What to see in Cusco in one day: a 24h itinerary
If you only have 24 hours in the capital of the Incan empire, you’re probably wondering what to see in Cusco in one day…
Don’t worry, because Sara and I have you covered!
We spent an entire month living in Cusco and have compiled the best 24-hour itinerary for your quick visit. Over our time here, we definitely picked up some favorite spots and discerned which places were a bit overrated.
We’ll have you visiting the major temples, eating at the best food spots and taking in Cusco from the best viewpoint in the city.
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A quick warning about altitude sickness
Before we hop into our what to see in Cusco in one day itinerary, we just wanted to cover a pretty important topic – altitude sickness.
If you’ve just traveled to Cusco from sea level, it might be worth taking it slow for a while, even if you only have 24-hours in the city. Spending too much time walking up and down hill or rushing around to see things could lead to some detrimental symptoms.
There are tons of easy going things to do in Cusco while acclimating, so maybe take it easy for a bit.
Sara and I thought we’d be immune to altitude sickness as we are young, healthy and regularly exercised. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case…
So just be prepared to tackle altitude sickness in Cusco, because it might knock you for six!
What to see in Cusco in one day
If you start nice and early in the morning, the one day itinerary below is designed to be followed in order to hit as many spots as possible in one day in a full city tour!
We’ve tried to add some variety to the guide. This way you’ll experience not only the culture in the city, but also the foothills surrounding the city too.
Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas, or Plaza Mayor, is the beating heart of Cusco. It’s the main square that locals come to to relax on the benches, people watch or visit the many shops and restaurants around its perimeter.
It’s also a huge community hub during events and ceremonies during the year. We actually spent Christmas and NYE in Cusco in Plaza de Armas for this reason.
And for that, we think it’s a great place to start the day!
- Entrance fee: FREE!
- Opening times: 24/7
- Time to visit: 30 minutes
Cusco Cathedral
There are a few churches surrounding Plaza de Armas, but none quite so grand as Cusco Cathedral.
Built in 1668, the cathedral is on the north side of the Plaza. It’s Kind of expensive to enter in our opinion, but if you’re into history and religious architecture like we are, it’s going to be a great visit!
- Entrance fee: S/.40 ($10.68)
- Opening times: 6am – 8pm
- Time to visit: 30 to 60 minutes
Twelve Angled Stone
Just right of the cathedral is a road that leads to a super unique alleyway. In this alleyway, you’ll find a well preserved example of an Incan wall. In this Incan wall is Cusco’s infamous Twelve Angled Stone.
It’s a stand out in the wall because… well, it’s got twelve sides. But it was once a part of the Inca Palace here in Cusco and it’s now considered a national heritage object to Peru.
Just bear in mind that this alley can get super busy with tourists seeking out the Twelve Angled Stone. We decided to visit nice and early to skip the crowds!
- Entrance fee: FREE!
- Opening times: 24/7
- Time to visit: 10 minutes
The Sun Temple (most cultural thing to see in Cusco in one day)
Like many religions, in the Incan religion the sun represents the male and the moon represents the female. Kind of surprisingly, the sun and moon temples in Cusco are quite far apart!
The Sun Temple is actually located inside the Santo Domingo Convent and Church. Most temples in Cusco had been destroyed by the Spanish and replaced with churches. But the Sun Temple was the only one that was actually preserved.
Upon entry, you’ll be blessed with a picturesque view of the old convent courtyard. But then quickly you’ll notice the array of Incan temples around it. You can even enter the Sun Temple. It’s a great way to get some Incan culture before heading to Machu Picchu!
- Entrance Fee: S/.15 ($4)
- Opening times: 6am – 5:30pm
- Time to visit: 30 to 60 minutes
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San Blas Market (Lunch)
There are two popular markets in Cusco, the biggest one being Mercado San Pedro. However, we found that the cleaner and fresher option for food was Mercado San Blas, which is close by to Plaza San Blas.
Only a 15-minute walk uphill from The Sun Temple, Mercado San Blas offers a range of food options. Take your pick from freshly made sandwiches, to local Peruvian dishes and, if you’re on a budget, tons of menu del dia options.
Don’t forget to have a good wander around the market too. It’s the local market to the residents of the San Blas neighborhood, so it’s super interesting to see what’s being sold!
- Entrance fee: FREE! But the food costs.
- Opening times: 6am – 4pm, closed Sundays.
- Time to visit: 30 minutes
Temple of the Moon
We hope you’ve filled up at San Blas Market, because you now have a nice long uphill walk to the Cusco foothills. Remember when we said that the sun and moon temples were quite far away, well now you’re walking to the Temple of the Moon.
Luckily, because the temple of the Moon is so far away, it avoided destruction from the Spanish. In fact, it would be pretty hard to destroy anyway, as it’s built inside the caves of a giant bedrock.
The walk up from San Blas should take you around 45-minutes. We covered the route in our guide to the Temple of the Moon.
You can actually enter this temple as it’s a fenced off archeological site, but you can walk around its perimeter and admire it from afar. There’s also a pretty decent view over Cusco from here!
- Entrance fee: FREE!
- Opening times: 24/7
- Time to visit: 20 minutes
Cristo Blanco Viewpoint (BEST thing to see in Cusco in one day)
Remember the viewpoint we spoke about in the intro? Well now it’s time to head there! Cristo Blanco is a giant statue of Jesus that overlooks Cusco.
Luckily, from the Temple of the Moon it’s a simple 25-minute walk along the hills. But don’t worry, it’s a pretty flat walk! Especially in comparison to if you had walked from the city center.
Stop here to enjoy uninterrupted views of the entire city of Cusco, which is pretty sizable by the way! You can see tons of major landmarks here including Plaza de Armas, the Church of San Francisco and even the giant San Pedro market!
- Entrance fee: FREE!
- Opening times: 24/7
- Time to visit: 20 minutes
Saqsaywaman
Built in the 15th century by Sapa Inca Pachacuti, one of the most prominent Incan figureheads, Saqsaywaman was an Incan citadel overlooking Cusco.
At 3,700m above sea level, one of the main characteristics of these ruins are the perfect Incan walls. Similar to the Twelve Angled Stone wall and the Sun Temple, walls as pristinely made as these are reserved only for palaces and temples.
You can pay the pretty high price to venture inside and explore the ruins… or you could do what we did. While walking towards Saqsaywaman from Cristo Blanco, you’ll be able to see the entire compound without stepping a foot in.
You can even get up close to the walls of Saqsaywaman along the path that leads back down to Cusco!
- Entrance fee: S/.70 ($18.72)
- Opening times: 7am – 5:30pm
- Time to visit: 60 minutes
KION Peruvian Chinese Fusion (Dinner)
There are a plethora of amazing restaurants we could send you to in Cusco. However, considering you only have 24-hours, we think the most unique one is KION.
KION is a more upper class dining experience that offers traditional Peruvian dishes but with a chinese twist. If you didn’t know, Chinese cuisine has had a pretty heavy influence on Peruvian food, with fried rice dishes, or chaufa, being considered a Peruvian dish!
Therefore, KION is a great way to explore this fusion. At the roots, it’s also a restaurant that serves delicious food!
However, if Asian inspired food isn’t your jam, then we also recommend Morena Peruvian Kitchen on the plaza to be a great place for higher quality Peruvian food. Or alternatively, for something even more unique to Peru, try the local guinea pig dish!
Pisco Sour Tasting
Finally, you’re reaching the end of your day in Cusco. Why not finish off your time by sampling Peru’s national liquor – pisco sour!
Pisco is local to this region of the world and has a citrusy taste with notes of grapes and vanilla. In its thicker sour form, Sara and I just couldn’t get enough of this drink.
But be careful, because it’s strong and it hits hard!
We personally didn’t find anywhere to go for an actual tasting session, but we’re sure they’re around. Instead, literally walk into any bar or restaurant and we’re sure that pisco sour will be on the menu!
Where to stay in Cusco
If you’re planning to spend a day in Cusco, along with a night, here are a few great spots in the historic center to stay!
Hostels:
- Wild Rover Cusco ($7-15/night) ← Cusco’s party hostel.
- Viajero Kokopelli Hostel Cusco ($15-40/night)
- Cusco Rock Hostel ($16.50/night)
Budget Hotels:
- Eco Bunnu Inn ($23/night)
- Cochito Cusco ($28/night)
- Andean Valley Hotel ($26/night)
Mid-Range Hotels:
- Amaru Colonial ($57/night)
- Casa Montes San Blas ($49/night)
- Hotel Hacienda Cusco Centro Historico ($56/night)
Luxury Hotels:
- Union Hotel Cusco ($100/night)
- Auka Boutique San Blas ($74/night)
- Anahuarque Hotel Boutique ($72/night)
Our thoughts on what to see in Cusco in one day
We imagine that you came to this guide thinking “dang it, I only have 24-hours, is that even enough to see everything in Cusco in one day?”
Well luckily you have Sara and I to guide you. Because in reality, it’s surprising what you can see in Cusco in one day and we got you covered.
So don’t worry too much, you’ll still be able to see and experience most of the city, albeit at a rather fast pace. Then whatever you miss out on you can save for your next visit!
Check out our other Cusco guides:
- Is Cusco safe to visit in 2024? Everything you need to know
- What’s the rainy season in Cusco like? – Peru Travel Guide
- Cusco Weather in January: A good time to visit?
- Spending Christmas in Cusco: Things to do and how to celebrate!
- 2 Days in Cusco: The best way to see everything quickly!
- 3 days in Cusco – a full itinerary and everything you need to know!
- 4 days in Cusco: A full itinerary and everything you need to know!
- 16 Completely FREE things to do in Cusco!
- How to avoid altitude sickness in Cusco and Peru!
- Visiting the Temple of the Moon in Cusco: Everything you need to know!
- Cusco in December: Weather, celebrations, things to do and more!
We hope that our guide covered everything you need to know about what to see in Cusco in one day. We always strive to offer the most accurate and up-to-date information we can but if you think something we’ve said is wrong, please let us know!
