Things to do in Calca

2026 Americas 50 - Best Things to Do

Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley is the valley of the Urubamba River in the Andes. It is near Cusco. The valley's elevation is lower than Cusco's, ranging between 2,000–3,000 m, with a significant elevation difference. The area is rich in produce, capable of growing various crops ranging from potatoes and corn to bananas, spanning cold, temperate, and even tropical climates. The latter formed the economic foundation during the Inca period. Through the valley, the Incas could reach the Amazon plains to trade crops with the tribes living there. After the Spanish captured Cusco, the Inca kings retreated into the valley, relying on defensive fortifications built into the terrain to continue their resistance.

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Qorikancha

Qorikancha was the core building in the Inca Empire's religious system, known in Quechua as Coricancha, meaning "golden enclosure." According to records, the temple walls were once covered with hundreds of gold plates, and the courtyard contained gold and silver statues of llamas, corn, and people. The complex also housed separate halls dedicated to the sun god Inti, as well as the moon, stars, and thunder. This gold was looted after the Spanish colonial conquest. The temple showcases the Incas' exquisite stonework—using diorite, andesite, and limestone, the stones were perfectly cut and fitted together seamlessly without mortar. The design of the walls, which are thick at the base and slope slightly inward, allowed them to remain intact during multiple major earthquakes; meanwhile, the Convent of Santo Domingo, built by the colonists on the site in the 16th century, was repeatedly damaged by tremors. Today, the two structures coexist, serving as a direct testament to the collision between Inca and Spanish colonial cultures. The temple still retains several original Inca halls with sloping walls and trapezoidal niches, and an attached underground archaeological museum displays mummies, textiles, and ritual artifacts. Interpretive signs are placed throughout the site, helping visitors understand the background of Inca architecture and religion.

Salt Mine of Maras

Salt Mine of Marasis an ancient salt pan in the Sacred Valley of Cusco, Peru, situated on the Andean slopes at an altitude of over 3,000 m near Urubamba. Its history of salt production predates the Inca Empire, spanning the Inca and colonial periods to the present day, and is still managed by hundreds of families from the villages of Maras and Pichingoto, a tradition passed down through generations. Saltwater springs at the top of the slope are channeled into a network of ditches and then diverted into thousands of scattered, square salt pools. Once the spring water fills the pools, it slowly evaporates under the intense sun and dry winds of the plateau, leaving layers of salt crystals at the bottom. During the dry season, the salt produced is pinkish-white, while in the rainy season, it is brownish-yellow, with the varying shades of pool water and salt surfaces forming a giant mosaic under the sunlight.

No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Saqsaywaman

This huge stone circle overlooks the city of Cusco. Like other typical Inca buildings, the Incas did not use any reinforced concrete. They used exquisite stone grinding technology to grind the large stones into specific shapes, and then put them together tightly. The stone circles that tourists see now are only a small part of the original ones. Today Sacsayhuaman is not only a must-see attraction for tourists to Cusco, but the highlight of IntiRaymi, the grand festival of the sun at the end of June every year, is held here.

No. 11 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Cusco Cathedral

A very eye-catching building in the east of the Plaza de Armas is the Cuzco Cathedral of Cusco. It is a very typical example of colonial rulers promoting the Catholic faith to the local indigenous people. The church has been damaged to varying degrees in four major earthquakes over the past 400 years, but all survived. The Cathedral is a very outstanding colonial building in Cusco, where you can see the high level of European painting style in the 17th century. Not to be missed is "The Last Supper" (The Last Supper) in the northeast corner of the church. The painter Marcos Zapata has made a "localized" modification of this famous work - a guinea pig is placed on a plate in front of Jesus.

No. 12 of Best Things to Do in Peru

Plaza de Armas

Plaza de Armas is the main square of Cusco, Peru, and the heart of the entire city. During the Inca Empire, it was known as Warrior Square and served as the center for celebrations, religious ceremonies, and military triumphs in the capital, surrounded by the palaces of successive Inca kings. After the arrival of the Spanish, churches and stone mansions were built on the ruins of the palaces, forming the layout seen today. Plaza de Armas is surrounded by a ring of stone arcades, which now house many restaurants and shops. Choosing a seat on a balcony to watch the locals chat, feed pigeons, and soak up the sun is a relaxing way to adjust to the high-altitude pace. Keep an eye out for the seven-colored rainbow flag flying over the square. It is the official flag of Cusco and is considered a symbol of Inca tradition, which has a different meaning from the rainbow flag commonly seen elsewhere.

Zona Arqueologica Moray

Amidst the vast hills of the Sacred Valley in Peru, Zona Arqueologica Morayresembles a set of giant green fingerprints embedded in the earth, revealing the astonishing agricultural wisdom of the Incan civilization. This archaeological wonder, composed of three sunken circular terraces, was once an open-air laboratory for the 15th-century Incan Empire, whose ingenious design still amazes agronomists today. As visitors spiral down the rammed-earth paths, they can clearly see the drainage systems and stone retaining walls built by the Incas. In the early morning, sunlight dyes the terraces in a golden-green gradient, while the distant snow-capped mountains and herds of alpacas form a natural frame.

Twelve Angled Stone

Twelve Angled Stone is located on Hatunrumiyoc Street in the old town of Cusco and is a section of Inca-era stone wall standing along the street. The base of this wall was originally part of an Inca palace. Although it has been covered by colonial-era buildings above, the Inca masonry from hundreds of years ago remains in its original state. The entire wall is built from massive stones of varying shapes and sizes, stacked like a jigsaw puzzle. No mortar or other binding materials were used between the stones, yet the joints are so tight that it is difficult to insert even a piece of paper, a testament to the craftsmanship of the Inca stonemasons. One stone on the wall that draws visitors to stop is the Twelve Angled Stone. This massive stone, weighing several tons, has twelve angles and fits seamlessly with the surrounding stones. It is a masterpiece of Inca polygonal masonry, and many tourists make a special trip to take photos when visiting Cusco. This seemingly random, yet meticulously calculated construction method allows the wall to shift slightly during vibrations without collapsing. Having withstood several major earthquakes in Cusco, this ancient wall remains intact, with a level of stability that even surpasses the brick and stone structures built on top of it later.

No. 6 of Best Things to Do in Cusco

Inka Museum

Inka Museum is located in the old town of Cusco, just a few minutes' walk from the Plaza de Armas. The building itself is a highlight—the colonial-era Admiral's House. This courtyard is said to have been the residence of the Inca ruler Huáscar, with Inca-era stone walls layered beneath the mansion. The courtyard is surrounded by semicircular arcades, and the facade features stone-carved coats of arms, making the building itself a tangible lesson in the overlapping of two eras. The museum displays tens of thousands of artifacts chronologically, ranging from pre-Inca cultures such as Chavín, Nazca, and Wari, all the way to the rise of the Inca Empire and the arrival of the colonial era. Among the collection, the sets of keros—painted wooden cups used by the Inca for corn beer during rituals and feasts—are particularly worth a close look, as their patterns remain clear to this day. In addition, there are well-preserved textiles, gold and silver artifacts, and pottery. In the reconstructed Inca tomb, mummies are displayed alongside burial offerings, directly showcasing Inca burial customs and concepts of life and death. The skull specimens with trepanation marks, the three-dimensional models presenting the different ecological zones of Cusco at various altitudes, and the drawings by chronicler Guaman Poma depicting Inca history are also worth slowing down to appreciate.

Centro Arqueológico de Chinchero