We spent 2 days in Cusco on our visit to Peru. Cusco is the starting point to visit the iconic Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But this ancient city nestled in a valley in the Andes warrants a visit in its own right.
How to get to Cusco
Cusco is located in the south of Peru, around 700 miles south east of the capital, Lima. It’s 400 miles north west of the Bolivian capital, La Paz. We arrived by bus from La Paz and departed by plane to Lima. There are several companies offering bus services between Cusco and Lima, La Paz and other destinations. We used Transzela. The bus station is centrally located, just a mile south of the old town. The airport is around 3 miles out of town. As well as domestic flights, you can fly direct to La Paz, Santiago and Bogotá.
Getting around Cusco
The old town is best explored by foot. On Day 2 of our itinerary, we travelled slightly further afield and opted for a guided coach tour, which we booked via Liz’s Explorer.
Where to stay in Cusco
We stayed at the Tierra Viva Cusco Centro, a very nice hotel in a characterful building in the old town. The building dates back to colonial times and has clean, comfortable rooms overlooking shady courtyards. The price includes an excellent breakfast.
Cusco in 2 Days Itinerary
| Bus to Cusco | |
| Day 1 | Cusco Accommodation – Tierra Viva Cusco Centro Centro Histórico Cusco Cathedral Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús Plaza de Armas Plaza Regocijo Plaza San Francisco Dinner at Hanz Craft Beer & Restaurant Plaza de Armas by Night |
| Day 2 | Cusco – Circuit No 1 Sacsayhuamán Q’enqo Puka Pukara Tambomachay Santo Domingo Dinner at Los Toldos Chicken |
Bus to Cusco
It’s early start as we head to El Alto Airport for our 10 am flight to Cusco. At almost 3 miles above sea level, I’m not looking forward to spending time here. It turns out I don’t have to. Our flight on Peruvian Airlines has been cancelled. I say cancelled – the airline ceased operating following a crash. The only other flight to Cusco today is fully booked. We can come back tomorrow, but it will cost $828. We contact our travel agent, who suggests we purchase overnight bus tickets. I’m not happy (understatement). But there isn’t really an option, so we get a taxi back to La Paz Bus Station which, incidentally, was designed by Gustave Eiffel.
There’s no central reservation system, just lots of little kiosks selling tickets for their own particularly companies. I wander around trying to find something suitable, amongst a lot of Bolivian police dressed in dog costumes – yes really! There are no direct services available, but we are able to catch a local bus to Copacabana and then an overnight bus from there with Transzela.
At 1.30 pm we crawl out of La Paz (again) in a huge cloud of diesel smoke, luggage bouncing precariously on the roof. And by 1.45 pm we have stopped by the roadside for repairs. We set off again for Copacabana (which we visited earlier in the week); highway over the plain, ferry across the lake, winding road through the mountains. The lake is much choppier than before. There are a few nervous moments, when I can see the raft containing the bus, containing my suitcase, containing all my belongings taking on water and I fear I’m going to have to wear the same pants for the next 19 days. At least I’m not on the raft – then I’d need new pants straight away!
We arrive in Copacabana at 5 pm, which gives us just enough to complete the requisite paperwork, buy some empanadas and board the second bus for a 6 pm departure.
After the rickety wreck that brought us thus far, we are pleasantly surprised to find that our second bus is actually really nice with comfortable reclining seats, heating, blankets etc. It only takes 30 minutes to reach the Peruvian border, then another 30 minutes for everyone to clear immigration.
After a quick photo op, we reboard our bus and lay back and relax (as much as is possible on bouncy mountain roads) for the final 11 hours of our journey.
Cusco Day 1
Accommodation – Tierra Viva Cusco Centro
We finally reach Cusco just before 6 am. It has taken 24 hours, 3 taxis, 2 buses and a ferry. We are tired, hungry, thirsty and smelly, so it’s a relief to check in to our hotel; Tierra Viva Cusco Centro in time for breakfast and a much needed shower.
Centro Histórico
After we have regrouped, we go for a wander round Cusco’s Centro Histórico. It’s very pretty with cobbled streets, plazas and plenty of old churches and other buildings, although it’s hard work dodging the hundreds of tourists and touts and vendors. Especially as my back has not coped well with the 17 hour bus journey.
Cusco Cathedral
Right in the centre is the imposing Cusco Cathedral. Its origins date back to the 16th Century, although construction took almost a century to complete. Building materials include blocks taken from a local Inca site.
The cathedral is open daily from 10 am until 6 pm. Entry costs 25 soles (around £5.40).
Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús
Across the square is the equally grand Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús, also dating from the 16th Century. You can climb a flight a steps for a spectacular view across the Plaza de Armas to Cusco and beyond.
The church is open daily from 9 am until 11.45 am. From Monday to Friday it opens again in the afternoon from 1 pm until 5.45 pm. Entry costs 20 soles (around £4.30).
Plaza de Armas
The main square, the Plaza de Armas, is a pretty square with trees, flowers and benches surrounding a fountain.
Plaza Regocijo
To the west of the Plaza de Armas is another pretty square; the Plaza Regocijo. Here, you will find the museum and the contemporary art museum.
Plaza San Francisco
To the west, another square, Plaza San Francisco is overlooked by the imposing Iglesia San Francisco.
Dinner at Hanz Craft Beer & Restaurant
We round the day off with dinner at Hanz Craft Beer & Restaurant, which scores very highly on TripAdvisor. It has good food and excellent beer, but the prices are more than I’d pay in the UK – 32 soles for a beer! What’s that all about?
Plaza de Armas by Night
We walk back to our hotel through the Plaza de Armas. At night, the atmosphere is buzzing. A succession of folk dance groups perform with hordes or tourists stopping to watch, whilst dozen of vendors try to sell their wares.
The old man can’t resist buying a woolly Cusco hat. We return to the hotel with me pretending not to know him.
Cusco Day 2 – Circuit No 1
Today, we are going on an organised tour of archaeological sites on the outskirts of Cusco. Entry tickets are sold in packages, so you can’t pay to visit just one site. Instead, you must purchase a Tourist Ticket, which gives you access to all attractions. Or choose between Circuits 1, 2 and 3. A Tourist Ticket costs 130 soles (around £28) or a ticket for Circuit 1, 2 or 3 costs 70 soles (around £15).
We opted for Circuit No 1, which gives access to four archaeological sites located within the Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Park. (Circuit No 2 covers sites in the Southern Valley, while Circuit 3 covers the Sacred Valley of the Incas). We paid a further 30 soles each for the tour.
Sacsayhuamán
Our circuit starts with Sacsayhuamán.
This is the bottom part of an Incan fort – the Spanish removed the top part to build their cathedral. You just need to stand near the base to appreciate the scale of the building.
Q’enqo
Next stop, Q’enqo – an ancient temple fashioned in a rock formation.
Puka Pukara
On to Puka Pukara, the ruins of an Incan military site. This fort is formed part of the defence of Cusco and the Inca Empire.
Tambomachay
Finally, Tambomachay, an Incan baths complete with aqueducts and waterfalls.
And, of course, the obligatory stop at a gift shop which specialises in llama wool products.
At the end of the tour, we are dropped off at the edge of town and have to walk back to the main square. It’s carnage. It’s carnival – this basically means that everyone has either a can of foam or a water pistol and we have run this gauntlet to get back to our hotel; pedestrians, people hanging out of car windows, people on balconies all attack as we walk by.
Santo Domingo
We pass by the church and convent of Santo Domingo, which were built in the 16th Century over the Incan site of Qorikancha.
Dinner at Los Toldos Chicken
In the evening, we brave the carnage once more in search of food. We avoid the main square and go to a chicken restaurant nearby; Los Toldos Chicken. In addition to chicken and chips, there is a salad bar. I’m excited. When travelling, it can be difficult to eat healthily. I take plenty of salad. It is laced with masses of chilli. I’m almost floored by a salad. The rest of the food is very good, though.
We eat our dinner whilst watching gangs of youths hunt each other down in foam warfare. Eventually, we have to leave the restaurant and brave a return up the hill to the hotel, stopping briefly to listen to a band which has set up on the pavement nearby.
Then it’s an early night as we have to be at the station by 6 am for our train to Machu Picchu – although it’s not easy to sleep with a brass band outside the window!
- Trip taken: March 2019
- Updated: September 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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