Cusco at night – Night activities in Cusco for everyone
When we travel to other places, we want to make the most of every minute. Many believe that in Cusco there is not much to do at night. However, the reality is different, nowadays you can find a great variety of activities to do at night. We had just arrived from our trip or even the night before starting the trip to Machu Picchu or any other tour. In addition, it is important to mention that there are different activities. Some can be done as a family, couple or why not meet new friends while sharing activities with new people. Here are all the details.
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Cusco at night
What is Cusco like at night? It is a difficult question to answer because there are different ways to appreciate the nightlife in the ancient capital of Tawantinsuyo. You can just take short walks through the historic center and have a peaceful dinner in the restaurants in the center of the city. There is also the possibility of making different trips and contemplating the city from the main viewpoints of Cusco. In this sense, there will be different ways to have a good time in Cusco. Throughout this blog, we will be detailing each of the activities that you have more knowledge of and the possibilities you have in Cusco at night.
Let’s start by mentioning that the historic center of Cusco is quite safe, but, yes, you have to be careful as in any other city. Cusco during the night is illuminated by yellow lanterns that give it a singular mysticism. This effect can be seen in the main square and some vestiges, vestiges left by the Incas, especially in the walls composed of large carved stones. These stones continue to resist despite time and are a silent attraction that at night has a special charm. Cusco has many streets with these walls, and not only that, each of these walls, keeps important details of the history of Cusco.
Another attraction that seems to go unnoticed in Cusco is the presence of churches. In Cusco, you can also find a large number of temples and one of the most important monasteries in Peruvian history. These places also have artistic details typical of the Andean Baroque. These finishes come out in more detail at night, because of the lighting that generates a beautiful contrast with the stone and the night itself. So, we encourage anyone reading this who has just arrived in Cusco to go out at night and at least have a brief tour.
We offer these alternatives because normally tourists arrive in Cusco during the morning, a few minutes before lunch. They have enough time to have a delicious lunch and even take a tour of the citadel, either in the famous Cusco City Tours or panoramic bus rides. In this way, they organize their time well, get to know new destinations, and make the most of all the time they have. Doing these activities before starting a tour or trip to the Sacred Valley, the South Valley, or Machu Picchu. However, there is the case of people who arrive in the afternoon or have the night off before starting their return trip to their place of origin. Before you think about spending the last hours in your hotel, we recommend the following activities.
Dinners and short walks
As we saw in the brief introduction, Cusco is perfect for a night tour. It is a safe city and offers incredible moments. Even, just having a walk through the streets that connect with the Main Square or Huacaypata square, you will have pleasant moments. Formerly, this place, called Huacaypata, was the place where you could find the junction point of all roads that connected with Cusco. That is to say, from the Huacaypata square they began to trace the Inca Roads and also an important religious center.
Currently, at present, it shows the figure of Pachacutec on a fountain. However, perhaps the main attraction of this place is in the Cathedral of Cusco. This religious construction is still of great value today. The Main Square of Cusco still hosts some important events such as the Inti Raymi and Corpus Christi, especially at night, when it seems to offer a calm place, ideal for strolling or just having a nice conversation. Nearby, you can visit different places that are beautiful at night.
One of these beautiful places is Loreto Street, where you can go down the street formed by the old walls of Acllahuasi and Amaru Cancha.At present other constructions were erected on the foundations of these places as the Convent of La Merced and the temple of the Jesuits, respectively. Another attraction that can only be reached on foot is the Hatun Rumiyoq street where the temple for Inca Roca was built and where the Stone of the 12 angles appears. This place is the passage to access San Blas, one of the viewpoints of the entire city.
Finally, this brief tour through the main streets of the historic center of Cusco can take us to good restaurants where you will have a quiet dinner in the company of your family or partner. There are variations in terms of services and to talk in more detail about that would require writing another blog. However, we guarantee that you can find a variety of international food such as Italian, Korean, Andean, Novo Andean, Indian and many other varieties.
Visit to the planetarium Cusco
Another activity that we have been looking forward to talking about is the visit to the Planetarium of Cusco. There, it is possible to find a lot of information about the constellations and not only that, we will learn about the constellations of the southern hemisphere, thanks to the guides. It is an educational activity quite striking, more than the constellations that can be seen from all over Cusco. It is surprising because one comes to better recognize the constellations of the Andean world and therefore part of the mythology they developed.
The planetarium of Cusco is organized by a family from Cusco that not only tries to show the cosmos, according to the Incas but also an atmosphere of discovery. The services they offer are comfortable and they arrange transportation for all participants. This transportation will be addressed at a meeting point. Likewise, at the end of the event, participants will be provided with transportation to the meeting point, which is usually at the Regocijo Square.
However, before we finish, we have to mention that you t only learn about astronomy and appreciate the constellations digitally. It is possible to see them in real-time thanks to telescope equipment. The telescopes they have and the strategic location that provides a dark sky; it is ideal for the equipment to show the cosmos in real time. It is important to check the calendars they have, especially if you want to see some planets. This is because certain dates are the best time to better appreciate planets such as Venus, Mars and Jupiter.
Private tours to the viewpoints
Another option, a little more adventurous, is to hire private transportation. To have a tour of the main viewpoints of Cusco. In this way, you can appreciate in a panoramic way the whole city of Cusco. This service is offered in conjunction with other activities, which usually include activities and workshops with a guide. That is to say, there will be a person in charge of guiding and giving necessary information about the places visited. Another activity that is usually offered is the short workshop for the preparation of Pisco Sour. The activity has an average duration of 4 hours.
With private transportation, there is not much to worry about. Just don’t forget to bring a good jacket. The viewpoints are located in high places and it is easier to feel the icy winds of the area. Anyway, it is one of the options to spend a pleasant night without excesses. This tour can be done with the family and take advantage of the beautiful locations to take beautiful pictures.
The viewpoint to be visited is the Mirador de Cristo Blanco which is very close to Sacsayhuaman. The next viewpoint can be between the viewpoints of San Cristobal and San Blas. The two places that we have just mentioned have Christian constructions because in the past they used to have temples or important constructions of great worship. For example, in the Church of San Cristóbal, you can find remains of platforms and niches. All of them with finely carved stones. It is presumed that a temple dedicated to Manco Capac was built there.
On the other hand, in the case of the church of San Blas, which by the way is very beautiful. In this sector, it is recorded that a temple dedicated to lightning was erected. Lightning was a deity linked to war and death. In this sense, it was respected because the blessing of this deity was that it was able to bring rain, which was necessary after the long winter. Both viewpoints offer special places to have an incredible photograph of the place.
Bar tours
Another alternative dedicated more to young people is to make the night tour of the bars. It is a service that allows you to tour Cusco’s renowned bars. The itinerary of the activities offers a visit to different bars where you can access some discounts, both in drinks and food or snacks.
It is one of the best options if you are with a group of friends or you are about to finish your stay in Cusco. This tour allows tourists to meet other groups of people from different countries. Finally, it is ideal to say goodbye to Cusco and your vacation and not recommended if the next day you have an important tour such as a visit to Montaña de Colores or Humantay. These places are at a high altitude and the hangover there can be disastrous. Remember to choose well the activities you do and share the activities you do with your best friends.