8 Fun things to do in Cusco (that aren’t Inca Ruins)
8 Fun things to do in Cusco (that aren’t Inca Ruins)
Cusco is full of Inca ruins – but there is so much more! And if you live in Cusco for a while to learn Spanish in Peru or for your volunteer work in Cusco, you definitely want more. Continue to read this blog and learn about 8 Fun Things to Do in Cusco while learning Spanish in Cusco. Do you know more? Please post at the end of this blog.
8 Fun things to do in Cusco (that aren’t Inca Ruins)
1. Take a walk in the typical neighborhood of San Blas.
There are many interesting shops, galleries, restaurants and cafes in the lovely neighborhood of San Blas. It is nice to go to Limbo Bar at Pasnapakana 133. It is up another flight of stairs from Plazoleta San Blas but it’s worth it for the views of the city. As the sun is going down you can relax with some snacks and a drink and enjoy the beautiful scenery over the city of Cusco.
2. Relax the park next to the Ccoricancha
Ccoricancha or The Temple of the Sun is just 10 minutes walk down Avenida el Sol from the Plaza de Armas. Lots of local people take a break here during sunny days. It is a beautiful spot to catch some sun and chill out, maybe have an ice-cream.
3. Try some typical Peruvian (street) food
Peruvian cuisine is amazing and so is Peruvian Street food. Depending of the time of day you can find: hot drinks stalls, Peruvian anticuchos (barbeque meat skewers), papa rellena (stuffed potato), rocoto relleno, (stuffed chilli), tamales, salchipapa (fries with sausage), and roasted banana. All amazingly good and tastefull. And cheap!
4. Explore some cool museums like the coca museum.
The mission of the coca museum is to promote the positive side of the coca leaf and its traditional uses. They also have an amazing variety of products made from the coca leaf. Also good to check out is the Choco museum, the museum of Scared, Magical and Medicinal Plants and the Centro de Textiles Traditionales. Another recommendation is the Inca Museum.
5. Take a chocolate making class in the Choco Museum.
This is a two hour workshop starting from the cocoa bean, taking you through the whole process to know how to make delicious chocolate. There is also a shop with loads of yummy chocolate products.
6. Walk to Cristo Blanco
To get there, walk from the Plaza de Armas to San Blas up the street Atocsaycuchi and just keep going up (be prepared there are a lot of stairs), you will pass a sports court and eventually reach the main road again. Turn left and keep walking until you reach the statue.
7. Learn to dance salsa
There are loads of opportunities to learn salsa in Cusco next to the free salsa classes that AMAUTA offers. You can take private lessons, group classes or even just take advantage of all the free classes offered by the various night clubs. There are free classes in Mama Africa, Mythology and Inca Team from 9pm each night.
8. Take a trip to Tipón to eat cuy
The small village of Tipón is famous for its Inca ruins (but no inca ruins in this blog) but also for its cuy (guinea pig, a typical Peruvian dish). It is about a 45 minute bus ride from Cusco and there are many restaurants to choose from; their signs reading “cuy al horno” meaning roast cuy. It will come whole with a heaped plate of noodles, potatoes, stuffed pepper and a blood sausage. You can ask for it to be chopped up to make it easier to eat.
9. Head to the second-hand fashion barrio
Just arrived in Cusco and found you are missing some essential warm clothes? Head here (Prolongacion Pera/ Baratillo Market), you can find pre-loved branded hiking clothes. Take a walk round this neighbourhood and you will find so many shops to choose from. You can negotiate the price. Plus, if you are American this is a fun place to spot your old college jumpers. It seems that donated clothes in America end up here. The market is not always open but around this area you will find loads of fashion shops. Note: be (very) carefull with pick pocketing here and leave your valuables at home. All of them.
10. Take a trip to Real Plaza
Real Plaza – Cusco’s very own shopping mall- is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon in Cusco. Full of places to shop and eat (although the majority are western shops). Just upstairs find a cinema showing the newest films in Spanish. So, you can practise your listening skills. They also have an arcade where you can win prizes.
How to get there?
The nearest bus stops to Real Plaza Cusco are Seminario, Magisterio and Avenida Collalsuyo.
Read more about shopping in Cusco