Pisac

This quaint Andean town, nestled near the top of the Sacred Valley [1], is best known for a huge crafts market [2] that is probably Peru’s number two tourist draw behind Machu Picchu [3].

Every day is market day, with the biggest days being Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Hundreds of travelers descend upon this village as part of a whirlwind day tour from Cusco [4] that begins here in the morning and continues on for lunch at Urubamba [5] and a tour of the ruins at Ollantaytambo [6].

But there is a lot more to Pisac, and an increasing number of travelers are staying here for a night or two to explore farther afield. There are plans to move the market just out of the plaza, allowing visitors to enjoy the beautiful pisonay trees and colonial church with a backdrop of the ruins.

The Inca fortress [7] above town represents the most important Inca ruins in the valley besides Ollantaytambo [8]. The ruins contain a rare combination of residential, military, and religious construction that sheds a deep light onto the daily life of the Inca.

In the high plains beyond the fortress, there are remote villages that can be reached only on foot. Roman and Fielding Vizcarra, owners of Hotel Pisaq [9], lead recommended trips into the surrounding countryside to visit these Quechuan villages and the remote ruins of Cuyo Chico and Cuyo Grande.

Getting to Pisac

Buses for Pisac leave Cusco [4] from below Tullumayo and Garcilaso every 20 minutes and charge US$1 for the one-hour journey. There are also buses available on Puputi street. For a 45-minute ride, hire a taxi in Cusco’s Plaza de Armas [10] for US$10.

Buses drop passengers off at the bridge on the main highway, from which it is a three-block walk uphill to the market [2] and main square. Return buses to Cusco leave from the same spot every 15 minutes up until 7 p.m. Buses heading the opposite direction also stop here on the way to Yucay [11] and then Urubamba [5] (US$0.50, 30–40 minutes).