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Top 10 attractions in Cusco

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Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
2026 Global 100 - Best Things to Do

Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

9.8
4.6/5
179 reviews
Machu Picchu means "ancient mountain" in the Chichuan language, and is also known as "the lost city of the Inca". This ancient city was abandoned by the Inca Empire. It was built in the middle of the 15th century and is located at an altitude of about 2350 meters. Because of its unique location in the Andes Mountains, it was not discovered until the beginning of the 20th century and became widely known.Urubamba · 74.8km from Cusco
Qorikancha
No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Qorikancha

7.4
4.0/5
36 reviews
The Temple of the Sun is an important relic of the ancient Inca civilization, carrying profound historical and cultural connotations. Located in Peru, it was once a sacred place where the Incas held important ceremonies such as sacrifices. The architectural style of the temple is unique. It is made up of huge stones. The light golden boulders are bitten at precise angles, and the surface of the stones has weathered wavy patterns. Walking into the temple, the interior space is solemn and dignified, filled with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere. At that time, the Incas regarded the sun as a god, and the Temple of the Sun was the core place for them to express their worship of the sun. There are relics related to the worship of the sun here. Although they have gone through the baptism of time, they can still let future generations feel the awe and respect of the Inca people for the sun. When visitors come to the Peruvian Temple of the Sun, they seem to be able to travel through time and space, touch the beating pulse of the ancient Inca civilization, and appreciate the unique charm of this ancient civilization in the fields of architecture and belief.Cusco · 1.6km from downtown
Saqsaywaman
No. 8 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Saqsaywaman

6.8
4.1/5
35 reviews
This huge stone circle overlooks the city of Cusco. Like other typical Inca buildings, the Incas did not use any reinforced concrete. They used exquisite stone grinding technology to grind the large stones into specific shapes, and then put them together tightly. The stone circles that tourists see now are only a small part of the original ones. Today Sacsayhuaman is not only a must-see attraction for tourists to Cusco, but the highlight of IntiRaymi, the grand festival of the sun at the end of June every year, is held here.Cusco · 2.9km from downtown
Cusco Cathedral
No. 11 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Cusco Cathedral

6.5
4.2/5
41 reviews
A very eye-catching building in the east of the Plaza de Armas is the Cuzco Cathedral of Cusco. It is a very typical example of colonial rulers promoting the Catholic faith to the local indigenous people. The church has been damaged to varying degrees in four major earthquakes over the past 400 years, but all survived. The Cathedral is a very outstanding colonial building in Cusco, where you can see the high level of European painting style in the 17th century. Not to be missed is "The Last Supper" (The Last Supper) in the northeast corner of the church. The painter Marcos Zapata has made a "localized" modification of this famous work - a guinea pig is placed on a plate in front of Jesus.Cusco · 2.1km from downtown
Plaza de Armas
No. 12 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Plaza de Armas

6.4
4.4/5
54 reviews
In South American countries, almost every city has a central square, where the more important churches and some historical buildings in the city are gathered. People like to rest on the benches in the center of the square, chat with strangers, hello Birds, reading books, in a daze. A rainbow flag flies over the square. The rainbow flag here has nothing to do with the flag representing GayPride. This gorgeous rainbow flag is the city flag of Cusco.Cusco · 2.1km from downtown
Twelve Angled Stone

Twelve Angled Stone

5.9
3.8/5
29 reviews
Hatunrumiyoc Street is lined with ancient walls from the Inca era. The entire ancient wall is made of pieces of large stones that are cut flat and stacked like a puzzle. Although the stones on the wall are of different shapes and sizes, the ingenious combination is amazing. The stones are so tightly combined that even a piece of paper cannot be inserted. This is the brilliant masonry technology of the ancient Inca masons. This ancient wall street is more famous for a dodecagonal Inca stone (Piedradelos 12Angulos), which attracts many tourists to take pictures here. As its name suggests, the dodecagonal Inca stone has 12 sides and 12 corners, and is an existing Inca stone with polygonal corners. This seemingly random but meticulously calculated construction method is actually stronger than a neatly cut stone wall, standing upright after several major earthquakes. Go a little further and there is a side street (IncaRoca) on the right hand side with the famous jaguar stone wall. There are more than 20 stones on the top to spell out the image of a jaguar (Puma). Seeing or not seeing a jaguar requires your own imagination.Cusco · 2km from downtown
Inka Museum
No. 6 of Best Things to Do in Cusco

Inka Museum

5.3
4.7/5
16 reviews
The Inca Museum is an important place to explore the Inca civilization. Located in the center of Cusco, Peru, it is an important window to understand the pre-Columbian civilization. This colonial building houses more than 10,000 cultural relics, covering the Inca and earlier cultures such as Chavin and Nazca. Exhibits include sacrificial gold, colorful fabrics and well-preserved mummies. The exhibition hall clearly displays the cosmology, agricultural technology and social organization of the Andean civilization through a combination of real objects and pictures. Visitors can learn about the daily life, religious beliefs and social structure of the Incas through exhibits. The museum's exhibition design focuses on education, and multilingual interpretation signs are provided to facilitate tourists' understanding. The building itself retains the fusion characteristics of the Inca stone foundation and colonial arcades, and the giant stone sculptures displayed in the courtyard are worth stopping. The Inca Museum is located in the center of Cusco, with convenient transportation and can be reached on foot. There are many dining and shopping places around, which are suitable for tourists to rest after the tour. It is recommended that tourists reserve enough time to visit in order to fully experience the rich content of the museum.Cusco · 2.2km from downtown
Plaza San Blas
No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Cusco

Plaza San Blas

4.7
5.0/5
23 reviews
Walk eastward from Triunfo Street in the southeast corner of the square, walk for 10 minutes in the narrow stone alleys, climb a few steps, and look up to see San Blas built on a small hill. San Blas is a good place to spend a relaxing afternoon. Throw away the map and wander aimlessly in the alleys, and you will often get unexpected surprises.Cusco · 2km from downtown
Centro Historico de Cusco

Centro Historico de Cusco

4.5
Cusco's Historic Center Square is a famous square in Peru and the heart of the city. Surrounded by many historical buildings and attractions, the square is an important place for tourists to explore and understand the history and culture of Cusco.In the center of the square is a fountain surrounded by beautiful gardens and lawns. On the north side of the square is the Cusco Cathedral, which is a16The square is a 17th-century Baroque church with a gorgeous interior that showcases a mix of Spanish and Inca cultures. To the east of the square is the Inca Temple of Curicáncha, a sun temple from the Inca Empire that is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Peru. Today, the temple has been converted into the Monastery of Santo Domingo, which displays art and artifacts from the Spanish colonial period. To the south of the square is the Cusco City Hall, a colonial building that now houses the city government. To the west of the square is the Monastery of Concagalde, an Inca temple that was one of the most important religious centers in the Inca Empire. The Cusco Historic Center Square is one of the most important public spaces in Cusco and an ideal place for tourists to learn about Peruvian history and culture.Cusco · 1.8km from downtown
Sacred Valley
2026 Americas 50 - Best Things to Do

Sacred Valley

7
4.1/5
27 reviews
The Sacred Valley is the valley of the Urubamba River in the Andes Mountains. It is close to Cusco. The valley is lower than Cusco, at 2,000-3,000 meters, with a large drop. The area is rich in products, and can grow a variety of cold, temperate and even tropical crops, from potatoes, corn to bananas, which were the economic foundation of the Inca period. Through the valley, the Incas could reach the Amazon plains and exchange crops with the tribes living there. After the Spanish captured Cusco, the Inca king retreated into the valley and continued to resist by relying on fortifications built according to the terrain.Urubamba · 25.5km from Cusco

Experiences you can't miss in Cusco

Featured Cultural experiences in Cusco

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Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco
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4.9/5
· 127 reviews
Duration: 4 hrs
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The Textile Workshop Experience in Cusco Region
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5.0/5
· 15 reviews
Duration: 4 hrs
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Cusco Highlights Audio Tour: Inca & Sacred Cusco
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Duration: 2 hrs
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High-End Peruvian Cooking Class, Pisco Sour & San Pedro Market
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4.9/5
· 113 reviews
Duration: 4 hrs
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97.3% of travelers recommend
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City Tour in Cusco & visit Museum South American Camelid
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4.4/5
· 7 reviews
Duration: 4–5 hrs
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Cusco: Enjoy Cusco's Nightlife with a Bar Crawl and Free Shots
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Cusco Pub Crawl: Discover Local Bars, Clubs & Meet People
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City Tour in Cusco & visit Museum South American Camelid Private.
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4.9/5
· 20 reviews
Duration: 6 hrs
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Featured Food & drink in Cusco

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Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco
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5.0/5
· 116 reviews
Duration: 255 mins
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Local Market and Peruvian Cooking Class with Pisco Sour in Cusco
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5.0/5
· 146 reviews
Duration: 4 hrs
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Free Walking Tour Cusco: Views, History & Food Tasting
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4.8/5
· 37 reviews
Duration: 135 mins
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91.9% of travelers recommend
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From Cusco:Hike to Mount Pallayponcho with breakfast & lunch
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Duration: 12 hrs
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Cusco: "Bean to Bar" Chocolate Experience
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5.0/5
· 1 review
Duration: 1 hr
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Inca Streets & Eats by night
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Duration: 2 hrs
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Featured Spa & wellness in Cusco

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From Cusco: 7 Lagoons Tour
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Excursion 7 lagoons-Cusco| Full day
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From Cusco: 7 lakes with hot springs in Ausangate and meals
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Excursion to Ausangate 7 lakes from Cusco.
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Featured Outdoor experiences in Cusco

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Excursion to Humantay Lake From Cusco || Private Tour ||
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4.7/5
· 15 reviews
Duration: 12 hrs
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Tour to the Vinincunca Rainbow Mountain + Red Valley from Cusco
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Duration: 8–9 hrs
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Excursión to Humantay Lake Full Day from Cusco
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Death Road Peru, Mountain Bike Tour on the Most Dangerous Road
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Duration: 2,250 mins
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Rainbow Mountain from Cusco with Breakfast & Lunch
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River Rafting – Urubamba Adventure
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What travellers say about Cusco

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shanghaiboyu27 August 2025
5.0
Machu Picchu boasts 140 structures, including temples, sanctuaries, parks, and residences, as well as over 100 stairways, numerous fountains, and a comprehensive water system. Abandoned during the Spanish invasion and the fall of the Inca Empire in the 16th century, Machu Picchu was discovered by Yale University professor Hiram Bingham in 1911. The ruins consist of two main areas: an urban area and an agricultural area, separated by a stone wall. Beyond the wall lie terraced agricultural areas, divided into high and low terraces depending on the terrain. The urban area is divided into three zones: the sacred area, the area for priests and nobles, and the southern area for commoners.

Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

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想飞的鱼062727 January 2021
4.0
In the ancient Egyptian architectural art, besides the pyramids, the most impressive thing is the temple architecture. Temple architecture is an important carrier of Egyptian civilization. It reflects the level of development of ancient Egyptian social civilization, embodies the wisdom of the ancient Egyptians, and contains the ancient Egyptians' religious beliefs, national aesthetics, cultural symbols and other multi-layered connotations. Most of the temples in Egypt were built to worship the sun god.

Qorikancha

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泰宁根吴承恩29 April 2020
5.0
On the way to Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman is a must-go place. It is also a place with a very long history of Inca civilization. The architecture is also very spectacular and has been well preserved to this day.

Saqsaywaman

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东张西望望东西10 April 2020
5.0
Cusco Cathedral is the most famous building in Cusco. It is located in the Plaza de Armas. This cathedral has a long history and has existed since the Spanish colonial period. Locals will party in the square outside the cathedral during festivals.

Cusco Cathedral

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_TS***1s3 March 2020
5.0
piękne miejsce.... jedno z niewielu miast w Peru, które mi sie spodobało. Plaza jest w centrum miasta, napić sie wspaniałej kawy albo zjeść coś w pięknych plenerach.

Plaza de Armas

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DEAR张小球16 May 2020
5.0
It is a very magical place. It is hard to understand or imagine how people thousands of years ago could build stone walls so neatly. It is also a place with local characteristics, where you can appreciate the local customs.

Twelve Angled Stone

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Lavender and Sun27 December 2020
5.0
The park was originally a storage site for a textile raw material company, with textile equipment pits, fire pools, stone slabs, lightning rods and other industrial elements. The park takes "intelligence" as its theme, making full use of industrial relics, respecting the original historical features, highlighting the characteristics of the creative industry, and combining plant landscaping space to form a new cultural highlight in the park's green space.

Plaza San Blas

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pan***he28 February 2020
4.0
You can charter a car or take a taxi to visit several scenic spots in the Sacred Valley near Cusco. We took a taxi and went to the farthest Tambomachy first. It also has stone walls and springs, but it has fewer people. After we saw it, there were no more taxis, so we took a bus at the door to the second scenic spot, Pucapucara. There is a high platform-like place where you can lie on the grass and bask in the sun, and then walk to the third scenic spot, Qenko. The third scenic spot has the most people, and there are also groups coming here, and there are caves inside. After we saw it, there were taxis at the door, but because it was not far from the city of Cusco, we walked down and happened to pass through a forest, which was quite quiet.

Sacred Valley

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Frequently asked questions

What are the must-do things in Cusco?

Don't miss these attractions in Cusco: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, Qorikancha, and Saqsaywaman. If you like Cultural experiences, try Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco. If you enjoy Food & drink, try Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco.

You can give Peruvian Cooking Class Cocktails and Market Tour in Cusco and Traditional Peruvian Cooking Class and Market Tour in Cusco a try. Before you go, please check their opening hours and menus online. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours.

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