If you are in Cusco and you have already visited the tourist sites, then now it's your turn to visit the markets of the capital, a place full of colors, flavors and exotic essences that you can only see here. In this guide you will find everything you can find in each of these market centers and best of all, you will leave with a full stomach.
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The first thing you should know is that each of Cusco's traditional markets has a story to tell, objects to show, typical food to taste for each region, among other beautiful things you can find.
However, that's not all because if you want to learn the native language, Quechua, a language that was spoken since the time of the Incas, who left us their customs, their type of food, medicinal herbs among others that are still preserved.
For this and many more things you should visit the markets of Cusco, you will find a variety of souvenirs that you can take with you, follow me in this guide to learn more about the imperial city.
Cusco is a big city and has several shopping centers, here is a list of all the things you can find in each one of them:
This is one of the oldest markets in the imperial capital, and is located in the square of San Pedro. Regarding its infrastructure it indicates that it was built years ago, according to history it was in charge of Gustave Eiffel. Inside the market you will find a section of food and native products.
Among them you will find basic necessities, clothes made of alpaca fiber, llama, usually in this place you will find them at prices that are easy on your pocket. Also in another section you will find pure fruit juices and some vegetable juices, below is the pure fruit section.
To go into more detail, this market is extensive forming a small city within the same city, where there are several sections such as meats, instant foods that are the famous rice with egg, or extras that are larger dishes.
You can also find nuts, grains, the delicious breads of Oropesa, maicillos, dairy products, flowers, medicinal plants and perhaps the rarest thing you will find here are the heads of pigs, cows, visors and others that are used to prepare the delicious broths based on these giblets, a very nutritious and strengthening dish to start the day.
Actually they have many things to see that even, I think I would not finish telling you here, so I invite you to visit this place yourself and try all the little things you see; and if you do not know what to eat you can ask the hunts and they will recommend you what to eat and where, then you could not say no to all those exquisite flavors.
The San Blas market is located in one of the old neighborhoods of the city, if you are near this beautiful place and do not know where to have a good breakfast, then you should go to the market a good fruit juice, but not only that you can also find vegetables, meats and typical foods of the region.
Generally in the markets meals are sold at an affordable price compared to tourist restaurants; if you like traditional clothing made from alpaca wool, vicuña also here you can find them, you can visit from Monday to Sunday from 6:00 am to 17 hours.
This is another of the markets little visited by tourists, but if quite crowded by the Cusco population, here are concentrated products first hand because the same producers are those who sell in this place; likewise to know the variety of products and what sites are you can come to the fair Huancaro that only on Saturdays come the producers and expose the varieties of potatoes, corn, vegetables, fruits and even in another section are the typical foods and the rich chicha de jora or frutillada.
This market is located in the same district of that name and is the least visited by tourists, but we invite you to visit it because here you will find some more exotic fruits such as aguaymanto, pacay, lucuma, among others.
There are also some medicinal and consumption herbs such as coca, mint, muña that are used as infusions that help digestion, in fact there are a variety of products that you can also find in this place.
This market is also located in the center of the city a few steps from the central market of San Pedro where they sell products such as vegetables, grains, pork, chicken, beef, here you can also find a variety of products such as potatoes, corn.
If you want to have a good breakfast you can go to the clados or instant soups section, which most of them are consumed to start a good day.
This market is only dedicated to selling garments made from alpaca, vicuña or llama wool and you will find them in different versions such as sweaters, chullos, gloves, shawls, backpacks, jackets, in fact there are a variety of products that they make.
But that's not all, if you want to take some Andean gifts you can also find them here, from ceramics, goldsmithing, paintings and more handicrafts at affordable prices.
It is located about 30 km from the city of Cusco, Chinchero a population that keeps the Inca remains still present, usually on Sundays are held the sale of handicrafts in its main square.
Here you will see women wearing typical costumes of the place selling their own weavings and handicrafts that they make, being this the best legacy of their ancestors and continue to practice even future generations enter this world of craftsmanship.
This time we go a little bit further from the city of Cusco, if you are going to visit the archaeological site of Pisac then you must visit the traditional market of Pisac, here you will find all kinds of handicrafts as well as ceramics, and even here they sell fruits, vegetables and more.
Most of them are visited by tourists who like these products, since they are made of alpaca and vicuña wool, ideal to take them as gifts, there are also quenas, flutes or panpipes.
These are some of the most visited and well known markets in the city of Cusco, I recommend that you take a tour and visit each of the markets.
