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Cusco Express: free self-guided audio tour of Cusco
Cusco Express is a free self-guided audio walking tour of Cusco, Peru: 3 stops in about 1 h. The Itinerarly app walks you from one stop to the next and plays a short narrated story when you arrive, in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese.
| Stops | 3 |
|---|---|
| Duration | about 1 h, including time at each stop |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Distance | about 11.2 km in straight lines between the stops (a little more on foot) |
| Start | Plaza de Armas |
| Finish | Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun) |
| Price | Free (some sights charge their own entry ticket) |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese |
Plaza de Armas, Cathedral and Temple of the Sun
The stops, in order
- Plaza de ArmasWelcome to Cusco's Plaza de Armas, the beating heart of the former Inca Empire's capital. This majestic square, framed by the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus, was once the Huacaypata, the great ceremonial plaza where the Incas celebrated their religious and political festivals. Notice the colonial arcades, carved balconies, and central fountain crowned by a statue of Emperor Pachacutec.
- Cusco CathedralHere stands the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, built between 1560 and 1654 atop the ruins of the palace of Inca Viracocha. The Spanish conquistadors used stones from the fortress of Sacsayhuamán to erect this imposing building, blending Renaissance and Baroque styles. Inside, admire the vast main altarpiece of cedar wood covered in pure silver, the finely carved choir stalls, and more than four hundred paintings of the Cusco School,…
- Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun)Welcome to the Qorikancha, the 'Temple of the Sun', which was the most sacred and wealthiest sanctuary of the Inca Empire. Before the conquest, its walls were entirely covered with massive gold plates, and an inner garden housed life-size reproductions of animals and plants crafted entirely in gold and silver. At the heart of the temple, an immense golden disc representing the sun reflected the first rays of dawn.
How to take this tour
- Install the free Itinerarly app on iPhone or Android and create a free account.
- Open Guided tours, choose Cusco, then Cusco Express.
- Start whenever you like: the app guides you to Plaza de Armas and the story plays when you arrive at each stop.
Other audio tours of Cusco
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Cusco Express tour in Cusco free?
- Yes. It is one of 3 free self-guided audio tours of Cusco in the Itinerarly app. Some sights charge their own entry ticket.
- How long does the Cusco Express tour take?
- About 1 h for 3 stops, including time at each stop.
- Where does the Cusco Express tour start and finish?
- It starts at Plaza de Armas and finishes at Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun).
- Which languages is the narration in?
- English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese, with natural-sounding synthetic voices.