2 Best Sights in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Peru

Locals come from miles away to sell their produce at the Sunday Chinchero Market, making it a truly authentic market experience; come early, though, because it's all over by noon. The artisanal markets in Chinchero, which are open daily, are some of the best places to find textiles. Within the large market building are smaller owner-operated stands where local weavers sell their own and others' creations. There are also demonstrations of local dyeing and weaving techniques.

The market is held every day but is even larger on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, when the ever-present ceramics, jewelry, and textiles on the central plaza share the stage with fruits, vegetables, and grains spilling over onto the side streets. Sellers set up shop about 9 am on market days and start packing up at about 5 pm. The market is not so different from many others you'll see around Peru, only larger. Go on Sunday if your schedule permits; you'll have a chance to take in the 11 am Quechua Mass at the Iglesia San Pedro Apóstolo and watch the elaborate costumed procession led by the mayor, who carries his varayoc, a ceremonial staff, out of the church afterward. Note that the market is not all it used to be: prices have escalated along with its popularity, and you now typically buy from middle men, not the actual weaver.