18 Free Things to Do in Cusco: Ruins, Markets, & More

Peru is one of the cheapest countries in South America, so you don’t need to spend much to enjoy it. But you also don’t have to spend any money on activities if you prefer not to or if you’re traveling on a tight budget.

Although I no longer travel on the shoestring budget that I used to when I was in college, I’m still conscious of what I spend. I also prefer to save when I can so that I can splurge on the things that I value more, like trekking tours and scuba diving.

I spent a month living and remote working in Cusco, where I got to see the best of Cusco and explore its nooks and crannies. Based on my time there, this list of things to do in Cusco for free will make sure that you still get to experience the city’s charm while saving money. You’ll also find a map below with all the attractions marked.

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Hike up to Cristo Blanco

Cristo Blanco (White Christ) stands at the top of the Pukamuqu hill. Although it’s an uphill walk from the center of Cusco that’ll have you huffing and puffing from the altitude, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of Cusco.

From this viewpoint, you can even see the ruins of Saqsaywaman/Sacsayhuamán. The ruins require a paid ticket, so this is the best way to experience them for free.

Take in the views from Mirador de Sán Cristobal

Mirador de Sán Cristobal is a short uphill walk from Cusco’s city center. Even though you’re not going far, this viewpoint delivers on amazing views of Cusco. Away from the city’s hustle and bustle, you can take a seat on one of the benches or ledges and take in the orange shingled roofs and rolling hills.

While you should choose a clear day for the best views, other times that you should visit the viewpoint are during golden hour and at night.

Take a free walking tour

If you’ve never taken a free walking tour, they’re a fantastic way to get acquainted with a new place fast. Whenever I visit somewhere new, I always look for free walking tours to get a lay of the land. The tour guides are also great sources of local recommendations.

Free walking tours like Free Walking Tour Cusco are donation-based. At the end of the tour, you can tip your tour guide any amount that you feel comfortable with. If you have the financial means to tip, the tour guides really appreciate it. However, there’s no pressure to tip.

I signed up for a free walking tour through my hostel and thought it was a wonderful introduction to Incan history and culture, as well as some of the landmarks in Cusco. We even visited a chocolate store where we sampled a variety of locally made and award-winning chocolates.

Visit Sapantiana Aqueduct

At the end of a street in San Blas, you’ll find the Sapantiana Aqueduct. It was built during Cusco’s Spanish 17th-century colonial period and was used to bring water from the mountains into the city. The aqueduct also held spiritual significance, as water symbolized life.

You can walk in a ditch that leads right up to the aqueduct, where you’ll often find tourists taking photos. When I visited, locals were restoring parts of the aqueduct, but it was still accessible to tourists.

Discover the Temple of the Moon

Since all the major ruins in Cusco require a paid ticket, the Temple of the Moon (Templo de la Luna) is the perfect free alternative. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to make your way uphill to the temple from Plaza de Mayor. You’ll know when you’ve arrived, as the temple is carved into a large rock hill.

In Incan culture, the moon was linked to creation or fertility. Cusco isn’t the only place where you can find a Temple of the Moon. Perhaps the most well-known one is the temple at Machu Picchu. Although the exact purpose of these moon temples is unclear, they were important sites in Incan cities.

Explore San Pedro Market

San Pedro Market (Mercado Central de San Pedro) will delight or maybe overwhelm your senses. The covered market contains rows and rows of vendors selling produce, meat, textiles, souvenirs, flowers, fresh juices, hot food, and more. With so much to see, San Pedro Market is a fun place to walk around and discover new things.

The market is busiest in the mornings, when locals come to do their shopping. So if you want to see the market at its peak, visit then. If you prefer a quieter market and don’t mind some closed stalls, come in the afternoon.

San Pedro Market is a cheap place for food, drinks, and souvenirs. If you think you might want to buy something here, you’ll need to come prepared with cash. When buying souvenirs, you can also haggle to get an even better deal.

When visiting San Pedro Market, also be sure to explore the outdoor markets in the surrounding streets. Some streets have more proper setups with tables and tents. On other streets, vendors just set up their stuff on the ground.

Explore San Blas Market

San Blas Market (Mercado San Blas) is much smaller than San Pedro Market and offers similar goods. Given its smaller size, it’s also much calmer than San Pedro Market.

Tourists and locals often come here for cheap food, drinks, and produce. Govinda Lila Vegan Food serves fresh, cheap vegan food, while El Extraño is known for its lomo saltado with noodles.

See the 12-angled stone

The 12-angled stone is an example of the Incas’ sophisticated architectural skills that can be easily found in Cusco’s city center. Carved from green diorite, it’s a part of a long stone wall surrounding the Archbishop’s Palace.

Aside from the skills that it takes to carve a 12-angled stone, what’s also impressive is that the wall was constructed without any mortar or binding material. Instead, each block of stone was precisely cut to fit together.

Find the puma and serpent in the stone walls

Around the corner from the 12-angled stone, the stone wall continues. If you look closely, you’ll be able to see how certain stones create the shape of a puma and a serpent. Both animals held significance in Incan culture. The puma represented strength while the serpent represented wisdom.

If you have trouble spotting the animals, there’s a sign across from the wall that shows you what you’re looking for. The shops there are also used to tourists visiting the wall and may offer help.

Since this isn’t a wide street, it does get busy with tourists and tour groups. People often take pictures with the puma and serpent stones too. So if you want to see them with less people around, I recommend going in the morning or at night.

Stroll the streets of Cusco

Cusco is a wonderful city to get lost in. Around the city’s historic center, there are many streets lined with cute shops, restaurants and cafés, and art galleries. As you get farther away from the city center, you’ll get a less touristy and more local look at Cusco.

Cusco is a safe place, so you also don’t have to worry about wandering into a shady area. When I walked from Sacsayhuamán back into the city center, I found myself on some quiet residential streets with buildings under construction and felt perfectly fine. However, I still recommend being aware of your surroundings as you get farther away from the center of activity.

By simply walking the streets, especially those around the historic center, you never know what you’ll find. I visited Cusco in December and stumbled upon several celebrations and performances during this time. Cusco is a festive city where there’s often celebrations of some kind, so you might be in for a delightful surprise.

Enjoy Plaza de Armas

Plaza de Armas de Cusco (also known as Plaza Mayor de Cuzco) is the large, central square in Cusco’s city center. The plaza is lined with restaurants, shops, and two churches (Cusco Cathedral and Church of the Society of Jesus).

Every day, tourists and locals gather in the plaza to sit and enjoy the surroundings. On a sunny, nice day, Plaza de Armas gets busy with vendors selling everything from selfie sticks to local art, children running around, and tourists. This makes it an interesting place to sit and people watch.

Hunt for street art

I was surprised to find quite a lot of street art in Cusco, since the city isn’t known for it. However, I noticed large murals and small drawings on buildings as I walked around.

There aren’t guides on Cusco’s street art, so I recommend just wandering around and seeing what you find.

See local art at Xapiri Ground

Xapiri Ground is a bright and airy art gallery located in Plaza San Blas. It’s free to walk in and look around. There are two floors containing a few small exhibitions and a gift shop. On the first floor, there’s also a café that serves one of the best coffees in Cusco.

I visited Xapiri Ground in the morning and it was completely empty. So if you’re looking to get away from other tourists, this art gallery and café is a peaceful oasis.

Appreciate all the plazas

When I was in Cusco, I immediately noticed how many plazas and public spaces the city has. Plazas are where tourists mix with locals, and they’re a nice place to just sit, relax, and people watch.

You’ll find plazas of all sizes scattered throughout Cusco. As the largest and most central plaza, Plaza Mayor (also known as Plaza de Armas) gets all the attention, but there are many other plazas to enjoy. Here are just some of the many plazas to discover:

• Plaza Regocijo
• Plaza San Francisco
• Plaza San Blas
• Plazoleta de las Nazarenas

Window shop in San Blas

The neighborhood of San Blas is many people’s favorite area of Cusco. San Blas was once known as the “artisans’ neighborhood,” and I think it still retains a lot of that today. You’ll find shops selling local art and crafts, restaurants, and cafés. On Saturdays, a small handicraft market sets up in Plaza San Blas.

Visit Arco de Santa Ana

The yellow arch welcomes people into the small neighborhood of Santa Ana. Arco de Santa Ana is another notable viewpoint in Cusco, as you can see the city and hills when looking out from the arch.

Immerse yourself in chocolate at ChocoMuseo

You’ll have a sweet time at ChocoMuseo, which is a chocolate shop, café, museum, and workshop. The store and museum are free to visit, and there are often free samples that you can try. Although small, the museum offers information about cacao and how chocolate is made. There are even intricate chocolate sculptures.

Go for a run

This is probably not most people’s idea of fun, especially when you’re on vacation. But if you’re in Cusco for an extended amount of time or if you’re a runner, it’s the perfect place to get in some altitude training. All you need are your running shoes.

Although I never got around to running the streets of Cusco, I saw people going for a run early in the morning. The city’s altitude, paired with its steep hills and stairs, would’ve made for a challenging but rewarding workout.

More resources for traveling Peru

• How Many Days to Spend in Cusco
• How to Spend One Day in Cusco: 3 Complete Itineraries
• Rainbow Mountain in Peru: Complete Travel Guide
• Complete Salkantay Trek Packing List: Everything You Need
• 10 Best Cafes in Cusco, Peru for Amazing Coffee
• 18 Best Restaurants in Cusco: Where and What to Eat