26 guides
Cusco is a great place to buy textiles and crafts, but there is also plenty of factory-made stock sold as handmade. These guides teach you to tell materials apart, what prices to expect and where to see artisans at work.
Differences between baby alpaca, alpaca, llama, vicuña and synthetic blends; how to recognise genuine garments by feel and label, price ranges and where to buy.
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The best souvenirs from Cusco: textiles and alpaca, ceramics, retablos, silver, coffee, chocolate, Andean grains and pisco; where to buy, how to bargain and what not to take home.
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Guide to Andean textiles in Cusco: techniques and natural dyes, the meaning of designs, workshops and classes, visits to weaving communities, yarn for knitters and spotting handmade pieces.
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A guide to the Centro Artesanal Cusco at the end of Avenida El Sol: what's sold, telling qualities apart, bargaining, getting there and when to go. Check hours first.
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How to buy crafts in Cusco that benefit the people who make them: weaving cooperatives, the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales, buying direct and what to avoid.
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Cusco ceramics: Inca aryballos, Pucará bulls, Cerámicas Seminario in Urubamba and workshops in San Blas and Pisac. How to choose and carry fragile pieces.
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The art of religious imagery in San Blas: maguey and plaster technique, the Mendívil family, Niño Manuelito, retablos and how to buy from the workshops.
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What the Cusco School is, how to recognise its paintings (gold brocade, arquebusier angels, the Last Supper with guinea pig), where to see them and buy copies.
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Before buying souvenirs in Cusco: which products are banned or restricted when leaving Peru and entering your country (coca, seeds, vicuña, antiquities, food).
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A guide to buying Andean instruments in Cusco: charango, quena, panpipes, bombo and chajchas. Telling a real instrument from a souvenir, and how to carry it home.
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Cheap, authentic souvenir ideas from Cusco: Maras salt, chocolate, coffee, woven bracelets, chullo hats, cancha, postcards and more, where to buy them and what to avoid.
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A guide to buying silver in Cusco: the 925 stamp, alpaca metal vs silver, Andean designs like the chakana and tumi, Peruvian stones and where to shop.
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Where to shop for groceries in Cusco: Real Plaza with Plaza Vea, Tottus, central minimarkets and markets. What to buy before a trek, pharmacies and payment tips.
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Pisac market shopping guide: which days to go, what to buy (textiles, silver, ceramics, carved gourds), how to judge quality and tips for bargaining.
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What the chullos, monteras and hats of Cusco's communities mean, how they're knitted, how to tell handmade from factory-made and where to buy them thoughtfully.
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What to see at Awana Kancha, the living museum of camelids and textiles at km 23 of the Cusco–Pisac road: four species, natural dyes, how to get there and shopping tips.
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Guide to San Pedro Central Market: sections, juices, cheap food, breads, cheeses and Andean produce, approximate hours, safety and how to get there from the Plaza de Armas.
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Guide to Cusco's San Blas neighbourhood: the church and its carved pulpit, the little plaza, artisan workshops, Hatun Rumiyoc street, viewpoints, nightlife and whether to stay there.
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Chocolate guide to Cusco: cacao from La Convención and the native chuncho variety, bean-to-bar workshops, cacao husk tea and how to choose chocolate to take home.
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Chinchero guide: weaving centres and natural dyes, the Inca site and colonial church, the Sunday market, the Tourist Ticket, getting there from Cusco and how to combine it.
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Guide to artisan markets in Cusco: the San Blas fair, Centro Artesanal, Pisac and Chinchero markets, what to buy, how to bargain respectfully and spot real alpaca.
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Cusco's local markets beyond San Pedro: Wanchaq, Huancaro, Vinocanchón, Rosaspata, the Baratillo and Cascaparo. What to find, when to go, what to eat and safety tips.
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El Molino, Cusco's popular bazaar near the bus terminal: warm clothes, backpacks, electronics and cheap accessories. Tips and safety advice.
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El Baratillo, the Saturday flea market in Cusco's Santiago neighbourhood: antiques, second-hand goods, tools and curiosities. Getting there, timing and safety.
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Santurantikuy, Cusco's Christmas crafts fair: usual dates, what to buy (Niño Manuelito, retablos, ceramics), tips and how to avoid the crowds.
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A practical guide to shopping at Cusco's markets: typical hours, cash, respectful bargaining, the yapa, photos, pickpockets and which market to choose.
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