Things to do in Cusco when it rains: 8 indoor plans near the Plaza de Armas
Between November and March it rains almost every day in Cusco, mostly in the afternoon. The good news is that the historic center is small and nearly everything worth doing indoors is less than ten minutes' walk from the Plaza de Armas. Here are eight plans, from nearest to farthest.
Eight plans for a rainy afternoon
Paint your own Torito de Pucará with a master artisan
On the square · 2 hours · from 2 people
Two hours seated, indoors, with the balcony over the square as a backdrop. A master artisan guides you to paint a ceramic bull you take home finished. No drawing skills needed, and it works as well with kids as it does as a couple.
How the Torito workshop works →Inside Cusco Cathedral
On the square · 1 hour
The visit inside the Cathedral, right on the square, is long and entirely indoors: altarpieces, colonial Cusco School paintings and the famous Last Supper with guinea pig. A good plan for the first downpour, since it's thirty steps from any arcade.
Museo de Arte Precolombino (MAP)
5 min from the square · 1 hour
On Plaza Nazarenas, five minutes uphill. Ceramics, gold and woodwork from the cultures before the Incas, presented as art rather than an archaeology display case. It's small, takes an unhurried hour and has a café inside.
Museo Inka
2 min from the square · 1 to 2 hours
On Cuesta del Almirante, two minutes from the Cathedral, in a colonial mansion. It's the museum for understanding the Incas before Machu Picchu: mummies, queros, textiles, models. More traditional than the MAP, but very complete.
Qorikancha
8 min from the square · 1 hour
The Inca Temple of the Sun, with the Santo Domingo convent built on top. Half the route runs through cloisters and rooms, so it handles rain well; the Inca walls in the courtyard are among the best you can see in the city.
A chocolate workshop
3 min from the square · 2 hours
Cusco has chocolate museums where you learn where Peruvian cacao comes from and make your own bars or bonbons. It's the kids' favorite rainy-day plan and it ends with hot chocolate.
San Pedro Market
10 min from the square · 1 hour
The city's central market is covered. Stalls of fruit, cheese, bread, fresh juices and soups; lunchtime is when it's liveliest. It's an hour's wander and a good place to buy coffee or cacao to take home.
A café with a balcony to watch the rain on the square
On the square · no booking needed
And to wait it out: a specialty coffee, a hot chocolate or a late breakfast looking at the wet square from a second floor. We're at Portal de Comercio 157; the entrance is through the craft shop.
Breakfast and brunch with a view →
When it rains in Cusco
The rainy season runs from November to March, with January and February the wettest months. It rarely rains all day: the usual pattern is clear mornings and afternoon showers, so do outdoor visits early and save the indoor plans for after lunch.
April to October is the dry season, with clear skies and cold nights. Even so, an isolated shower can fall in any month: a folding umbrella in the backpack doesn't hurt.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to book the Torito workshop on a rainy day?
- It's best to message us on WhatsApp with the number of people, so we have toritos and a master ready. If you're nearby, you can also ask on arrival whether there's room.
- Are the museums open on Sundays?
- Most are, but hours change with the season; check the one you're interested in before heading out. This guide doesn't list third-party hours so we don't give you an outdated one.
- Can I do any of this on my first day, with the altitude?
- Yes, and they're actually the ideal first-day plans: all in the center, no long climbs, no effort. Walk slowly, drink water or coca tea, and leave Sacsayhuamán and the Valley for when your body has adjusted.
When it rains, come up to the balcony
Specialty coffee, hot chocolate, breakfast and a workshop to paint your Torito, on the second floor of Portal de Comercio 157. Entrance through the craft shop.
Book the Torito workshop