After our trek to Machu Picchu we spent another couple days in Cusco to take in what the charming little town had left to offer. We came back to Cusco on Christmas Eve, and we discovered that our previous concerns about the possibility of nothing being open because of the holiday were completely unfounded. Let me tell you – don’t worry about things being closed when visiting Cusco during the Christmas holiday. The place was hoppin’. Crowds and crowds of people were in the streets, restaurants had patrons coming in and out all night, and people were setting off fireworks like it was a war-zone (This was no joke; through the night our hotel room would vibrate with what sounded like shotguns being fired on the street). The Peruvians know how to party.
Here’s a rundown of a few more of the things we did in Cusco:
Museo del Pisco
Calle Santa Catalina 398 | corner with Calle San Agustin
Open everyday 11:30am – 1am
Kitchen is open from 12pm – 3pm & 6:30pm – 11pm
(with several plates available outside of hours)
info@museodelpisco.org
If there’s one thing you must try, it’s a pisco tasting at the Museo del Pisco. The name is a bit of a misnomer, the place isn’t really that much of a museum and more of just a bar. If you’ve never had pisco, this is a good place to become educated in the national beverage. The menu boasts an overwhelming amount of pisco – much like a wine or whiskey list. I decided since I knew absolutely nothing about pisco, I went with the tasting (40 soles for one, 60 soles for two).
Now in the US, tastings usually come with 4 or 5 glasses and you sample a bunch of different types of beer, liquor, whatever. When I ordered the tasting, little did I know it would come with a personal pisco sommelier. My sommelier’s name was Sergui, a clean cut, well groomed/dressed Russian guy who gave me the complete rundown of pisco. He was amazingly thorough, especially after my response to his question “What experience do you have with pisco?” was “I’ve had some pisco sours in college…” He was extremely passionate about the liquor and clearly loved his work and answering questions, which made the experience that much more enjoyable.
Even if you don’t want to try it (because that s**t is strong), the Museo del Pisco has a variety of other beverages, a fun vibe, with good live music (to my delight they played Pearl Jam’s Even Flow during my tasting) and a friendly staff. This is a highly recommended visit.
Museo Inka
Cuesta del Almirante 103
Hours:
Monday – Friday : 8am – 6pm
Saturday and Holidays: 9am – 4pm
Museo de la Coca
Calle Palacio 122
Hours:
Monday – Sunday: 9am to 8pm. (Free on Sunday)
As far as actual museums go, we stopped by a couple. Both were 10 soles, but one was way better of a value than the other. I’ll start with the Museo de la Coca (Not to be confused with the Choco Museo). We only really went to this museum because the restaurant we wanted to have lunch at wasn’t open yet and they were offering free visits for the holiday (it’s normally 10 soles). It’s a neat little museum that provides a nice look at the history of coca and its cultural impact. You could probably do the museum in an hour or so if you take in each display, and I actually really enjoyed reading the mythical history of how coca became a part of Inca culture. I wouldn’t say this place is a must-see, but in the end, if you really want to visit it and you’re in the area, 10 soles really isn’t that expensive.
However, if you compare it with what 10 soles will get you at the Museo Inka, you’ll see the drastic difference. Museo Inka at first glance really isn’t anything to write home about. In fact, when you first walk in and look at the first few exhibits, the initial reaction will be, “Well this place is an effing rip-off”. Don’t let the first couple of rooms fool you. Once you head up to the second floor, the museum is way nicer and jam packed full of amazing artifacts. The museum walks you through the history of Peru with displays containing Peruvian tools, pottery, textiles, ceremonial garb, weapons and gold relics. The one really cool highlight is a burial chamber display featuring several mummies. If the weather is nice, the impressive courtyard is a nice place to relax a bit as well. Unfortunately, like a lot of museums in the world, they don’t allow photography and I usually respect that request, so no pictures (sorry).
Here and There 