A casual day trip from Cusco to Pisac

Since I had a ticket to the Pisac ruins (included in the Cusco Tourist Ticket for 130 soles), I decided to skip the tour and use public transportation to get to Pisac.
The collectivo boarding point is located at Puputi 28, Cusco.
These vehicles are frequently used by locals rather than tourists, so they run quite often.
One-way fare: 10 soles
Travel time: Approximately 40 to 50 minutes, with arrival points either at the bridge at the town entrance or the Pisac bus stop.
Since it's a collectivo, you can inform the driver in advance if you wish to get off along the way.
For the return trip, simply head to the bus stop where you got off, and you'll hear someone shouting "Cusco! Cusco!", making it easy to find your ride back.
One thing I noticed during both the outbound and return trips is that the road is winding, and the driving can be quite rough, which made me worry about getting motion sickness despite the short duration.
I had heard that Pisac is a town frequented by tourists from Cusco, but when I visited on a Friday morning, I was surprised to find it very quiet, charming, and peaceful. It felt like a great place to relax and unwind.
The ruins were also almost empty, allowing for a leisurely exploration.
The ruins mainly consist of terraced fields, but there are also remnants of buildings. We climbed up from the town without using a taxi, but honestly, it was more challenging than climbing Rainbow Mountain. The steep stairs with high steps were quite demanding on the muscles. Negotiating prices with local taxis is another option. I've heard the typical fare ranges from 20 to 35 soles, but this depends on your bargaining skills.
After exploring the ruins, we heard about wood-fired empanadas and decided to try them at Homo San Francisco.
There were two types of warm empanadas left (5 soles each): onion cheese and ham cheese. They looked like small bread rolls, so I confirmed with the man if they were indeed empanadas before buying and eating them. However, the dough turned out to be more like bread. They were warm and tasty, but if you're expecting traditional empanadas, you might find them a bit surprising.
After finishing the empanadas, we strolled around the town.
It felt like a relatively safe place to enjoy a walk.
The largest market is held on Sundays, which I missed, but there were still plenty of charming shops to browse, and I could watch demonstrations of handmade crafts at several spots.
If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of Cusco and want a change of pace, this town is highly recommended.

Post by Traveling-around-the-world | Jun 28, 2025