Festival of the Sun
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru[0.4 miles]
Colourful parades and ancient Inca ceremonies are re-enacted at this world-famous winter solstice festival.
Best for ages: 8+ | Free | 5 hours
Website >
Overview >Best places to stay:
El Retablo
Last updated: 09 November, 2022
This family-run small hotel set in a historic townhouse on a steep cobbled street in hilly San Blas is a great spot for a quiet, cozy stay in one of Cusco’s up-and-coming arty neighbourhoods, with superb views.
San Blas is village-pretty: whitewashed buildings coloured with brightly-painted eaves, window-box flowers and old Spanish balconies look out over tiles and bell towers to central Cusco.
The hotel has genuine local character. Rooms and public spaces are painted in the Spanish-indigenous floral and organic rococo patterns of traditional Peruvian altarpieces, by San Blas artisans. Walls and beds are adorned with indigenous art.
There are bars and restaurants on the doorstep and the welcoming staff are genuinely helpful.
Surrounding area
The hotel overlooks a tiny, tranquil alley – squeezed between steep, cobbled Pumarco and Arco Iris streets, which rise in stepped, whitewashed houses to Sacsayhuaman fort – which is about 10-minutes from the hotel.
There are wonderful views from the Mirador de Plaza Sán Cristobal (next to an imposing Spanish church) a few minutes from the lobby.
And while the immediate surroundings are quiet and residential, there are cafes and restaurants within two hundred metres. The Plaza de Armas is about a 15-minute walk.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Please note - we hope to one day have live prices for you, but for now, here are some useful links for you to compare prices...
Check pricing & availability on:
Key facilities
Airport transfers: Not available
Beach: None
Creche
Fitness centre
Fitness classes
Golf course
Hot tub
Parking: Not available
Pool (adults only)
Pool (indoor)
Pool (outdoor)
Pool (kids)
Spa
Tennis courts
WiFi: Free
Yoga
Food & drink
All inclusive
Kids menu
Restaurant on-site
Self catering
*
Additional chargeRoom types
Apartments
Bedrooms
Cabins
Suites
Tents
Villas
Yurts
Room facilities
Air conditioning
Flat screen TV
Jacuzzi (private)
Pool (private)
Tea & coffee making facilities
WiFi
Bedding options
2+ bedrooms
3+ beds
Connecting rooms
Rollaway/sofa bed
Bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Sacsayhuaman
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru[0.5 miles]
A vast, fortified Inca sun temple that perches over Cusco, housing boulders and masonry astonishingly jigsaw-pieced together, without cement or metal tools.
Best for ages: 18+ | £24
Website >
Overview >
Qorikancha
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru[0.8 miles]
The Inca empire’s most elaborate sun temple, covered in gold and silver, is now a colonial church housing stunning Inca stonework.
Best for ages: 18+ | £2
Website >
Overview >
A day in Cusco
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru[1.8 miles]
The heart of the old Inca empire has a wealth of Inca ruins, Spanish treasures and historic architecture to explore.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free | 1 day
Website >
Overview >Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest, closest first
Experience
Hike from Cusco to Huchuy
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru[2.4 miles]
This, the shortest and easiest of alternative Inca trails, takes three days from Cusco and offers wonderful mountain views, little-visited Inca sites and a final day at Machu Picchu itself.
Best for ages: 18+ | £4 | 3 days
Website >
Overview >
Experience
Chinchero village
Cusco, Cusco Region, Peru[15.4 miles]
This little village in the Sacred Valley near Cusco is a centre for traditional indigenous weaving in Peru. It has a lively market and ancient Inca agricultural terraces.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Website >
Overview >
Destination guides including or relevant to this place to stay
Peru
Peru
A land of spectacular deserts, high mountains and rainforests that teem with wildlife, Peru is also home to an array of dramatically situated pre-Colombian ruins, including Machu Picchu.
Website >
Overview >