View of Cusco with the Plaza de Armas, La Compañía and the cathedral from Qolqampata hill
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Cusco in 2 days

  • 2 days
  • 4.2 km on foot
  • 16 stops
  • Audio guide

Two days give you something priceless in Cusco: time to acclimatise. The first is gentle, with short walks and two museums where you spend much of the time sitting down; on the second, once your body has adjusted, you head up to Sacsayhuamán to look down over the city. It's the ideal plan if you're arriving before Machu Picchu and want to get to know Cusco properly.

Day 1Market, museums and legends

Today is about acclimatising, so no early start: have a coca tea and set off on "Cusco in a morning", from San Pedro Market to the Arch of Santa Clara and the Twelve-Angled Stone. Lunch on chicharrón in Calle Pampa del Castillo, ideally one portion to share. In the afternoon, two indoor museums almost next door to each other around Plazoleta de las Nazarenas. At sunset, "Tunnels, tremors and serpents" leads from La Compañía and the cathedral up to San Cristóbal: take that last climb very slowly. Then lomo saltado and an early night.

  1. Morning

    Cusco in a morning: market, squares and the famous stone

    Mixed · 1.3 km · 1 h 40 min

    1. San Pedro MarketCusco’s pantry since 1925: juices, giant loaves, medicinal herbs and steaming soups under an iron roof.
    2. Arch of Santa ClaraA neoclassical triumphal arch honouring a country that lasted only three years: the Peru-Bolivian Confederation.
    3. Plaza and Church of San FranciscoA leafy square presided over by an austere Franciscan church that hides crypts, a carved choir and a gigantic canvas.
    4. Plaza Regocijo, the old KusipataThe other half of the great Inca square, with the town hall and the house where Inca Garcilaso de la Vega lived.
    5. Plaza de Armas, the beating heart of CuscoPeru’s most photographed square: two Baroque churches, carved wooden balconies and the great festival of Inti Raymi.
    6. The Twelve-Angled StoneThe most famous block of Inca masonry: twelve edges fitted to their neighbours without mortar.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Cusco-style chicharrón at Chicharronería Los Mundialistas. Calle Pampa del Castillo 371

  3. Afternoon

    Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (MAP)

    Set in a colonial mansion on Plazoleta de las Nazarenas, this museum displays ceramics, metalwork and carvings from Peruvian cultures that predate the Incas, presented as works of art. Small and beautifully curated, it's perfect for a quiet afternoon.

    Directions

    Museo Inka

    In the Admiral's House, on the slope running up from the Plaza de Armas, it gathers ceramics, textiles, wooden keros and mummies that show how the Incas lived. Weavers often work in the courtyard. Check opening hours before you go.

    Directions

  4. Early evening

    Tunnels, tremors and serpents: legendary Cusco

    Mysteries & legends · 1.5 km · 1 h 50 min

    1. Qorikancha: the golden garden and the ChinkanaA golden garden described by the chroniclers, and a tunnel that, according to tradition, ran underground all the way to Sacsayhuamán.
    2. La Compañía and its quarrel with the cathedralA façade that, so the story goes, tried to outshine the cathedral and sent a complaint all the way to the Pope.
    3. Cusco Cathedral and the Lord of the EarthquakesA dark Christ that Cusco credits with calming the 1650 earthquake, and a bell with a woman’s name.
    4. Plazoleta de las Nazarenas and Siete CulebrasA quiet little square, a former religious house on Inca walls, and an alley with serpents carved into the stone.
    5. San Cristóbal: Manco Cápac and the puma of CuscoFrom the forecourt of a church linked to a baptised Inca prince you see the city that, according to an old idea, was shaped like a puma.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  5. Dinner

    Try Lomo saltado at Inka Grill. Portal de Panes 115, Plaza de Armas

Day 2Inca walls and views from above

With another night at altitude behind you, start mid-morning on "From the Temple of the Sun to the Cross": Qorikancha, the Loreto alley, Hatun Rumiyoc and the San Blas neighbourhood with its artisans' workshops. Head back to San Pedro Market for caldo de gallina, a restoring broth. In the afternoon, take a taxi up to Sacsayhuamán, take in its zigzag walls and walk a few minutes to the Cristo Blanco. From there the whole centre spreads out below you before you walk back down via San Cristóbal.

  1. Morning

    From the Temple of the Sun to the Cross: Cusco of two empires

    History · 1.4 km · 1 h 45 min

    1. Qorikancha and Santo DomingoThe Inca Temple of the Sun, turned into a Dominican convent, where Inca stonework survived the earthquakes that brought down the colonial walls.
    2. Calle Loreto: the alley of Inca wallsA narrow alley between two Inca walls: on one side, Huayna Cápac’s palace; on the other, the house of the chosen women.
    3. Plaza de Armas: the old HuacaypataThe great ceremonial square of the Incas was also the stage for the conquest and for the execution of Túpac Amaru II.
    4. Hatun Rumiyoc and the palace of Inca RocaThe wall of the palace attributed to Inca Roca, now the Archbishop’s Palace, with the Twelve-Angled Stone set into its base.
    5. San Blas: the neighbourhood and its churchThe artisans’ quarter at the top of a steep slope, with a plain-looking church that holds one of the most celebrated pulpits in the Americas.

    Start the audio guide See the route

  2. Lunch

    Try Caldo de gallina at Mercado Central de San Pedro (puestos de comida). Calle Túpac Amaru 477

  3. Afternoon

    Sacsayhuamán

    The great Inca complex overlooking Cusco, with zigzag walls of huge stones fitted together without mortar. It hosts the Inti Raymi festival every 24 June. It's usually covered by the Cusco tourist ticket (boleto turístico); check before you go up.

    Directions

    Cristo Blanco

    The white statue you can see from all over the city, a gift from Palestinians who found refuge in Cusco in the mid-20th century. It's a short walk from Sacsayhuamán, and its terrace is one of the best viewpoints over the valley, especially late in the day.

    Directions

The map

Cusco in 2 days, on the map

Each route’s stops are numbered in order; the stars are the extra sights.

Mixed Mysteries & legends History Extra sight

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Before you go

Tips for Cusco in 2 days

  • The Cusco tourist ticket (boleto turístico) usually includes Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo and several Sacred Valley sites, but not the cathedral, Qorikancha or private museums. Check what each version covers before you buy.
  • For Sacsayhuamán, go up by taxi and walk down: climbing the steps from San Cristóbal at this altitude is hard going. Bring water, a cap and sunscreen, as there's no shade at the top.
  • If you're going to Machu Picchu, do Cusco first: two days acclimatising here makes the trip far more enjoyable. Entry tickets and trains sell out, so book them weeks in advance.

Questions

Cusco in 2 days: your questions

Are 2 days in Cusco enough?

For the city itself, yes: you'll see the historic centre, two good museums and Sacsayhuamán without rushing, while giving yourself time to acclimatise. What won't fit is the Sacred Valley or Machu Picchu, which each need at least one extra day.

Is the Cusco tourist ticket worth it?

If you're going up to Sacsayhuamán and plan to visit the Sacred Valley, usually yes, as it typically bundles those sites. If you only want the centre, maybe not: the cathedral and Qorikancha are paid separately. Check the versions and how long they're valid before buying.

How far will I walk in two days?

About 4.2 km on the tours: 2.8 km on day one, between the highlights walk and the legends walk, and 1.4 km on day two. Add the stroll between Sacsayhuamán and the Cristo Blanco and the walk back down to the centre.

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