HunterPeru is the third largest country in South America. It sits on the west coast, below Ecuador and above Bolivia and Chile. In southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley, the city of Cusco sits picturesquely against the Andes Mountains. If you have 4 days to spend in this historic city, you will have plenty to experience.
Cusco is the perfect destination to find relics from the Incan empire and architecture left over from Spanish colonization.
In addition, you can check out the Temple of the Sun, visit baroque cathedrals, dine on Andean cuisine, and explore the historic plaza. If you desire, you can even visit Macchu Pichu, the famed lost city, located only about 4.5 hours away from Cusco.
Read on and learn about the must-see sights when you spend 4 days in Cusco.
About Cusco
In 1983, Cusco was made a UNESCO World Heritage site. Long before the Spanish arrived in this region, the Incan Empire ruled here. Pachacutec, an Incan ruler, developed Cusco into the capital of the Incan empire. It served as an urban center for religious and administrative purposes.
The name of the city comes from the Quechua word meaning “navel” or “center, and more than 200,000 people lived in the city. Many of the stone walls and structures built by the Inca remain in or around the city today.
In the 1530s, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro sacked the city and conquered it. The Spanish enslaved the native inhabitants, others fell to illness or battle, decreasing their numbers. In 1650, a major earthquake destroyed most of the buildings, and the Spanish’s rebuilding efforts are evident in the masonry, paintings, and sculptures you can still see today. Many of these buildings were built on top of Inca structures.
Nowadays, Cusco has around 1.5 million tourists a year who visit the attractions within the city and surrounding area. If you are excited to spend 4 days in Cusco, the following itinerary will help you to visit the best spots.
Day 1
From the time of your arrival in Cusco, you can already get some sightseeing in by visiting the Plaza de Armas. This is the main square in Cusco. It is a large cultural center with charming architecture, plenty of local eateries, coffee shops, and outdoor clothing shops. This is a beautiful place to start, and its lively atmosphere will make it a fun place to explore.
The plaza is the perfect place to relax during the afternoon. When you get to Cusco, you may suffer from altitude sickness, so you’ll probably want a more low-key evening. Here the architecture blends pre-Columbian, colonial, and modern styles to exemplify the city’s vibe.
On your first day, you should get a Boleto Turistico to make your stay in Cusco easier. The Boleto Turistico is a ticket to the top attractions in the city and surrounding area. Not all the museums, monuments, and sites in Cusco will be included, but a number of them will be. These tickets are valid for 10 days and are a more cost conscientious way of visiting the popular tourist attractions in Cusco.
These tickets are usually valid for places like the following:
- Cusco Cathedral
- Religious Art Museum
- Church of San Blas
- Regional History Museum
- Pachacutec Monument
- Qenko
- Puca Pucara
- Tambomachay
- Pisac Ruins
- Ollantaytambo Ruins
- Chinchero
- Sacsayhuaman
- And live performances
Within the Plaza de Armas, you can see significant landmarks from the city’s history. This is a fantastic way to start your 4 days in Cusco.
Day 2
Most people who spend 4 days in Cusco want to visit “the lost city of the Incas.” This phenomenal city was left untouched by the Spanish conquistadors and wasn’t discovered by archaeologists until 1911. There is still so much that scientists and historians don’t understand about this magnificent site, such as why it was built or what its significance was.
It stands 2,430 meters above sea level. Surrounding it is lush, tropical forest all around. It has giant walls, terraces, and ramps cut into the rocks, representing the splendor and sophistication of the Incan Empire.
To get to Machu Picchu, you will need to take a bus and then a train to the location. It is about 210 km away. The cost varies, and based on which combination of methods you take, the travel time will be about three to four and a half hours long, so you’ll want to set aside an entire day to visit this archaeological wonder.
Day 3
After you’ve visited nearby Machu Picchu, you’ll want to spend the last two days taking in all the nearby sites during your 4 days in Cusco. You may not be able to visit them all, but you should at least go to one or two of them before you leave.
Sacsayhuaman
Sacsayhuaman ruins are located on hills overlooking Cusco. Here are the remains of a colossal fortress with stone pieces weighing hundreds of tons that the Inca built into terraces of zigzagged walls. Only a small portion of the original architecture remains, but these Inca-built walls are awe-inspiring.
This site is about 14 minutes outside Cusco. You can expect to spend around 3 hours there, but if you are interested, you could end up spending the entire day.
Qenko
Another site worth visiting is Qenko. This is an example of a huaca, or naturally occurring rock formation that the Inca turned into a temple. Huacas dot the Andes mountains, used for millennia as holy places. The temple includes numerous details with polished walls, niches, and tables inside the natural cave. You’ll be amazed by the detail carved into this natural wonder.
Qenko is about 17 minutes away from Cusco and about 14 minutes from Sacsayhuaman. A tour of Qenko usually lasts about 2 and a half hours long.
Tambomachay
Tambomachay or “The Bath of the Nusta” is a site that the Inca built around 1500 AD. It has 4 levels of terraces carved into a hill. On the top platform, an underground spring shoots up and runs down the terraces through carved channels. The last level splits the streams into two channels that pour into a stone basin. It is a remarkable and magnificent example of Incan ingenuity and a must-see while in Cusco.
Touring Tambomachay takes about 2 hours. It is about 21 minutes’ travel from Cusco and around 12 minutes away from Sacsayhuaman.
Coricancha
The final set of Inca ruins you’ll want to visit is Coricancha. Also known as the Temple of the Sun, this was one of the most lavish temples in South America. The Inca filled this temple with gold, silver, and precious jewels dedicated to worshipping the sun god Inti. People built this temple during the 12th century on top of a pre-existing temple.
Then, in 1536, the Spanish built the Santo Domingo Church atop the ruins of Coricancha. Yet, still, many of the features of the Inca temple are intact, including a semicircular wall. This is a marvel of rich history worth visiting and enjoying during your 4 days in Cusco.
It is located close to the Centro Historico, so it is the easiest to access in Cusco. It takes about 2 and a half hours to walk through the structure and grounds.
Day 4
On your final day, you’ll want to take in those last few glimpses of city life. So, you can check out several of the local museums and monuments. There are also wonderful Andean live music performances and dances available to visit. Most of the performances are included in your Boleta Turistico.
You could easily spend a day checking them all out. Indoor sites like museums are also a good plan for days when the weather may be less favorable for hikes or visiting outdoor sites.
San Pedro Market is another interesting place to check out on the last of your 4 days in Cusco. Local vendors sell fruits, vegetables, cheese, alpaca knit sweaters, and so much more. This is a wonderful place to get souvenirs, and you can even haggle the price to get a good deal. Vendors even set up restaurant kiosks for you to taste the local cuisine.
You could also spend your last day finishing up looking at the local Inca ruins if you didn’t get a chance to see them all before. Be sure to leave yourself time to pack up and relax before your 4 days in Cusco ends.
Conclusion
There is so much to do and see that it seems like 4 days in Cusco is barely enough, but if that is all you have, you can spend it seeing Incan ruins, exploring local museums and monuments, sampling the local cuisine in the Plaza, or open markets, and taking in the remarkable culture of the Peruvian people.
Cusco is a must-see location if you go to Peru with fun and many beautiful sites for you to explore.
