Traditions of Cusco
The old Inca capital, where Inti Raymi, Qoyllur Rit'i and the Corpus Christi processions blend Andean and Catholic faith.
Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire, and its streets still carry Inca stone walls beneath Spanish churches. Quechua-speaking communities keep festivals that fuse the two traditions. Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, is re-enacted each 24 June, and the pilgrimage of Qoyllur Rit'i goes to a glacier.
Inti Raymi and the snow star
Each 24 June at Sacsayhuamán, actors re-enact the Inca festival of the sun. In the days before Corpus Christi, statues of saints are carried to the cathedral. At Qoyllur Rit'i, thousands of pilgrims climb to a glacier at 4,700 metres, with dancers in masks, to honour the Lord of the Snow Star, a tradition recognised by UNESCO.
At the table
Cuy, roast guinea pig, is the festive dish. Chicha de jora, a corn beer, is poured first to the earth, Pachamama. Alpaca steak, trout, and quinoa soup are everyday dishes, and potato comes in thousands of varieties. Coca tea is drunk for the altitude. Cusco's chocolate is renowned.
Signature traditions of Cusco
Also part of it, and being written: Qoyllur Rit'i (The pilgrimage.), Guinea pig (The dish.), Chicha (The beer.), Pachamama (The earth mother.).
A trail idea for Cusco
- Plaza de Armas See the cathedral.
- San Pedro Market Eat soup.
- Sacsayhuamán See the stones.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Inti: Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, Public domain, source
- Inti Raymi: Cyntia Motta, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Qoyllur Rit'i: AgainErick, CC BY-SA 3.0, source