Holy Week in Peru 2027 (Semana Santa) runs from Palm Sunday, March 21, to Easter Sunday, March 28, and the place where travelers feel it most is Cusco. I plan trips to Cusco every week from Lima, and this is the guide I’d send to anyone choosing between Holy Week and a quieter date: what happens each day, what changes for you as a visitor, and how to build the trip around it.
Quick answer
- Dates 2027: Sunday, March 21 to Sunday, March 28. Easter Sunday is March 28.
- The day to be in Cusco: Holy Monday, March 22, for the procession of the Señor de los Temblores, the city’s patron.
- Public holidays: Holy Thursday (March 25) and Good Friday (March 26) are national holidays, so Peruvians travel and, in our experience, Cusco fills up from Wednesday night.
- Is it worth it? Yes, if you want to see Cusco at its most local. Hotels and trains cost more and sell out sooner, so book 3 to 4 months ahead and secure Machu Picchu tickets first.
- Weather: late March is the tail end of the rainy season. Expect afternoon showers, green valleys and 7 to 20 °C.
When is Holy Week in Peru in 2027?
Holy Week in Peru in 2027 starts on Palm Sunday, March 21, and ends on Easter Sunday, March 28. Easter in Peru is lived as a full week, not just a weekend, and it moves every year because it follows the date of Easter Sunday, which is why it lands almost two weeks earlier than in 2026, when Easter fell on April 5. Only Holy Thursday and Good Friday are public holidays (El Peruano explains the rule), but most of the country treats Thursday to Sunday as a long weekend.
| Day | What happens in Cusco | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Mar 21 · Palm Sunday | Blessing of the palms and the first processions | Cathedral and city churches |
| Mon, Mar 22 · Holy Monday | Procession of the Señor de los Temblores, the main event of the week | Plaza de Armas and the historic center |
| Thu, Mar 25 · Holy Thursday | Washing of the feet at Mass, and the visit to seven churches | Cathedral and churches around the center |
| Fri, Mar 26 · Good Friday | The twelve dishes at home, then the Santo Sepulcro procession | Homes, markets and the Plaza de Armas |
| Sun, Mar 28 · Easter Sunday | Early Mass to close the week | Cathedral |
What happens during Holy Week in Cusco?
Holy Week in Cusco is built around one day that is different from the rest of Peru: Holy Monday. In most cities the big processions come on Good Friday; in Cusco the whole city turns out on Monday for its patron, and the rest of the week is quieter and more about churches, family and food.
Palm Sunday, March 21
Palm Sunday opens the week with Mass and the blessing of palms. Outside the churches you’ll see people selling palm leaves woven into crosses and small figures. It’s a good day for a calm first walk around the center if you’ve just arrived.
Holy Monday, March 22: the Señor de los Temblores
The Señor de los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes, or Taytacha in Quechua) is a dark-skinned Christ that Cusco credits with stopping the earthquake of 1650, and he is the city’s sworn patron. After the midday Mass in the Cathedral, the image comes out in the early afternoon (around 2 pm in 2024), crosses the Plaza de Armas and goes through the streets of the center, including Plateros and Santa Teresa, before returning to the Cathedral in the evening for a final blessing (Andina). Families throw red ñucchu flowers from the streets and balconies as it passes.
It’s huge: for the 2024 procession, Andina reported an expected 400,000 people between the faithful and visitors. In some years the regional government has also made Holy Monday a non-working day in Cusco (it did in 2022), so check closer to the date. Our tip: pick your spot in the early afternoon on one corner of the Plaza de Armas and stay there. Trying to follow the procession through the narrow streets is slow and you see less.
Holy Thursday, March 25
On Holy Thursday the archbishop washes the feet of twelve people during Mass in the Cathedral, in memory of the Last Supper. In the evening many families do the visit to seven churches, walking from one to the next. This is also the day the long weekend starts, so the city gets noticeably busier with visitors from Lima and other regions.
Good Friday, March 26: the twelve dishes
Good Friday in Cusco is about food as much as faith. Families prepare twelve dishes, savory and sweet, in memory of the Last Supper (RPP): soups made with Andean crops, fish dishes such as sudado de trucha (trout stew) and saltado de bacalao (salt cod), and desserts like apple or corn sweets. You won’t be invited into a home, but markets and many restaurants serve some of these dishes that day. If you like food, it’s the best day of the week; our guide to the best food in Cusco has where to eat the rest of the year.
Later in the day, the Santo Sepulcro (Holy Sepulchre) and the Virgen Dolorosa come out in a slower procession around the Plaza de Armas.
Easter Sunday, March 28
Easter Sunday closes the week with an early Mass in the Cathedral. It’s a calm day in the city, and a good one to leave for the Sacred Valley or fly out, because many domestic visitors head home that afternoon.
Is Holy Week a good time to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu?
Holy Week is a good time to visit Cusco if you want to see the city’s traditions up close and you plan ahead, but it’s not the cheapest or quietest week of March. From what we see when we book these trips, hotel and train prices go up and there’s a clear jump in domestic tourism, because Peruvians use the long weekend to travel. In our experience, the busiest days are Thursday to Sunday.
| If you… | Our advice |
|---|---|
| Want the procession and local life | Come for Holy Monday and stay to Wednesday. You get the main event before the long weekend crowds arrive. |
| Care more about Machu Picchu than the festival | Visit Machu Picchu before Thursday, and buy tickets as soon as you have dates. Our Machu Picchu tickets guide explains how. |
| Hate crowds and want lower prices | Skip Holy Week and come the week after Easter. The weather is drier and the city goes back to normal. |
| Are on a tight budget | Book hotels and the train 3 to 4 months ahead, or travel in early March instead. |
The weather is the other trade-off. Late March is the end of the rainy season: March is still wet in Cusco, but it gets less rain than February, and April is much drier. In practice that means sunny mornings, afternoon showers and very green valleys. Pack a rain jacket, and remember that Cusco sits at 3,400 m: give yourself a slow first day (our acclimatization guide explains the route order that helps).
How to fit Holy Week into a Cusco trip
The easiest way to see Holy Week without losing the classic sights is to start from our 6-day Cusco itinerary and set the order around Holy Monday. This is how we’d arrange it for 2027:
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Sun, Mar 21 | Arrive in Cusco. Easy afternoon in the center while the Palm Sunday processions are on. |
| Mon, Mar 22 | Morning: Cusco city and archaeological tour at an easy pace (Qorikancha and Sacsayhuamán; the Cathedral is busy with the procession). Afternoon: the Señor de los Temblores procession from a fixed spot in the Plaza de Armas. |
| Tue, Mar 23 | Sacred Valley full day, sleeping in the valley. |
| Wed, Mar 24 | Machu Picchu, the day before the long weekend starts. |
| Thu, Mar 25 | Maras and Moray, back to Cusco for Holy Thursday evening. |
| Fri, Mar 26 | Good Friday: try the twelve dishes for lunch, then fly out, or add a night to stay for Easter. |
The 6-day plan starts from USD 535 per person, based on 2 travelers (we confirm 2027 rates when you book), and you can do it with group or private tours. We adjust the order to your dates if you arrive on a different day.
Sacred Valley Classic
Six unhurried days: Cusco, Maras and Moray, the full Sacred Valley with a night there, then Machu Picchu.
Reply the same day · No commitment
Mistakes to avoid during Holy Week
Most Holy Week problems in Cusco come from booking late or packing too much into the busiest days. These are the ones we see most:
- Booking late. Hotels in the center and Machu Picchu tickets for the long weekend go first. Book as soon as you have flights.
- Planning to visit the Cathedral on Holy Monday. It’s the center of the procession that day. See it another morning.
- Doing Machu Picchu on Thursday to Saturday. Those are the busiest days of the week. Go earlier if you can.
- Arriving from Lima the same morning you want to see the procession. At 3,400 m, a long afternoon on your feet on day one is a bad idea. Arrive at least a day before.
- Leaving your phone in your back pocket. Big crowds bring pickpockets. Keep valuables in front and carry little cash.
Plan your Holy Week trip to Cusco with us
Holy Week is one of the best weeks to understand Cusco, and one of the easiest to get wrong if you book late. We put together the full trip: hotels in the center, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu tickets and the order of days around the procession. See our Cusco trip planning page for other plans, or check the Peru festivals calendar 2027 if you’re still choosing dates.
Send us your dates and we’ll send you a plan the same day, free and with no commitment. We can also book your domestic flights inside Peru as part of the trip; international flights you book yourself.
FAQ
When is Holy Week in Peru in 2027?
Holy Week in Peru runs from Palm Sunday, March 21, 2027, to Easter Sunday, March 28, 2027. Holy Thursday (March 25) and Good Friday (March 26) are national public holidays.
What is the most important day of Holy Week in Cusco?
Holy Monday, March 22 in 2027. In the early afternoon, after the midday Mass, the Señor de los Temblores, Cusco’s patron, is carried through the historic center and returns to the Cathedral in the evening for a final blessing.
Is Machu Picchu open during Holy Week?
Yes, Machu Picchu is open every day of Holy Week. Thursday to Sunday are the busiest days because of the long weekend, so book tickets early or visit earlier in the week.
Is Easter a public holiday in Peru?
Holy Thursday and Good Friday are public holidays in Peru. Easter Sunday falls on a weekend, and many businesses close or open shorter hours from Thursday to Sunday.
What are the twelve dishes of Good Friday in Cusco?
It’s a family meal of twelve savory and sweet dishes in memory of the Last Supper. It usually includes Andean soups, fish such as trout or salt cod, and fruit or corn sweets.
Is it more expensive to travel to Cusco during Holy Week?
Yes. Hotels and trains cost more and sell out sooner because of domestic travel over the long weekend. Booking 3 to 4 months ahead gives you more choice.
