The town of Pisac is located about 30 km from Cusco. It is at the entrance of the so-called Sacred Valley of the Incas and is one of the typical and recommended visits around Cusco. But what to see in Pisac? … A colonial town, an artisanal market and most importantly, and reason for the visit, a fantastic Inca site awaits you. If you are really interested in knowing the whole place you have to book several hours to visit it, although it is very easy to go free to Pisac from Cusco on a day trip. We tell you everything right now.

What to see in Pisac?
1.- See the colonial Pisac
The current Pisac, the inhabited one, is a small town that dates from the colonial era and although it is a pleasant place to walk, it does not have large colonial buildings that make it stand out or that justify the movement there.

2.- Visit the Pisac market
This craft market, located in the church square (has no loss following the bell tower), is another reason that attracts tourists from Cuzco.

We had read in several blogs that the market opened Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, so we squared the route to go on one of those days. However, once in Pisac we were confirmed that the artisan market opens every day from the early hours of the morning until the sun goes down, although it is true that on Sundays it is when there is more movement of people.

In the artisan market they sell the typical of this type of markets … earrings and pieces of silver, all kinds of handmade fabrics, as well as sweaters, hats and other equipment woven with llama or alpaca wool.

3.- See the Pisac of the Inca period, currently «Intihuatana archaeological park»
The Inca site of Pisac is adjacent to the current town and in Inca times it was a population with military function (as a defensive gate of the southern entrance of the Sacred Valley), but also with agricultural and religious importance.

The Intihuatana park is large in extension, occupying the side of some mountains near the current town of Pisac. That is why to explore it there are two options although in both you will visit the same:

A.- Make the whole tour on foot (circular, it takes about 5 hours). It begins in the town of Pisac in the north direction, you have to go to an area of ​​very steep Inca terraces (they are almost a succession of steps) that must be traced for more than 45 minutes, then continue the well-marked road but of continuous Climb until the end of the park. Then you have to return but this time it is already down.
B.- Make the route easy by combining taxi and road (non-circular linear, it takes about 2-2.5 hours). To do this we take a taxi in the town of Pisac, which for a few suns takes us to the north gate of the park. In this way, we save almost 3 hours of ascent and all the way is a pleasant descent … it is the one we choose. The taxi rank is close to the metal bridge at the beginning of the town and the price is stipulated so there is little room for bargaining.