Where to stay · Cusco · Peru
Where to stay in Cusco
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: FLASHPACKER TRAVELGUIDE, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Historic Centre. Plaza de Armas, Inca walls, churches and the busiest streets for restaurants and agencies. Best alternatives — families: Urubamba; budget: San Cristóbal.
Key facts
- First visit
- Historic Centre
- Families
- Urubamba
- Budget
- San Cristóbal
- Nightlife
- Historic Centre
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Historic Centre | Plaza de Armas, Inca walls, churches and the busiest streets for restaurants and agencies |
| Families | Urubamba | Central Sacred Valley town surrounded by countryside resort hotels |
| Couples | San Blas | Hillside artisans' quarter of whitewashed houses, blue doors and small cafés |
| Budget | San Cristóbal | Hillside area above the plaza, on the way to Sacsayhuamán |
| Luxury | Historic Centre | Plaza de Armas, Inca walls, churches and the busiest streets for restaurants and agencies |
| Nightlife | Historic Centre | Plaza de Armas, Inca walls, churches and the busiest streets for restaurants and agencies |
| Food lovers | San Blas | Hillside artisans' quarter of whitewashed houses, blue doors and small cafés |
| Solo travellers | San Blas | Hillside artisans' quarter of whitewashed houses, blue doors and small cafés |
| Quiet stays | San Cristóbal | Hillside area above the plaza, on the way to Sacsayhuamán |
Cusco neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, luxury and nightlife
Historic Centre
The historic centre around the Plaza de Armas holds the Cathedral, the Compañía de Jesús church, Qorikancha and the Inca-walled streets of Loreto and Hatun Rumiyoc. It has the widest range of hotels, from converted colonial mansions to hostels, and every sight is within a short walk. Streets around the plaza are busy with tour touts and traffic.
- Good
- Walk to everything; Atmospheric colonial hotels; Restaurants and bars on every street
- Watch out
- Busy and noisy around the plaza; Touts selling tours and massages; Hotels at the higher end of prices
- Nearby
- Plaza de Armas, Cusco Cathedral, Qorikancha, Calle Hatun Rumiyoc
$$ · Best for couples, culture, solo travellers and food lovers
San Blas
Climbing steeply northeast of the Plaza de Armas, San Blas is Cusco's artisan quarter, with narrow cobbled lanes, workshops, galleries, cafés and the small church of San Blas with its carved cedar pulpit. Boutique guesthouses and hostels make it an atmospheric base, with views over the city's rooftops.
- Good
- Charming and quieter than the plaza; Cafés and artisan workshops; Views over the city
- Watch out
- Very steep streets at altitude; Taxis cannot reach some lanes
- Nearby
- San Blas Church, Calle Hatun Rumiyoc, Plaza de Armas
$$ · Best for quiet stays, budget and couples
San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal rises northwest of the Plaza de Armas around the church of the same name, whose terrace has one of the best views over the city. It is close to Sacsayhuamán and has guesthouses and small hotels, though the climb from the centre is steep.
- Good
- Views over Cusco; Walk to Sacsayhuamán; Quieter than the centre
- Watch out
- Steep climb back from the centre; Few restaurants
- Nearby
- San Cristóbal church, Sacsayhuamán, Plaza de Armas
$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
San Pedro
The area southwest of the Plaza de Armas, around the San Pedro market and train station, is less polished and more local. It has budget guesthouses and hostels and the market's food counters, and it is a short walk from the centre.
- Good
- Inexpensive stays and food; Close to the market; Flatter than San Blas
- Watch out
- Busy, less attractive streets; Watch for pickpockets around the market
- Nearby
- San Pedro Market, Plaza San Francisco, Centro de Textiles Tradicionales
$$ · Best for quiet stays, culture and couples
Pisac
Pisac, about 33 km from Cusco, sits on the Urubamba River below one of the valley's most impressive Inca sites, with terraces climbing the mountain. Its market sells textiles and crafts, and the town has yoga retreats, guesthouses and small hotels. At about 2,970 metres, it is lower and warmer than Cusco.
- Good
- Lower altitude for acclimatising; Relaxed atmosphere; Ruins and market on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Far from Machu Picchu trains; Limited nightlife
- Nearby
- Pisac archaeological site, Pisac market, Urubamba River
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and quiet stays
Urubamba
Urubamba is the valley's largest town and a hub for transport between Cusco, Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Many of the valley's resort hotels and haciendas sit in the countryside nearby, with gardens, mountain views and spas. It is a convenient base for Moray, Maras and Chinchero.
- Good
- Resort hotels with space and gardens; Central for valley sights; Lower altitude than Cusco
- Watch out
- Town centre is unremarkable; Need taxis or tours to get around
- Nearby
- Moray, Maras salt pans, Chinchero, Ollantaytambo
$$ · Best for culture, first-timers and couples
Ollantaytambo
At the western end of the Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo keeps an Inca street layout with water channels and stone walls, below a massive terraced fortress-temple. It is the main departure point for trains to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, about 1.5 hours away, and the start of the classic Inca Trail.
- Good
- Closest base to Machu Picchu trains; Authentic Inca town; Lower altitude than Cusco
- Watch out
- Crowded with day-trippers in the afternoon; Fewer restaurants than Cusco
- Nearby
- Ollantaytambo archaeological site, Ollantaytambo station, Inca Trail Km 82
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Historic Centre | $$$ | Plaza de Armas, Cusco Cathedral, Qorikancha, Calle Hatun Rumiyoc |
| San Blas | $$ | San Blas Church, Calle Hatun Rumiyoc, Plaza de Armas |
| San Cristóbal | $$ | San Cristóbal church, Sacsayhuamán, Plaza de Armas |
| San Pedro | $ | San Pedro Market, Plaza San Francisco, Centro de Textiles Tradicionales |
| Pisac | $$ | Pisac archaeological site, Pisac market, Urubamba River |
| Urubamba | $$$ | Moray, Maras salt pans, Chinchero, Ollantaytambo |
| Ollantaytambo | $$ | Ollantaytambo archaeological site, Ollantaytambo station, Inca Trail Km 82 |
Getting to your hotel
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport is about 5 km southeast of the historic centre; taxis reach the Plaza de Armas in about 15–20 minutes. Many hotels arrange pick-ups.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Cusco for first-time visitors?
Historic Centre. The historic centre around the Plaza de Armas holds the Cathedral, the Compañía de Jesús church, Qorikancha and the Inca-walled streets of Loreto and Hatun Rumiyoc.
+Where should families stay in Cusco?
Urubamba: Resort hotels with space and gardens.
+Which area of Cusco is best for a budget stay?
San Cristóbal ($$): Hillside area above the plaza, on the way to Sacsayhuamán.