THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN CUSCO FOR FREE

Mystery and history among these narrow streets

Places to Visit in Cusco for FREE: The imperial city of Cusco not only boasts beautiful places to visit within the usual tourist routes but also offers stunning locations that you can discover through our transportation services in Cusco and Peru.

Among the streets of Cusco, you can find Inca temples and palaces, historical sculptures, colonial buildings, markets, squares, and viewpoints, all of which provide a different perspective to understand the history of the city of Cusco.

All these places to visit do not require reservations or entrance fees, so you can visit them whenever you like and stay there enjoying as much time as you want.

That’s why Cusco Transport is now providing you with a list of the most interesting points of interest to visit in the city of Cusco without the need for tickets or reservations.

Choose the place you want to visit, and we will take you there with confidence and safety.

Places to Visit in Cusco for FREE tour in cusco

It is a large Christ sculpture located 15 minutes from the main square, on the hill of Puka Moqo, from where you can have a panoramic view of the entire city of Cusco. By the way, on this hill, different types of sand were placed, brought from many parts of Tawantinsuyo during the Inca era. Its construction was carried out by Francisco Olazo Allende, a renowned sculptor and filmmaker from Cusco, who was commissioned by the Palestinian Arab community of Cusco to create this work of art in 1945. This sculpture was a gift from the Palestinian Arab community to the people of Cusco because after World War II, many Arabs and Palestinians began to flee their countries in search of a better life, and Cusco, precisely, welcomed them for many years, and in gratitude, they sent to build this White Christ.

It stands at a height of 8 meters, the structure is made of metal, and it has a plaster coating.

You can either visit this sculpture on its own with our taxi service in Cusco or book our full-day tour of the Inca city of Cusco to visit the White Christ and other tourist attractions as well.

The Quechua word “sapha” means unique, while “tiana” means seat, in other words, “sapantiana” means the unique seat. This place is named after the existence of an Andean huaca (temple) at this site. After the Spanish conquest, all the huacas in Cusco were destroyed, and Sapantiana was no exception. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the population of Cusco needed water for their homes, and the Jesuits solved this problem for the city.

This Catholic order decided to build a water canal with a four-level arch structure, but this water canal needed to cross the P’ujru River. This historic water canal has been supplying water to the city of Cusco until 1950. Currently, you can appreciate this arched water canal structure at this location, as well as the remains of the Andean temple of Sapantiana, which was once an important Inca temple.

Undoubtedly, this is a tourist icon of Cusco, and you can get there with our taxi and transfer service.

From this viewpoint, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Cusco from north to south. Additionally, on this side, you can see the Temple of San Cristóbal, founded in 1546 and reconstructed after the earthquakes of 1650 and 1950, which also features a Baroque style of construction.

But the most remarkable detail of this viewpoint is its historical significance because if you wish to visit a place where the first people of the Inca culture settled, this place is Collcampata (the oldest Inca palace), and from this viewpoint, you can see only a part of its walls and raised altars made of stone.

Here, you can compare the different periods of Cusco’s history. Furthermore, you can reach this viewpoint using our private taxi service in Cusco or by booking our full-day tourist tour in Cusco, where you can also visit other tourist attractions.

The techniques used to cut and polish stones in Inca constructions remain incredible. Today, in the middle of Hatun Rumilloc Street, we can appreciate a stone carved with 12 angles, which supports the other stones that make up the entire wall. This ancient building was once the palace of Inca Roca (the sixth Inca of the Tawantinsuyo). Furthermore, the entire wall you will see is made of green diorite stone, indicating its utmost importance in Inca society.

Get your cameras ready; you won’t find images like these anywhere else.

If you wish to learn more about the variety of flora in Cusco, this square is perfect for you. It is called the “Botanical Garden of Native Flora of San Francisco Square” and features a wide variety of typical plants from the region, such as q’ente (Cantua buxifolia molle), cedroncillo (Aloysia citrodora), llaulli, and the famous queuña (Polylepis), which serves as a natural water reservoir. You can also find many other plants, shrubs, and trees in the gardens.

This square also has an impressive history as it was part of the Inca main square. Later, during the colonial period, the Franciscan temple was built, and during the republican era, it was a very popular place to live. Even now, you can see the National “Sciences” School (the first public school in Peru), the Santa Clara Arch, and the house of Clorinda Matto de Turner (a martyr of independence) here.

This place is an archaeological site located next to the Qoricancha, where the facilities of the Ministry of Culture are currently situated. This sacred space was possibly used for celebrating festivities and rituals in honor of Wiracocha, and it is possible that this ancient place may have been the birthplace of the Inca Tupac Inka Yupanqui.

In this area, despite the presence of Inca, viceregal, republican, and contemporary constructions, there is a water channel that has withstood the test of time. This water channel was the famous one that connected the Inca sacred square (nowadays the Plaza de Armas) with the House of the Sun, the “Qorikancha.”

Here was the Inca neighborhood of “Toq’o Cachi” (salt hole) at some point, and since those years, it has remained an important place for Cusco’s development because it is also known as the neighborhood of Cusco’s artisans.

Since colonial times, native people have developed artistically in this neighborhood. Great masters of art like Don Hilario Mendivil, Luis Aguayo, and many other artists lived in these narrow streets.

Also in this square, we can find the San Blas Temple, which has one of the best-carved pulpits in the world. Additionally, we can take you directly to this square with our transportation service. Or if you prefer, book our full-day tour in Cusco to visit San Blas Square and other places. We also offer the “Walking Tour of Cusco” for travelers who enjoy walking.

Don’t forget to take photos of the water fountain!

If we want to learn more about Cusco’s society, the best place to do so is the local market “San Pedro” (the oldest in Cusco). Its structure dates back to 1945, and it is open every day from 6 AM to 6 PM. Inside, you will find 1180 commercial stalls that offer jungle fruits, as well as Andean potatoes and quinoa. You can also find typical Cusco cuisine, fruit juices, soups, and if you wish, you can purchase handmade textiles from Chinchero, natural salt from Maras, and many other souvenirs that you can give to your friends and family.

Our company, Cusco Transport, has also designed several tours in Cusco, where you can visit this San Pedro market.

Here, you can do the best craft shopping.

According to the 16th-century chronicles, the city of Cusco had the shape of a puma that was delimited between the Tullumayo and Saphi rivers. Precisely, the place where these two rivers join is where we can find this beautiful park today, which includes a water fountain (paccha). It is also important to mention that this Quechua name “Pumacchupan” can be translated as “the puma’s tail.”

Located at the beginning of Avenida Sol, here you can admire a sculpture in the shape of a puma representing the city of Cusco. You can also walk under the waterfall without getting wet. Additionally, the proximity of this park to Cusco’s craft center allows you to purchase some souvenirs for your family and friends.

Now, as you choose your favorite place to visit, we are delighted to take care of your transportation in Cusco so you can explore the city comfortably. Just contact us!