About
Traditional Andean town famous for its vibrant Sunday market and impressive Inca ruins overlooking the Sacred Valley. Popular destination for textiles, handicrafts, and agricultural terraces.
Pisac is a traditional Andean town in Peru's Calca Province, set in the Sacred Valley. It is best known for its Sunday market and for the Inca ruins that rise above the town, and it is often visited as a day trip from the wider valley.
What to expect
- The Sunday market: Stalls fill the town's streets with textiles, handicrafts and everyday goods. Visitors come to browse, compare weaving and shop for souvenirs.
- The Inca ruins: The archaeological site overlooks the Sacred Valley and gives wide views across the river and the surrounding fields.
- Agricultural terraces: The stepped fields on the hillsides show the long farming tradition of the valley, and they are part of the landscape you see on the way up to the ruins.
Planning a visit
Pisac suits a relaxed day. Going on a Sunday lets you see the market at its fullest, though the streets will be busier. Allow time for the walk or climb to the ruins, and wear comfortable shoes, since the paths are steep and uneven. Because the town sits at altitude, take it slowly if you are not yet acclimatised.
The town is also known as Pisaq, a spelling you may see on signs and maps.
