Cusco Night Tour: San Pedro Market, Planetarium & Peruvian Food

Summary

Cusco Evening Walking Tour with Planetarium and Local Cuisine

If you want to experience Cusco beyond daytime crowds, this tour brings you into real local life—market snacks, history-rich plazas, hands-on astronomy at the planetarium, and classic Peruvian food and drinks. You’ll see another side of Cusco—and taste it too.

What’s the experience like?

The late afternoon air in Cusco always feels a bit crisp, especially as we made our way toward San Pedro Market. It’s only about a ten-minute walk from most central hotels, but you’ll notice the city’s rhythm shift as you get closer—street vendors in colorful skirts selling everything from herbal teas to sandwiches that smell faintly of anise and grilled corn. Inside the market, it’s a maze of stalls: fruit juices in every shade you can imagine (I counted at least five types of passionfruit), piles of cheese wrapped in banana leaves, and locals bargaining over potatoes I’d never seen before. Our guide, Maribel, pointed out a stall where she always buys her favorite tamales—she swears by the green ones with cheese.

We left the market behind and wandered through narrow streets until the Plaza de Armas opened up before us. The cathedral dominates one side—massive doors, stone lions, and a mix of styles that somehow works together. Maribel shared stories about Tupac Amaru II right there in the square; it’s hard not to feel the weight of history when you’re standing where he once stood. Afterward, we ducked into a small café just off the plaza for our first taste of pisco sour (the foam on top is almost marshmallowy) and tried a maracuya sour too—tangier than I expected but really refreshing. If you don’t drink alcohol, they’ve got fresh juices or even Inca Kola—the neon-yellow local soda everyone seems to love.

Once dusk settled in, our driver took us up winding roads toward the planetarium near Sacsayhuaman. The temperature dropped noticeably up there—bring an extra layer if you feel the cold easily! Guides at the planetarium welcomed us inside an adobe house before leading us through their interpretation center. I learned how Incas mapped constellations using dark patches between stars rather than just connecting dots like we do now. Under the dome, we watched southern constellations swirl overhead; then outside (weather permitting), we peered through telescopes at nebulae and planets that looked so close you could almost touch them.

Back in town after stargazing, hunger hit hard. We stopped at a local spot for pollo a la brasa—rotisserie chicken marinated with spices I couldn’t quite place (maybe cumin? definitely garlic). It came piled high with fries and salad plus all sorts of sauces—spicy green ají was my favorite. And yes, there was plenty of Inca Kola to go around. By then it was late but nobody seemed in any rush to leave; conversations lingered over empty plates as city lights flickered outside.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Cusco Market and City Tour

• Visit San Pedro Market
• Explore Plaza de Armas and Cathedral
• Stargazing at Cusco Planetarium
• Dinner: Pollo a la Brasa and Inca Kola

Top questions

Is this tour suitable for kids or older travelers?

Yes! The walking is gentle and guides adjust pace for all ages. Kids usually love both the market sights and planetarium visit.

What if it rains or is cloudy during stargazing?

The planetarium has an indoor dome show about Inca astronomy even if outdoor telescope viewing isn’t possible due to weather.

I don’t drink alcohol—are there other options?

Absolutely! Non-alcoholic drinks like fresh juices or Inca Kola are always available during tastings.

How long does the whole experience last?

The full tour usually runs from 2:30 pm until around 9:00 pm including all stops and dinner.

What’s included

Your evening includes entry to Cusco’s planetarium with expert guides, private transportation between sites, pollo a la brasa dinner with Inca Kola at a local restaurant, plus your choice of pisco sour or maracuya sour (or non-alcoholic drinks). A certified guide leads throughout—and all fitness levels are welcome.