In a previous post, I’ve mentioned that it’s worth your budget and effort to try and find a hotel or hostel near the Cusco Plaza de Armas (main plaza), especially if you only have a short amount of time to explore Cusco on your own. In my opinion, these are the benefits of staying near the Plaza during your Cusco vacation:
- It’s generally safer as there are other tourists and police officers around at nearly all hours of the day
- It’s where all the action happens (if you’re a light sleeper, pay attention to hotel or hostel reviews that mention noise at night)
- There are a wide variety of options for souvenir shopping for all types of budgets from ladies in traditional garb selling in the street to clothing made of top quality llama, alpaca or vicuña wool.
- You’ll be walking distance to all major banks – some of them may have partnerships with banks in your country
- The majority of the best restaurants and cafes are nearby, including traditional Peruvian food options
- You can do your own Cusco city walking tour to some of the top places or things to see in Cusco, Peru featured in the video below
Get the Best of Cusco in a Day
This video covers some top sites in Cusco all within walking distance of the main plaza shown in the following order (click on the links below for their exact locations in Google Maps):
- The Cusco Plaza de Armas (main plaza) where you’ll find the main cathedral, quaint cafes, and more
- The Plaza Tricentenaria (“Tricentennial Plaza”) right behind the main plaza with a beautiful fountain and picture taking opportunities
- La Cuesta de San Blas (“San Blas Hill”) exemplary of the narrow cobblestone streets in Cusco, pointing at Inca architecture
- The Plaza San Blas (San Blas Plaza) known for its artists and the Coca Museum
- The Cusco Plaza de Armas again (see above)
- The Mercado San Blas (San Blas Market) where you can try different fruits and foods from the region
