Cusco has innumerable tourist attractions and also a cultural legacy that never disappeared over the years, proof of this are the famous typical blankets of Cusco that are made with ancestral techniques. in the same way the ceramics, sculpture and the manufacture of jewels of Cusco, are handmade. The paintings and sculptures maintain their historical essence and are recognized worldwide.
If it is a question of acquiring these products, the city of Cusco has several galleries and establishments where you can buy souvenirs and handicrafts in its different lines (pottery, carving, paintings, etc.).
The places to visit, know and buy are detailed below:
1.- Craft center of Cusco
It is located on El Sol Avenue, one of the main streets of the city, five blocks from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco, on the corner of Tullumayo Avenue with El Sol Avenue, Cusco.
The artisan center is open from Monday to Sunday from 9 in the morning to 8 at night.
What products can you buy there?
• The artisan center consists of several passages and various craft shops as well as an ATM (ATM).
• There you can find all kinds of crafts: from musical instruments to clothes made of baby alpaca.
• Textiles, masks, ceramics, backpacks, paintings, jewelry, polo shirts, alpaca garments, shoes, stones, musical instruments, sourvenirs and more.
2.- San Blas neighborhood
One of the tourist and commercial neighborhoods of Cusco, the traditional neighborhood of San Blas, is called traditional because artists and artisans of ancient Cusco converge, who are dedicated to making handicrafts in all its commercial lines such as paintings, clothing, ceramics, instruments musicals, sculptures of saints and virgins, etc.
The San Blas neighborhood is very close to the city’s Plaza de Armas, passing through Hatun Rumiyoc Street, where the famous Stone of the 12 Angles of Cusco is located, a slope that will take you directly to the heart of the traditional neighborhood.
What products can you buy there?
you can buy souvenirs
• In the San Blas neighborhood you can find the works and works of the famous artisans Olave, Mendivil and Mérida, who through generations maintain their essence and style, the classic works of these plastic artists are: the statues of long necks, the Manuelitos children and disproportionate statues.
• In addition, paintings, clothing, ceramics, musical instruments, sculptures of saints and virgins and textiles.
• Bars and restaurants, you can enjoy Cusco cuisine with a spectacular view of the city of Cusco.
• At night music for all tastes in strategically located pubs
3.- Place of memories San Pedro
Another preferred shopping center for thousands of tourists is the San Pedro market, which is located 2 blocks from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco. In addition to finding a wide variety of artisanal products and alpaca garments at good prices, you can develop experiential tourism since the market is visited by local people who buy their bread products to take in this supply center.
What products can you buy there?
you can buy souvenirs
• Crafts in general, ceramics, clothing, paintings, sourvenirs.
• Local cuisine, menus, Peruvian food, fruits, juices, breads, vegetables, meats, chocolate, among other products.
• In the market you can find :, meat, fruits, and, of course, handicrafts.
4.- Market of Pisac
A few kilometers from Cusco on the route of the Sacred Valley tours, it is located in the same town of Pisac, the craft market of Pisac, works every day, although on Sundays it becomes a great craftsmen’s fair, occupying main streets and even the main square of Pisac ..
This craft market is one of the oldest and most recognized craft centers in Cusco, most merchants are local people who produce their own products.
What products can you buy there?
you can buy souvenirs
• Crafts in general, textiles, ceramics, backpacks, jewelry, musical instruments, painting, polo shirts, sourvenirs
• You can also buy and enjoy the crops of potatoes, quinoa, corn, fruits, meats, vegetables, etc.
• Where it is located? – Plaza de Armas de Pisac S / N, Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Very close to the market of artisans of Pisac is the famous archaeological site of Pisac, landscapes, rivers, mountains, fields and a spectacular view from its viewpoint
5.- Shopping center of Ollantaytambo.
Following the route of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, we find the artisan market of Ollantaytambo, a place that offers various sourvenirs for tourists who finish touring the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo.
This craft market is located right at the access door to the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley.
What products can you buy there?
• General Crafts, Textiles, backpacks, jewelry, ceramics, chullos, sourvenirs, etc.
• Gastronomy, typical local food and you can also find restaurants, bars, cafés and hotels within walking distance.
Near the artisanal market of Ollantaytambo is the forced train station to travel to Machu Picchu.
6.- Chinchero Market
It is the artisan market with the greatest tradition and culture, it is very close to the town of Chinchero, it is mandatory to enter after visiting the Sacred Valley and back to Cusco.
The products offered in the Chinchero market were made by the artisans themselves, using ancestral techniques in the making and creation of handicrafts, such as their textile industry, including an explanation of the process of making each garment.
What products can you buy there?
• Crafts in general, textiles, shoes, backpacks, ceramics, chullos, caps, scarves, sourvenirs
• You can also buy food products produced in the area such as: herbs, fruits, meats, potatoes, quinoa
• Gastronomy, typical dishes of the area, menus and more.
Near the market, you can visit the archaeological site of Chinchero, which was the palace of the Inca Túpac Yupanqui.
7.- The handmade market of Aguas Calientes
If you are visiting Machu Picchu, the place to buy handicrafts and souvenirs, it is the craft market of the town of Aguas Calientes, it is one of the most famous in Cusco due to its proximity to Machu Picchu.
The market is open every day of the year from early in the morning until 10 at night. Many tourists buy their handmade products here, after knowing Machu Picchu and before returning to Cusco.
What products can you buy there?
you can buy souvenirs
• It is a complete shopping center with various handicraft products as well as sale of the necessary utensils for the visit to Machu Picchu: textile sunscreen, alpaca clothes, jewelry, paintings, musical instruments, polo shirts, sourvenirs
• You can also purchase, Rain poncho, sunscreen, sunscreen, water, snacks
• Gastronomy, typical dishes of the region, cafeteria, restaurants.
Next to the artisan center is the train station that goes back to Cusco, and just a few steps from the hot springs of Aguas Calientes, where you can bathe and relax after the walk to Machu Picchu
