How walkable is Cusco?
By Oscar Higson-Spence. Updated
Cusco has a walkability score of 28 out of 100 across the 5 km around its centre, which makes it car-dependent: most errands require a car. Its centre scores 89, and open map data lists fewer everyday places away from the centre here, so the score is likely an underestimate. It is the least walkable of the 8 cities ranked in Peru.
What's within walking distance of the centre
995 shops, restaurants, parks and other everyday places are mapped within a 30 minute walk of central Cusco. The nearest grocery is about 7 minutes away on foot. It earns full or nearly full points for restaurants & bars, shopping, coffee, parks, schools and culture & entertainment. It is weakest for books & libraries.
Groceries
- Mercado Wanchaq, 12 min
- Mercado San Blas, 16 min
Restaurants & bars
- Catrinka, 3 min
- Melchorita Restaurant Tipico Tradicional, 3 min
Shopping
- Lazzy Veterinaria, 4 min
- Joyería Luz Andina, 5 min
Coffee
- Pacífico Pastelerías Cusco, 3 min
- Basílica, 4 min
Banks
- BanBif, 19 min
- Scotiabank, 21 min
Parks
- Parque Gerontológico, 6 min
- Parque Infantil de Mariscal Gamarra, 6 min
Schools
- Jugando con el Sol, 9 min
- Colegio Galileo, 10 min
Books & libraries
- Biblioteca Municipal del Cusco - Gustavo Pérez Ocampo, 22 min
- Crisol Real Plaza Cusco, 27 min
Culture & entertainment
- Museo Inkariy, 5 min
- Facebar Karaoke, 6 min
Further than usual
- The nearest bank is 12 minutes from the centre on foot, against 4 minutes for the median city ranked.
- The nearest library or bookshop is 21 minutes from the centre on foot, against 6 minutes for the median city ranked.
Measured from the centre at -13.5202, -71.9647, the point near Cusco's middle with the most places in walking range. Walking times assume 80 m per minute along an estimated street route.
Street layout
Within 800 m of the centre there are about 128 street intersections per km², and blocks average 85 m long. That is a well-connected street grid, so the score is not reduced.
How far walkability reaches
Cusco's score of 28 is the average across the 5 km around its centre, the point with the most everyday places within a walk. Walkability averages 76 within 1 km of the centre, 46 from 1 to 3 km out and 9 from 3 to 5 km out. 24 of the 91 points within 5 km fall on water or on land without streets, such as hillsides, forest or farmland, and are left out, so the score describes only the built-up part. 18% of the sampled area scores 70 or more, where most errands can be done on foot. Walkability falls off steeply away from the centre, so check a specific address on the map.
- 90+
- 70–89
- 50–69
- 25–49
- 0–24
Each hexagon is the score at a point, 1 km from its neighbours, across the 5 km around central Cusco. Rings mark 1, 3 and 5 km from the centre. Gaps are water or land without streets.
| Area | Score | Scoring 70+ |
|---|---|---|
| Centre | 89 | 100% |
| Within 1 km | 76 | 86% |
| 1 to 3 km out | 46 | 27% |
| 3 to 5 km out | 9 | 0% |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Arequipa, Peru | 322 km | 53 |
| Huancayo, Peru | 388 km | 33 |
| La Paz, Bolivia | 527 km | 43 |
| Lima, Peru | 574 km | 86 |
| Callao, Peru | 585 km | 73 |
Questions about walking in Cusco
Is Cusco a walkable city?
Its centre is, but most of the area around it is not. Cusco has a walkability score of 28 out of 100 across the 5 km around its centre, which makes it car-dependent: most errands require a car. Its centre scores 89. Open map data lists fewer everyday places away from the centre in some cities, so scores there may be underestimates. The score covers about 80 km² around the busiest point rather than the whole city, and suburbs further out are usually less walkable, so check a specific address on the map. It ranks 8th of 8 cities in Peru and joint 688th of 690 worldwide on How Walkable.
What is the most walkable city in Peru?
Lima is the most walkable of the 8 cities ranked in Peru, with a score of 86. Cusco ranks 8th with 28.
How does Cusco compare with nearby cities?
Cusco is less walkable than its nearest ranked neighbours: it scores 28, against Arequipa (53, 322 km away), Huancayo (33, 388 km away) and La Paz (43, 527 km away).
Which part of Cusco is most walkable?
Cusco's most walkable area is its centre, the point near the middle of the city with the most places in walking range, which scores 89. Walkability averages 76 within 1 km of it. Beyond 2.5 km, it holds up best to the east (averaging 27) and falls most to the north (0).
How is Cusco's walkability score calculated?
For Cusco it is the average of 67 points spaced 1 km apart within 5 km of its busiest point, leaving out water and land without streets; 12 of them score 70 or more. Each point counts groceries, restaurants, shops, cafés, banks, parks, schools, libraries and cultural venues within a 30 minute walk, gives nearer places more weight, and loses up to 20% where streets are sparse or blocks are long, using open map data from Overture Maps (release 2026-09-23.1) and OpenStreetMap. It measures what is within a walk, not what the walk is like: pavements, traffic, safety, hills and heat are not part of the score.
This page is generated from open map data with a published walkability method, explained in the methodology. Places from Overture Maps release 2026-09-23.1. City position and population from GeoNames.
Ask about walking anywhere in ChatGPT with the How Walkable app, for example "How walkable is Cusco?"