Free walking tour Cusco in the historic center

The free walking tours through the Historic Centre of Cusco start in front of the Chicha restaurant in Plaza Regocijo (Heladeros Street 290), look for the green vest. Please, don’t confuse it with the Plaza de Armas!

Your first steps in Cusco’s Historic Centre will take you to what was once the home of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, considered the first cultural mestizo of Peru and the Americas, as he was the son of a Spanish conquistador and an Inca princess from the Tawantinsuyo.

Born in Cusco on April 12, 1539, Garcilaso de la Vega is the author of the Royal Commentaries of the Incas. In this work, he shares the history, traditions, and customs of the “Children of the Sun”, drawing from the oral accounts passed down by his mother’s family.

But the story of the so-called “Prince of the Writers of the New World” begins within the walls of the 16th-century colonial mansion that your guide will show you at the very start of the free walking tour.

Located in Plaza Cusipata (also known as Plaza Regocijo), this colonial house was built on ancient Inca terraces. Its first owner was Pedro de Oñate. After his death, the home was occupied by Sebastián Garcilaso de la Vega and his wife, Isabel Chimpu Ocllo.

Today, this historic and monumental house – where Peru’s first mestizo was born and raised – is home to the Regional Historical Museum of Cusco. We highly recommend visiting it after your walk with us!

From square to square – starting at Plaza Regocijo and heading to Plaza San Francisco, a lively and open public space where you’ll discover Cusco’s Botanical Garden. At this stop, your guide will share fascinating insights into the native flora of the Andes.

In the garden, you’ll come across the cantuta or kantu (Cantua buxifolia), Peru’s national flower; the American cedar (Cedrela odorata); uña de gato (Uncaria tomentosa); and the avocado tree (Persea americana), among other native species.

Beyond the flora, Plaza San Francisco is dominated by the striking architecture of the colonial San Francisco Convent and Church. Built in the 16th century on the Inca terraces of Chaqnapata, its façade will impress you with its intricate Plateresque style.

Farewell to flora, and welcome to science and knowledge at Cusco’s first public school. Known locally as El Cienciano, this historic institution was founded in 1825 by order of the liberator Simón Bolívar.

In its early years, the school operated within the cloisters of the Church of the Society of Jesus, sharing the space with San Antonio Abad University. In 1828, El Cienciano was moved to its current location on Santa Clara Street.

The home of this iconic educational institution is part of Cusco’s Monumental Zone, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique blend of Inca and Spanish architecture.

The name Cienciano is also closely linked to sport, as it’s shared by Cusco’s most successful football club. In 2003, the Inca squad won the Copa Sudamericana, and the following year, they lifted the Recopa after defeating Argentina’s Boca Juniors.

After receiving your guide’s insights just outside the oldest school in Cusco, you’ll cross the Arch of Santa Clara – a beautiful piece of architecture built to celebrate the creation of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation.

In 1836, Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz ordered the construction of a grand archway, featuring one main entrance and two smaller side arches, on the western corner of Plaza San Francisco, right next to the Colegio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes.

Santa Cruz was the driving force behind the idea of a confederated state between Peru and Bolivia. His vision became a reality in 1836, but the project faced strong opposition both at home and abroad. In 1839, the confederation was officially dissolved.

Even so, the semi-circular arch with its Ionic columns – now known as the Arco de Santa Clara – still stands proudly today, catching the eyes (and cameras) of visitors like you, who join us to explore the streets of Cusco’s Historic Centre.

A bit of everything at great prices – welcome to Cusco’s oldest food market! Opened on 7 June 1925, San Pedro Market has everything from native potatoes to the items needed for a traditional offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

Designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel (yes, the same man behind the famous Parisian tower), this market will charm you with its colours, aromas, flavours, and incredible variety of products that capture the cultural heart of the Andean world.

Before it opened, Cusco didn’t have a main marketplace. During colonial times and the early years of the republic, vendors set up in Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Francisco, creating both chaos and pollution.

It was Mayor Manuel Silvestre Frisancho who came up with the idea to build San Pedro. Little did he know it would become, a hundred years later, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Cusco’s Historic Centre.

If Cusco is the “navel of the world,” then the Plaza de Armas is the centre of that navel. So get ready to take your next steps towards this iconic urban space, where history, culture, and architecture come together in the heart of the Historical Capital of Peru.

Known as Auqaypata by the Incas, the square is surrounded by religious and civil buildings, all built on top of ancient temples and pre-Hispanic palaces. This blend of Andean and Western styles creates a space of unique architectural beauty.

From the square, you’ll see the Cathedral, the Convent of Santa Catalina, and the churches of El Triunfo, La Sagrada Familia, and La Compañía de Jesús. You’ll also notice the elegant archways and several balconied buildings, many of which now house shops and restaurants.

Before the arrival of the Spanish, this space – then known as Aucaypata or Huacaypata – was dominated by impressive Inca stone structures such as the palaces of Amaru Cancha and Kiswar Cancha, as well as temples like Aclla Wasi and Suntur Wasi, among other important political and religious buildings.

Tupac Amaru I and Tupac Amaru II were executed in this very square in 1572 and 1781, respectively. Both events symbolically marked the end of the Inca nobility. But their sacrifice was not in vain – they left behind a powerful legacy of honour and bravery.

While you’re here, don’t miss the chance to snap a photo of the beautiful water fountain at the centre of the square. Donated by the city of New York in 1908, it was later crowned with a statue of Manco Capac, the legendary founder of Inca civilisation.

On the steps of Cusco’s main temple — just a few steps from the Plaza de Armas — your guide will share the story of Peru’s very first cathedral. With its impressive size, it’s considered the second largest in the Americas.

Its origins date back to the period between 1560 and 1664. During those years, architect Juan Miguel de Veramendi led the construction of the Cathedral Basilica. He was later succeeded by Juan Correa, who continued the monumental project.

In 1615, master builder Miguel Gutiérrez Sencio took over the project and completed it in 1649. Designed in the Andean Baroque style, the Cathedral’s atrium offers a stunning view of the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding Cusco mountains.

If you’re interested in religious art, we highly recommend visiting the inside of the Cathedral. Built in the Renaissance style, its chapels house valuable collections that showcase the deep sensitivity and talent of colonial-era artists.

And suddenly, you’ll feel your steps taking you back to imperial Cusco — a time when the Sun was worshipped, and Mother Earth was honoured. That’s what happens when you let your imagination wander along this street filled with history and ancient memory.

Inti K’ijllu (Street of the Sun), as the ancestors called it in Quechua, was later renamed Calle Loreto by the Spanish. But beyond its name, this pedestrian street still preserves the massive stone walls that define pre-Hispanic architecture. Flanked by Amaru Cancha and Aclla Wasi, Inti K’ijllu links the Plaza de Armas with Pampa del Castillo Street, another iconic spot in the “navel of the world” — the city we’re discovering together.

Charming, eye-catching, and sometimes a little cheeky, llamas and alpacas are iconic animals of the Andes. Getting close to them, giving them a gentle stroke, and snapping a photo by their side is a must-do experience for many travellers who come to Cusco.

If time allows and your guide thinks it’s appropriate, you may even get the chance to interact with them right on the streets of Cusco. Spanish chroniclers once described llamas and alpacas as the “sheep and horses of the Andes”.

In the Andes, llamas are still used as pack animals — there are even herders today who travel with them. Alpacas, on the other hand, are prized for their wool, which is used to weave warm ponchos, jumpers, blankets, and traditional chullos (Andean hats).

Proud and unpredictable, it’s best to approach them calmly. Be patient, kind, and earn their trust. That way, you’ll avoid startling them — and trust us, you don’t want to see them in a bad mood!

Take the opportunity to ask your guide what llamas and alpacas do when they’re annoyed… the answer might surprise you!

In the heart of the Historic Centre lie the architectural remains and structures of what was once the palace of Pachacutec (1438 to 1478 AD), the Sapan Inca who solidified Cusco’s dominance in the high Andes.

Known as La Qasana during Inca times, the palace featured several canchas or courtyards with vibrant gardens, all surrounded by eight impressive chambers built with massive stone blocks.

When the conquistadors took over Cusco, Pachacutec’s Qasana became the headquarters of the Spanish army. After Peru’s independence was declared, it continued to serve a military purpose, this time under Peruvian command.

Visits to Pachacutec’s palace are only available Monday to Friday, as part of the free walking tours that begin at 10:00 and 13:00.

Here, your guide will tell you all about Andean Baroque, an artistic style that emerged in Peru during colonial times. You’ll also learn about the importance of Qoricancha, the Inca temple where worship was dedicated to the Sun god, the Moon goddess — and also to the rainbow and lightning.

The word Qoricancha means “golden enclosure” in Quechua. When the Spanish arrived, its walls were covered in gold plates, which were later removed by the conquistadors. The temple also served as a centre for astronomical observation and study.

In the 16th century, the Inca walls of Qoricancha served as the foundation for the construction of the colonial Convent and Church of Santo Domingo.

Building Catholic temples on top of Inca sacred sites was a religious, ideological, and cultural strategy designed to symbolically show that Western gods were superior to the Andean deities.

Despite this, many ancient beliefs survived or blended with Catholic rituals, giving rise to the religious syncretism that can still be seen in various artistic and cultural expressions today.

Nowadays, this architectural complex stands as a powerful symbol of Andean-Spanish fusion. The colonial church and the Inca walls of Qoricancha are lasting witnesses to Cusco’s imperial past and colonial legacy.

The free walking tour of Cusco’s Historic Centre ends near Santo Domingo, just a 5-minute walk from the Plaza de Armas in the “Archaeological Capital of Peru”.