Cuzco

Artisan Market

Mercado Artesanal

If you don't want to go so far away, but still want touristy stuff, go to the big red building near the fountain. Also try the main market by Plaza San Francisco. This market is almost exclusively tourist-oriented goods. There are a few restaurants inside as well.

Sun-Thu 08:00 - 21:00, Fri-Sat 07:00 - 21:00

Bagdad Cafe

This small restaurant seems to produce everything themselves. Local food is extremely good, in the evening small performance groups enter the restaurant and give excellent performances. The prices are mid-range, but it is sure worth it. The daily menu lunch special is more like a snack.

Mon-Fri 12:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 16:00, closed Sun

Caos

If you want to get away from the tourist crowd for a while and dance the night away with the locals, head to this very nice large club with a great mix of music and exotic drinks.

S/100

Centro Comercial El Molino, Urbanizacion Ttio

Another market, you have to take a taxi and it costs S/2 to get there. In this market you can buy pirated merchandise including DVDs and CDs. A good quality copy DVD is S/3. Be aware that DVDs here may be region-encoded for region 4. These will not play on many DVD players purchased in the U.S. or Canada. Look for DVDs encoded for region 0, or you can see about modifying your DVD player to accept all DVDs.

Open 24 hours

Chia Vegan Kitchen

Arguably the best vegan place in Cusco, and very good value for money. Looks good, smells good, tastes good, and the staff is super friendly. Lunchtime offer includes drink and salad buffet for S/15. À la carte dishes are more expensive, but worth it. If you're up for a hot drink and/or something sweet, try the enormous hot chocolate for the (very enjoyable) sugar shock of the day.

Open now · closes 10 pm

Chifa Status

Good quality Chifa. Dishes for S/2-3. Ample portions invite sharing. Credit cards accepted.

Mon–Sat 13:00–16:00 and 18:00–21:00

ChocoMuseo

A shop ("museum") explaining the history of cacao (free) and offering chocolate workshops (not free) as well as cacao farm tours (not free). Different recipes from around the world are available all made with chocolate from the factory inside the cacao and chocolate museum. Great artisanal and organically sourced hot chocolate.

Open now · closes 7:30 pm·Free

Cicciolinia

This is a very tasty place to go for breakfast. Another location, Cicciolinia Café, is on Ruinas, which is open from 7:00 AM and good for brunch.

Daily 12:30 - 21:30·S/100

Cusco Cathedral

Catedral Basílica de la Virgen de la Asunción

Elaborate large cathedral full of colonial-era religious paintings. The biggest church in Cuzco, in front of Plaza de Armas. As a tourist the entrance is S/25. If you go in a "misa" (mass) between 06:30–09:00, it is free. No photography allowed.

Daily 06:00–20:00·S/40; morning mass free

El Encuentro

Reasonably priced vegetarian restaurant with good portions. The S/10 dinner includes soup, main course and mate. Free salads with lunch. They also do soy meat very well. There are two of these restaurants but the one in Calle Tigre near Plaza de Armas is S/8 for exactly the same menu.

Mon-Sat 08:00 - 22:00, closed Sun·S/20

El Fogon

Nothing fancy but great cheap food: for S/10 you get a meal deal that includes a plate from the salad bar, a selection of soup, a selection of main dish, a dessert and a beverage. Or splurge with their more expensive menu offer for S/20. Very tasty Peruvian food. Friendly staff.

Daily 12:00 - 22:00·S/20

El Muki

A place with more locals than the Plaza de Armas. It has a unique cave-like interior and is one of the city's oldest discos.

Open 24 hours

Emperador

They have a 13-page menu with all sorts of foods from around the world. Try the pisco sour tall.

Daily 09:00 - 22:00

Encantasq'a

A nice place to have a break with coffee and a snack. Especially the chocolate cupcakes are delicious and make up for half a lunch. They also have fresh cakes, quiches and juices.

Mon-Sat 08:00 - 18:00, closed Sun

Green Point

Vegan restaurant popular with tourists, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Various international dishes, and some Peruvian food. Gluten-free and raw options. Menu in English and Spanish. Wifi available.

Daily 08:00 - 22:00·S/35–50

Inka Grill

Well-known and frequented by tourists but not a trap. Excellent food. Good place to try cuy (guinea pig); some people have reported mud butt after eating it, it is tastily done and served without the head so eating doesn't remind you of your pet hamster. Try the appetizer tiradito de trucha. Alpaca also on the menu.

Daily 12:00 - 22:00

Jack's Cafe

This is a great place to get a big breakfast complete with eggs, bacon, avocado, toast and fantastic thick shakes. Very popular with tourists. Try the homemade lemonades. Right outside of Jack's is an empanada stand which has great rocoto salsa, a spicy salsa that goes well on the cheese or meat-stuffed pastries.

Daily 07:00 - 22:30·S/30

Le Nomade

2nd floor, cnr of Choquechaca and Cuesta San Blas 207. Coffee bar/lounge with live music every night. Reggae, Latin, cubano, afro-Jazz, blues, bossa, funk, soul, rock and española. No cover. Friendly staff.

Daily 09:00 - 20:00

Los Angeles

For late night food after clubbing, a very good fast food-type restaurant.

Los Perros

Chill restaurant/lounge. Ethnic food and comfortable couches. Has a variety of their own locally brewed house beers.

Machu Picchu Museum

Museo Machu Picchu, Casa Concha

The largest collection of Machu Picchu artifacts in the world. These artifacts were collected by Yale University researcher Hiram Bingham beginning in 1912 and returned to Peru in 2011. The museum is housed in a late 18th-century house called Casa Concha.

Mon–Fri 09:00–16:00, closed Sat–Sun·Foreigners S/20, international students and Peruvians with ID S/10, Peruvian students S/5

Mama Africa

On three levels. Snacks, a cafe on the rooftop, restaurant with a good cheap menu, two discos, the latest movies on DVD. Some of the decorations and paintings are by the owner/artist. Lots of people, good music, good atmosphere and free salsa lessons. Salsa starts at about 21:00 and goes until about 23:00. If you really want to learn some moves, dance with Carlos, Miguel, or Checo, who work there. It also plays host to the legendary 'crew' lively lot of Lima ladies whose exploits with gringo males have reached mythical levels. On the corner of Plaza de Armas.

Daily 19:00 - 05:00

Mercado San Pedro

San Pedro Market

The largest market close to the center. Though it's becoming more tourist-oriented it still has plenty of genuine local colour, a nice change from Plaza de Armas. If you're looking for a full blown market with a special aisle for entrails, this is the place to be. Colorful, vibrant, packed, San Pedro Market is not to be missed. You can find all manner of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, chocolates, honey, meats, household items, clothing, gifts, fresh fruit juices, and even tailors to repair your clothes while you wait. This market is in a less (but still somewhat) touristy area. The market itself is somewhat poorly lit (shaded by an overhang). Watch your belongings.

Mon-Sat 06:00 - 18:00, Sun 06:00 - 16:00

Mercado de San Blas

A lovely place to enjoy a delicious breakfast before starting a journey. Handcrafts available as well as fruits, vegetables and grocery items.

Mon-Sat 06:00 - 16:00, closed Sun

Monumento Pachacuteq

Down Av. Sol, is a statue of the Inca warrior King Pachacuteq. The statue is placed on a cylindrical base and the total monument is over 22 m high. The cylindrical base can be climbed, but views are disappointing because the monument is in a lower part of town.

Admission with the boleto turistico

Morena Peruvian Kitchen

Peruvian classics in an upscale setting on the Plaza de Armas. Reservations highly recommended months in advance during the high season. Walk-in wait times can be >2 hours during peak meal times.

Daily 12:00 - 23:00·S/100

Museo Histórico Regional

In the home of the Inca historian Garcilaso de la Vega, this 2-story museum has many paintings from the 17th and 18th century as well as historical displays chronicling the pre-Hispanic Inca civilization, the invasion of the Spanish and the role of Christianity in the post-conquest era. A tour is unlikely to take much more than an hour.

Daily 08:00–17:00·Included in boleto turistico

Museo Inka

Extensive museum of pre-Inca, Inca, and colonial artifacts. Labels in English and Spanish, though the descriptions in English are sometimes pretty different from the ones in Spanish.

Mon–Fri 09:00–16:00, Sat 08:45–13:45·S/20

Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo

In the Municipal Palace at Plaza Regocijo, this museum has exhibitions of contemporary art. Admission with the boleto turistico

Mon-Sat 09:00–18:00·Included in boleto turistico

Museo de Arte Popular

Displays a collection of popular art featuring handcrafts of the modern era.

Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00·Included in boleto turistico