hopefully next time!

If you’re looking for a true Inn experience with personalized attention and unparalleled views of the city in a charming & romantic setting, I couldn’t recommend Samana Inn & Spa any higher.

Price: $70 for twin room, $90 for queen

For more information: http://www.samana-spa.com/

For top notch service and a fantastic breakfast: Hotel Casa De Fierro

What stuck out the most about my stay at Hotel Casa Fierro was the staff. I feel absolutely terrible for forgetting his name, but I’ve never received better service at a hotel before. First of all, we arrived really late in the evening and felt terrible about disturbing the staff, but he greeted us with a huge smile and got us checked in and into our room very quickly.

After returning from a 4 day trek we were so exhausted. He set us up with wifi and asked what time we would like breakfast at. I apologized that we actually had to be up and out by 5:30 as we had a very early flight to catch. Without hesitation, he said no problem and that he’d have breakfast ready for us at 5:15.

After a super hot shower we crawled into the incredibly cozy bed (they have this throw blanket on top of the bed that is simply divine) and had a short, but very restful sleep. The next morning, there our friend was whipping us up a lovely breakfast of eggs, fruit, toast with jam and freshly made coffee. I couldn’t believe how chipper and friendly he was after such a short night’s sleep!

I’m sad we didn’t get to spend more time at this hotel; between the staff, the cozy rooms & the wonderful breakfast, I would have loved to spend more time here.

Price: $40 single room, $50 queen room

For more information: https://www.facebook.com/CasadeFierroCusco/?ref=py_c

What’s your favorite thing to do in Cusco and why? Tell me in the comments below!

Disclaimer: I received some complimentary stays & tours during my time in Cusco in exchange for my opinions, but all opinions are my own. I only recommend places I would stay myself and tours that I love!

Wander On,

Wanderluluu xx