2025 Guide: What to See in Cusco on a Slow Solo Day
If you’re arriving in Cusco alone and not in a hurry, you’re in for something better than a checklist—you're in for a quiet kind of magic. I spent one day letting the city unfold at its own pace, no rigid schedule, just a lightweight waterproof backpack and the freedom to pause wherever curiosity pulled me.
🐒 Temple de Monos
Barely mentioned in guidebooks, this small ruin surprised me the most. Just 15 minutes from the city centre on foot, it opens up to sweeping views of old Incan trails and a kind of silence that feels almost sacred. I stayed longer than planned. If you're into photos, the white stone and soft sky make a perfect neutral backdrop—especially if you wear something with colour.
☕ Weapons Plaza
It sounds intense, but it's actually a peaceful square that once held great ceremonial weight. Locals say the ancient warriors gathered here for rituals under the sun god. I stopped at a nearby café, one of those no-frills spots where the coffee is strong and the stories come free. Between sips, the owner told me how the city’s architecture echoed its history. Moments like that are why I carry a waterproof daypack—always ready, always light.
🚶♀️ Wandering the Alleys
Cusco's side streets offer no map, but they’re full of rhythm—whitewashed walls, chipped blue windows, cobbled paths that slope gently downwards. At dusk, warm light spills from the windows, and the further you walk, the more the city feels like a storybook. One of the most quietly cinematic walks I’ve taken.
🍸 Pisco and a Pause
The drink is everywhere here, but few know it was born out of trial and error in 1915 by an American bartender who fell in love with this city. I stopped mid-afternoon to try one. Light, sharp, with just enough sweetness to reset the day. It was the only real "plan" I made, and it didn’t disappoint.
🏛 Columbus Museum
I hesitated before going in—museums can feel heavy. But this one offered a short 30-minute guided tour that was more like a conversation. With humour and quiet focus, our guide unpacked centuries of Incan history. I walked out feeling like I’d travelled back further than just a few hours.
🔭 A Glimpse of the Sky
Later, at a viewing point just outside the city, I joined a small group led by an astronomy guide. Ancient Incan farmers once studied the stars to guide the seasons, and in that moment, with the stars flickering above and the hills dark around us, I understood why. A 20L backpack carried just what I needed for warmth and comfort—but nothing to distract from the night.
🌌 Nightfall in the Andes
I ended the day at a lookout over the city. The view was quiet—no showy lights, just the long stretch of black sky, a few scattered stars, and the rooftops of Cusco slowly sinking into shadow. No grand finale. Just stillness. And that felt like enough.
If you’re solo in Cusco this year, don’t race it. Let it open up.
Pack light, walk slow, and be ready to pause.
👉 Here’s the 20L expandable waterproof backpack I brought with me.
