If you plan to visit the city of Cusco and its wonderful archaeological sites, you should also take a trip to its impressive markets. In these markets, you will find beautiful textiles and handmade crafts.
Sightseeing the main markets in Cusco and learning more about their customs and culture, in each place you can find from sweaters made of alpaca wool to ceramics, wooden utensils, their traditional bread “chuta” and much more. Here is a list of the 5 best main markets in Cusco and it is up to you where to go.
6 Main Markets in Cusco
1.- San Pedro Market
If you are in the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, this is the first market you will visit on your tour. It is located a few blocks from the main square. When you enter, you will find various clothes made of alpaca wool, and handicrafts in general, while others sell cheeses, meats, breads “chuta” (typical bread of Cusco), and freshly baked cakes and freshly squeezed fruit juices. Stop by the food section and sample their delicious dishes.
The San Pedro market is in front of the church of the same name in the historic center of Cusco. This market is characterized because you find everything, plus the prices are excellent so do not hesitate to take some souvenirs for your trip.
The opening hours are from Monday to Saturday from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Sundays until noon.
San Pedro Market, one of the main markets in Cusco
2- San Blas Market
San Blas is one of Cusco’s oldest and most picturesque neighborhoods. Every Saturday in the square in front of the Church of San Blas, known for its magnificent baroque altar of gold leaf, an open-air market exhibits contemporary and traditional textiles, art, crafts, jewelry, and clothing.
Choose your precious handicrafts and continue to the San Blas neighborhood, where you can have breakfast with natural fruit juice or a delicious coffee in one of Cusco’s oldest streets and recharge your batteries for your next destination.
The San Blas market is one of the traditional markets of Cusco, and is located a few blocks from the neighborhood square of San Blas, the street is known as Tandapata and the opening hours are from Monday to Sunday from 06:00 to 17:00 local time, so if you want to know this small market, take the precautions of the case.
San Blas Market
3.- Cusco Textile Handicraft Center
Since 1996, a group of Andean weavers established an organization to ensure their survival. This market supports 10 local weaving communities.
Fairtrade prices reflect the best quality of the products (rugs, bags, socks, ponchos, and the like) and the profits go to the individual artisans who weave along with their products.
The Centro Artesanal is located on one of the main avenues in the heart of Cusco, Av. Tullumayo (in front of the Paqcha). From the Plaza de Armas, it will be much easier to get here, you just have to walk along El Sol Avenue and reach a small square known as Paqcha.
In this handicraft market, you will find everything from bracelets and bracelets made of alpaca wool to sweaters, shirts, and warm clothes. The Artisan Center of Cusco is a great market for the cold, in it you will find various garments of fine alpaca wool and is located in the center of the city.
Cusco Textile Handicraft Center
4.- Huancaro Market
This market is located in the district of the same name. In the market of Huancaro farmers are concentrated throughout the year with organic products grown firsthand.
You can also appreciate the Huancaro Fair, a place where vendors and producers from different parts of Cusco come to offer their products such as coffee, chocolate, natural honey, and cheese, among others, which are rich for human consumption.
The Huancaro Market is located in the street Sin Nombre s/n piso 1 kilometer 0, in front of the fairground of Huancaro in the district of Santiago, in the city of Cusco. Its opening hours are from 06:00 to 18:00 local time.
Huancaro Market
5.- Traditional Market of Pisac
The Pisac market is one of the main markets in Cusco and is located 1 hour from Cusco, in the picturesque mountain town of Pisac.
The artisan market of Pisac, is open to the public every day of the week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays are the days that concentrate more on tourism, all vendors and artisans when indigenous communities descend from the highlands to settle in the main square, selling products, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, ponchos, rugs, hats and gloves, Andean instruments, ceramics, alpaca and llama clothing, and a lot of beautiful souvenir gifts.
To go to the market, you must go to Puputi Street in the city of Cusco, where there are buses that will take you to the town of Pisac. Once in the village, you just have to go to the main square where the market is located.
Remember that the opening hours are until 16:00 hours, if you do not plan to stay in Pisac, you should plan your transportation back to the city.
Get to know the Pisac market, its customs, and beautiful handmade works by local artisans
Recommendations when visiting the markets in Cusco:
When entering the different markets, due to the covid 19 they will measure your temperature to enter without any problem, you should also do the following to make your visit as safe and pleasant as possible:
- Wear a double mask and face shield.
- Always carry alcohol to disinfect yourself constantly, inside and outside the market.
- Try to pay simply and disinfect the money.
- Keep a distance of 2 meters.
All places in Cusco have the necessary biosecurity measures to enjoy your visit without any fear and do responsible tourism in every corner of this beautiful city, so you just need to decide which market you will visit first.
Explore many more tourist destinations and facts about Peru in our travel blog and plan your next trip with us!
