What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Cusco, Peru.
Photo: Cristhians_art / Pexels
Cusco is an inland city in Peru with about 428,450 people. Most sights sit close together in the historic centre around the Plaza de Armas, where you find the cathedral and the Church of La Compañía de Jesús. The Inca ruins of Sacsayhuamán and Qenqo lie in the hills above the city. San Blas and San Pedro Market give a sense of daily life. The best months to visit are June, July, August and September.
Plan for more than 1 day. The centre alone fills a full day: the cathedral, Qorikancha and the Museo de Arte Precolombino take 1–2 hours each. Add 2–3 hours for Sacsayhuamán, 1 hour for Qenqo and 2–3 hours for San Blas.
Hills above San Cristóbal
This large Inca site sits on the hill above the city. Its huge stone walls are cut to fit together without mortar. You also get wide views over Cusco's red-tiled roofs.
Avenida El Sol
This was the most important Inca temple in Cusco. The Spanish built the Santo Domingo convent on top of it, so you can see fine Inca stonework and colonial buildings side by side.
Historic centre
The main square was the centre of the Inca capital and is still the heart of the city. It is surrounded by stone arcades, churches and balconies, and it is a good place to start exploring on foot.
Plaza de Armas
The cathedral stands on the main square and holds a large collection of colonial religious art from the Cusco School. Look for the painting of the Last Supper with a guinea pig on the table.
Plaza de Armas
This Jesuit church faces the main square next to the cathedral. It has a richly carved stone front and a gilded altar inside.
San Blas
A steep neighbourhood of narrow stone streets, craft workshops and small cafés just uphill from the main square. The small San Blas church has a finely carved wooden pulpit.
Historic centre
This narrow lane is lined with original Inca walls. The best-known block has twelve angles that fit tightly against the stones around it, which shows the skill of Inca builders.
San Pedro
Cusco's main covered market sells fruit, bread, cheese, herbs and local food at simple counters. It is a good place to eat a cheap lunch or try fresh juice among local shoppers.
Plaza de las Nazarenas
A compact museum in a colonial mansion with well-displayed ceramics, gold and silver objects from cultures across ancient Peru. The labels are clear and the collection is easy to see in one visit.
Hills above the city
A sacred Inca rock carved with channels, steps and an underground chamber, a short way past Sacsayhuamán. Many visitors combine it with the other Inca sites on the hill.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C / 8°C | 26 days (195 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 6.2/10 |
| February | 16°C / 8°C | 25 days (165 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 6.1/10 |
| March | 16°C / 7°C | 23 days (131 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 6.1/10 |
| April | 16°C / 6°C | 17 days (62 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 6.2/10 |
| May | 17°C / 5°C | 9 days (27 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 7.6/10 |
| Best month: June | 17°C / 4°C | 2 days (7 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 9.0/10 |
| Best month: July | 17°C / 4°C | 3 days (9 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.2/10 |
| Best month: August | 18°C / 5°C | 6 days (18 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 8.8/10 |
| Best month: September | 18°C / 6°C | 9 days (27 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 8.2/10 |
| October | 18°C / 7°C | 17 days (71 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| November | 18°C / 8°C | 21 days (125 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| December | 17°C / 8°C | 24 days (164 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 6.6/10 |
The wettest month, with 26 rain days and 195 mm of rain. Highs reach 16.3°C. Expect showers most days. Still scores good at 6.2.
Highs of 16.1°C, 25 rain days and 165 mm of rain. It stays very wet, but the score is still good at 6.1.
Rain eases a little to 23 rain days and 131 mm. Highs stay at 16.1°C. A good month, scoring 6.1.
The wet season fades: 17 rain days, 62 mm of rain and highs of 16.3°C. Scores good at 6.2, with 10.3 sun hours.
The dry season starts. Only 8.5 rain days, highs of 16.6°C and cool nights at 5.3°C. A best month, scoring 7.6.
Very dry, with 2.1 rain days and 7 mm of rain. Highs of 16.8°C, but nights drop to 4.3°C. A best month, scoring 9.
The top score of the year at 9.2. Only 2.5 rain days and highs of 17.4°C, but the coldest nights at 3.8°C.
Highs of 18°C, 5.9 rain days and 11.1 sun hours. A best month, scoring 8.8. Nights are chilly at 4.6°C.
The warmest highs of the year at 18.3°C, with 8.8 rain days and 11.1 sun hours. The last best month, scoring 8.2.
Rain returns with 17 rain days and 71 mm, though highs stay at 18.3°C. Scores good at 7.
Wetter again, with 21 rain days and 125 mm of rain. Highs of 18°C and mild lows of 7.7°C. Still good, scoring 7.
The wet season is back in full: 24 rain days and 164 mm of rain, with highs of 17.1°C. A good month, scoring 6.6.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Peru →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for views, quiet, repeat visitors
San Cristóbal sits on the slope above the Plaza de Armas, below the road up to Sacsayhuamán. It is quieter than the centre, and many places have wide views across the city. The drawback is the steep climb back up from the centre every day, which many people find tiring in the first days at altitude.
Good for budget travellers, local feel
Santa Ana is an older residential area uphill to the west of the centre, with a church, small plazas and simple guesthouses. It gives a more local, less touristy side of Cusco while staying walkable to the main square. The drawback is the steep hill and stairs, and there are fewer restaurants nearby, so evenings mean walking back down.
Good for families, longer stays, practical needs
Wanchaq is a modern, mostly flat district southeast of the historic centre, with supermarkets, banks, clinics and everyday local restaurants. It is useful for longer stays and is closer to the airport. The drawback is that it has little historic character, and you will need a taxi or a longer walk to reach the main sights.
Whole guinea pig roasted until the skin is crisp, often served with potatoes and stuffed peppers. It is an old Andean dish that local families eat at celebrations. Tipón, near Cusco, is known for it.
A cold platter of roast guinea pig, chicken, sausage, cheese, seaweed, fish roe and corn cake. Locals eat it mainly during the Corpus Christi festival, when stalls sell it around the main square.
Pork marinated in chicha de jora and spices, then slowly cooked into a rich broth. Many Cusco families eat it as a Sunday breakfast, and picanterías serve it early in the day.
Chunks of pork fried in their own fat, served with boiled corn, potatoes and fresh mint. The nearby town of Saylla is famous for it, and locals often drive out there at weekends.
A mildly alcoholic drink made from fermented maize. It is served in simple local bars called chicherías, which often hang a red flag or bag on a pole by the door.
A large, round, slightly sweet bread from the town of Oropesa, close to Cusco. Locals buy it from street sellers and markets and eat it with coffee or cheese.
The best time to visit Cusco is June to September. These months score highest in our ratings, with July at 9.2 out of 10. They are the driest months. June has only 2.1 rain days and 7 mm of rain, and July has 2.5 rain days. Days are sunny too, with 10.5 to 11.1 hours of sun.
Yes, January is rated good (6.2 out of 10), but it is the wettest month. Expect about 26.2 rain days and 195 mm of rain. It is not cold: highs reach 16.3°C and lows stay around 7.5°C. There are still about 9.7 hours of sun a day, so pack a rain jacket and plan indoor sights like the Cathedral and Qorikancha.
Nights in Cusco are cold, especially in the dry season. In July the average low is 3.8°C, and June drops to 4.3°C. Days are much warmer, with a July high of 17.4°C. This big gap between day and night means you need warm layers, even in the sunniest months.
Yes, August is one of the best months, with a score of 8.8 out of 10. It is dry, with 5.9 rain days and 18 mm of rain. It is also one of the sunniest months, at 11.1 hours of sun a day. Highs reach 18°C, but nights are cold at around 4.6°C.
Plan at least 2 full days for the main sights in the city. Sacsayhuamán and a walk through San Blas each take 2–3 hours. Qorikancha, the Cathedral, San Pedro Market and the Museo de Arte Precolombino each need 1–2 hours. Shorter stops like the Plaza de Armas and Qenqo take about 1 hour each.
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