Free things to do in Cusco | Not everything is money while travelling, there are many attractions Cusco that are for free, many of them located in the city center some of them nearby Cusco, learn with us what can you visit in Cusco for free?
Below we mention the places or free activities that you must visit or take part in!
Contents
a. Free attractions in the city center:
1. Book the best FREE Tour of Cusco
Book the most popular walking tour of Cusco organized by the first free tour company in Cusco, join today our 100% authorized tour Guides, book our Free tour here, check out thousands of reviews here; don’t forget to leave your tip to your Guide at the end of the walk; still doubting about the free tours? then take a glance at thousands of photos and followers on our Instagram and Facebook fun pages.
Note for Peruvians: At the moment the free tours are only for non-Peruvian tourists; However, you can take the classic city tour of Cusco.
2. Visit the Old Colonial Town and the Plaza de Armas of Cusco
The entire historical center of Cusco includes buildings that date back to 3 historical periods: the pre-Hispanic, colonial and republican, as you walk you will see pre-Hispanic walls from the Inca period (1100 to 1534), for example, Calle del Sol, a street that still keeps on both sides Inca walls, you can also visit the Inca Roca Palace and explore the Kusicancha Palace.
You can also combine this experience by visiting places from the colonial era (1534 to 1821), for instance, the Plaza de Armas and the San Blas neighbourhood unforgettable!
3. Visit the famous 12 Angled Stone
This famous stone is located on Hatun Rumiyoc Street (very close to the San Blas neighbourhood) where you can see the best Inca Stone Fitting, this pre-Hispanic residence belonged to Inca Roca (1200 AD) who is one of the 14 Inca Rulers. The 12-sided stone is very famous because of the hard work that required to fit or place perfectly 12 stones around on stone only, apart from that the number 12th is a cabalistic number.
If you wish to take a great photo together with the stone, it is hard since there are many tourists trying to take one; therefore, we strongly recommend you visit this stone in the morning from 6 am to 9 am and in the evening from 9pm until 12 noon.
4. Visit the San Pedro market
We know that you have been recommended a thousand times to visit this Market and we still do the same because we have visited many markets in cities such as Lima or Arequipa and our conclusion is simple: The Mercado San Pedro of Cusco is the best because it is a traditional market and the content in the market!
Why visit the San Pedro Market?
It is Free, it is opened almost all day long from 7 am to 5 pm, it is beautiful and cheap, moreover, you can always haggle the prices of almost all products, except for food.
5. Visit the Mural Painting on Avenida el Sol
This beautiful Mural Painting was designed and painted by Juan Bravo Vizcarra in 1992, to represent around 3 thousand years of pre-Inca, Inca, Colonial and Republican history of Cusco. The wall painting has a perimeter of 50 meters by 6 meters. Bring a good camera with you!
6. Visit the Colonial Aqueduct of Sapantiana
If you are good at walking and don’t have any problem with altitude, don’t miss out on this work of architecture from the Spanish occupation period—17th century. This colonial wall has several Roman arches, it has a total of four levels; most of the stones used for this a aqueduct belonged to the Inca temple known as Sanpantiyana. This aqueduct was still in use until the middle of the 20th century.
It is located on the Tullumayo river between the neighborhoods of San Blas and San Cristóbal, it will take you about 30 minutes on foot to get there from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco.
b. On the outskirts of Cusco city:
7. Visit Tupac Amaru Square
No all-awesome attractions of Cusco are located in the historical center, therefore we recommend you to visit The Plaza Tupac Amaru located at Wanchaq district, this plaza is fully decorated with flora from the Andes and right at the center you will see an awesome horse statue and a man riding it! Who is the man? His name is Tupac Amaru a very famous indigenous revolutionary in Peru and South America – Colonial history of Peru.
Tupac Amaru Square is at about 30 minutes walk from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco city, don’t miss it.
8. Visit the Mirador de San Cristóbal
Located at about 20 minutes steep walk from the main square of Cusco city, once you reach into this place you will have a beautiful panoramic viewpoint to the whole city of Cusco, we recommend you bring a good camera and nice walking shoes, you can visit this palace during daytime and night-time hours—up to 8 pm the latest.
9. Discover the White Christ
This statue is located in the north-eastern part of the city of Cusco, above the Barrio de San Blas, it represents the protection for the inhabitants of the city of Cusco, note that almost 80% of the people of Cusco are Catholic.
How to get to the White Christ on foot?
There are many ways to get to the white Christ on foot, but we recommend you take Atojsayquchi Street, and continue straight ahead (do not turn left or right), once you reach the main road you can turn left and walks for around 70 meters and finally you will clearly see this attraction.
10. Visit the Temple of the Moon
If you are in Cusco, visit one of the most significant places from the mystical viewpoint for the Andean men, visit the Temple of the Moon, starting from the main square of Cusco, it will take approximately 1 hour by foot.
You have to use the same route that you used to reach the White Christ, from this statue you must walk towards the Inca Qenqo temple (for this temple you pay, so you can ignore it, consider that you can still take photos of Qenqo from the upper part), from the temple of Qenqo keep walking in the same direction northeast, walk for about 15 minutes more and you will reach the temple of the Moon, do not worry if you get disoriented, you can always ask Locals, as you walk you will see many locals!
c. Extra information:
Can I to the White Christ or the Temple of the Moon by public transport?
Of course, you can!
- By Public Transportation System, pay 1 Sol – one way
To go to Cristo Blanco Statue by public transportation make your way to the Bus stop located at Puente Rosario Street, which is very close to the Qoricancha Temple Garden.
Once you are at the Bus stop in Puente Rosario, ask or look for Los Buses named “Cristo Blanco”, pay 1 sol per person and after approximately 30min you can get off at the stop known as “Cristo Blanco” and if you want to go to the Temple of the Moon you must get off at the next Bus stop known as “Qenqo” from there walk for about 10min to the temple of the moon!
On the way back, please come on foot through the San Blas neighbourhood!
- By Taxi, pay 12 Soles – one way
If you wish to take a Taxi to the White Christ, take it from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco or nearby places, you will be charged an average of 12 soles (one way), if you want to go to the Temple of La Luna from the historic centre via Taxi, you will be charged an average of 20 soles (one way).
Important: Take a taxi, only one way, come back on foot or if you want, take a taxi, but another taxi, not the same taxi that took you there!. If you insist on taking a round trip taxi to either the White Christ or The Temple of the Moon, it will charge you an average of 100 soles.
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