Cusco's main square is built around a simple trick of scale. In Inca times it was a vast open space, called Huacaypata, where armies gathered and ceremonies took place. The Spanish cut it down to the present plaza, lined it with arcades and placed the Cathedral on one side, where it sits on the foundations of an Inca palace. On the opposite flank stands the Jesuit church of La Compañía, whose richly carved facade was designed to outdo the neighbouring cathedral, and legend says the bishop complained to the pope about it.
The plaza is also the site of darker history. In 1781 Túpac Amaru II, the Indigenous leader of a great rebellion against Spanish rule, was executed here after his capture, a moment that still resonates in Peru. Today the square is a gentler place, with balconies full of cafés and restaurants, benches under the trees and children chasing pigeons. The cathedral holds a painting of the Last Supper, in which the Cusqueñan painters gave the table a roasted guinea pig and a local chilli drink, which is the kind of detail locals love to point out.
By bike the centre is more of an arrival than a ride. The streets close to the plaza are narrow, steep and often restricted to pedestrians, and parking is scarce, so leave the motorcycle in a secure garage and walk. Altitude makes uphill strolls tiring, and evenings turn cold quickly, so carry a layer. In the rainy season from December to March, showers come in the afternoon, and stone steps become slippery.
Fuel is available in the lower parts of the city, away from the old core, and cafés and restaurants around the plaza are numerous, if pricey. For something plainer, wander a few blocks up toward San Blas, where artists' workshops and small bakeries cluster along the stepped lanes, and the views back over the red tile roofs are among the best in the city.
Early morning, before the tour groups arrive, is the best time to see the square, and late evening, when it is lit, runs a close second.