You will go broke if you pay to get into each museum, church, and archaeological site around Cusco. Even if you are going to visit only a few places, buy a boleto turístico for US$45 (US$24 for students under age 26 with ISIC card). The ticket covers 16 sites in and around Cusco, including must-sees like Sacsayhuamán, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo, and you cannot actually get into a lot of the sites if you do not have the ticket.

The tickets can be bought at the entrances to most major sites or at COSITUC (Av. El Sol 103, #102, www.boletoturisticocusco.com, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri.).

Unfortunately, the pass only lasts 10 days. There is a process for extending expired passes, but—take it from us—it’s not worth wasting a day navigating the halls of the Instituto Nacional de Cultura, which is a harrowing bureaucracy even by Peruvian standards.

The ticket covers these 16 sites:

• Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo
• Museo Histórico Regional
• Museo de Arte Popular
• Museo de Sitio Corichanca
• Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo
• Monumento a Pachacútec
• Sacsayhuamán
• Q’enqo
• Puca Pucara
• Tambo Machay
• Pisac
• Ollantaytambo
• Moray
• Chinchero
• Tipón
• Pikillacta,

The Coricancha temple (US$3.50) and the Museo de Arte y Monasterio de Santa Catalina (US$2.50) are not included in the ticket, but if you go to both you only pay US$5.

The Catedral (US$8.50), Iglesia de la Compañía (US$3.50), Iglesia San Blas (US$5), and the Museo de Arte Religioso (US$5) are not covered either, but if you plan to go to all four you can buy the boleto religioso at the entrance of any of these sites for US$17 (US$8.50 for students under age 26 with ISIC card).

Other interesting sites not included are the Iglesia de La Merced (US$2), Museo Inka (US$3.50), and the Museo de Arte Precolombino (US$7).