Free Time in Cusco and Peru

Cusco is a beautiful city that has something for everyone; from Inca ruins and splendid Spanish colonial architecture to elegant squares and outstanding mountain scenery. The historic city centre is a lively hub of cafes, restaurants and bars with dozens of boutiques and markets, such as the thriving San Pedro Market. Many shops offer an astonishing range of unique locally made goods to take home as souvenirs of your trip to Peru. There are museums, galleries, churches and monasteries to visit and every Sunday sees a magnificent civil parade in the City’s stunning main square, the Plaza de Armas.

Cusco’s Indian and Catholic traditions are frequently celebrated with street parades, live music and food stalls springing up across the city at any excuse. There are also some wonderful walks and hikes in and around the city centre. You can stroll amongst whitewashed houses and along the cobbled lanes in the Bohemian quarter of San Blas. Maybe climb high above the city to the Inca fortress at Sacsayhuaman and take in the unrivalled views of the city and the surrounding Andes.

Surely the number one reason that many visitors come to Peru is to visit the incomparable wonder of the Inca Empire; Machu Picchu. Whatever you read and no matter how many photos you have seen, nothing can quite prepare you for the first time you see the Inca citadel rising high above a bend in the river.

Machu Picchu is easily accessible from Cusco. You can go there by luxury train, trek the amazing Inca Trail high in the Andes or take any other number of routes all ending with lost city itself. Built, but never completed by the Incas around 1450 the Inca capital was only re-discovered in 1911. The breath-taking lost city of the Incas is now discovered by hundreds of enthralled visitors every day.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a must-see on anyone’s Peru itinerary. Barely half an hour’s drive from Cusco and you will find a magical, steep-sided valley where fresh mountain rivers and streams tumble between ancient mountains and majestic glaciers.

The Sacred Valley’s centuries-old towns and villages are home to remarkably preserved Inca fortsand citadels. Markets with traditional textiles and souvenirs draw visitors to lovely towns like Pisac, Chinchero and Ollantaytambo. The amazing salt terraces and pre-Inca agricultural terraces at Maras are also an easy day trip from Cusco.

Cusco has a rich culture as the ancient capital of the Incas.

From many museums, incredible Inca and Spanish architecture, religious festivals to the biggest festival of the year, Inti Raymi.

For more detail on events in Cusco, you can read our blog on the Best Time to go to Peru.

You could be there for the Chocolatada in December or the amazing Inti Raymi Festival in June.

Volunteer in Peru and the Globalteer team will make sure you have an amazing cultural experience!

For a truly unique experience, you can also visit the Amazon Rainforest. The small rainforest city of Puerto Maldonado in the amazing Madre de Dios Region of the southern Amazon basin is only 10 hours from Cusco by bus and under an hour by air.

For long weekends or those travelling before or after their placement with us, Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world is under 5 hours from Cusco by car or 7-8 hours by bus. Here you can take a cruise on the lake, visit the famous floating Uros Islands or do a spot of star gazing in one of the least light-polluted skies on the planet.

You are almost certain to travel through Lima on your way to Cusco. Peru’s capital is worth a stop before or after your placement with us. There is excellent shopping in the ocean-side district of Miraflores, wonderful galleries and museums in trendy Barranco, some truly impressive Spanish colonial buildings in the historic centre and amazing restaurants throughout the city.

Less than a day’s drive from Cusco, the city of Arequipa is Peru’s second largest city. It is known as the white city due to the colour of the historic buildings constructed using local white stone called sillar. Like Cusco, Arequipa is located in the Andes mountains bit at a lower altitude so enjoys almost year-round warm and sunny weather. The city is overlooked by the magnificent dormant volcano, El Misti.

Arequipa is also the staging post for trips to the Famous Colca Canyon.

Volunteer in Peru with Globalteer to get specially negotiated generous discounts for our volunteers with a well-respected agency in Cusco. The responsible agency can arrange services such as visits to Machu Picchu, Amazon trips, Lake Titicaca as well as many other amazing trips in Peru and South America.