Arequipa, Peru: travel guide
The White City, built from sillar volcanic stone beneath three volcanoes — a UNESCO colonial centre, the Santa Catalina Monastery, and the gateway to Colca Canyon.
- Country
- Peru
- Currency
- PEN
- Time zone
- America/Lima
- Nearest airport
- AQP
Top places to visit in Arequipa
Plaza de Armas de Arequipa
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h
Arequipa's grand main square framed on three sides by sillar-stone arcaded portales, with a central bronze fountain and the white volcanic-stone Cathedral dominating the north side. The heart of the UNESCO-listed historic centre.
Basílica Catedral de Arequipa
Church · 4.6 rating · about 1 h · entry PEN 15
Neoclassical cathedral built entirely of white sillar stone, occupying the entire north side of the Plaza de Armas. Houses a museum with religious art, a Belgian organ and a rooftop terrace tour with volcano views.
Monasterio de Santa Catalina
Monastery · 4.8 rating · about 2.5 h · entry PEN 45
A vast 16th-century walled convent that functions like a small city within the city, with cobbled lanes, plazas and cloisters painted in cobalt blue and terracotta. Founded 1579 and still partly inhabited by nuns. Arequipa's top sight.
Museo Santuarios Andinos (Momia Juanita)
Museum · 4.6 rating · about 1.3 h · entry PEN 20
Home of "Juanita", the remarkably preserved frozen mummy of an Inca girl sacrificed on Mount Ampato around 1450 and discovered in 1995. Guided tours explain Inca capacocha ritual and high-altitude archaeology.
Mirador de Yanahuara
Viewpoint · 4.7 rating · about 0.7 h
Iconic viewpoint in the Yanahuara district built from a row of carved sillar arches inscribed with quotations by Arequipeño writers, framing a postcard view of El Misti volcano.
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
Church · 4.5 rating · about 0.7 h · entry PEN 10
Jesuit church renowned for its richly carved mestizo-baroque sillar facade and the polychrome San Ignacio chapel with a "jungle" ceiling of flora and fauna.
Mercado San Camilo
Market · 4.4 rating · about 0.8 h
Bustling 19th-century central market (its iron structure attributed to the Eiffel school) selling produce, cheeses, fresh juices, queso helado and street food. A sensory slice of local life.
Mirador de Carmen Alto
Viewpoint · 4.4 rating · about 0.7 h
Hilltop lookout in Cayma above the Chili river valley, with sweeping views over the agricultural terraces (andenes) and the three volcanoes Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu.
Iglesia de San Francisco
Church · 4.3 rating · about 0.5 h · entry PEN 5
Franciscan church and convent on the leafy Plaza San Francisco, with a brick-and-sillar facade showing a visible earthquake crack, and an adjoining convent museum.
Barrio de San Lázaro
Heritage · 4.4 rating · about 0.7 h
Arequipa's oldest neighbourhood, a maze of narrow whitewashed alleys, tiny plazas and flower-filled corners where the city was founded in 1540. Lovely for an unhurried wander.
Yanahuara District
Cultural · 4.4 rating · about 1 h
Charming traditional district across the Chili river known for its picanterías, colonial church, the arched mirador and quiet sillar-lined streets. A favourite for lunch and a stroll.
Molino de Sabandía
Heritage · 4.3 rating · about 1 h · entry PEN 10
A restored 17th-century colonial stone water mill in the green countryside east of the city, with gardens, the original grinding wheel and alpacas. A peaceful half-day escape.
Things to do
- Arequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Monastery Cultural · 4 h · from PEN 75 per person
- Colca Canyon 2-Day Tour with Cruz del Cóndor Hiking · 30 h · from PEN 260 per person
- Arequipa Picantería Food & Pisco Tour Food · 3.5 h · from PEN 160 per person
- Colca Canyon Full-Day Tour Sightseeing · 15 h · from PEN 150 per person
- Chili River White-Water Rafting Adventure · 4 h · from PEN 120 per person
- El Misti Volcano 2-Day Summit Climb Hiking · 36 h · from PEN 450 per person
- Sillar Stone Route & Petroglyphs Tour Cultural · 5 h · from PEN 110 per person
Day trips and tours
- Colca Canyon 2-Day with Cruz del Cóndor 30 h · from PEN 260
- Colca Canyon Full-Day Tour 16 h · from PEN 150
- Countryside & Sillar Route Half-Day 5 h · from PEN 110
Where to stay in Arequipa
- Centro Histórico about PEN 60 per night
Arequipa's UNESCO white-sillar old town around the Plaza de Armas and Santa Catalina Monastery.
- Yanahuara about PEN 55 per night
Quiet residential district with the famous sillar viewpoint over the volcanoes, a short walk from the centre.
Hotels
- Casa Andina Premium Arequipa 5-star · PEN 520 to PEN 900 per night
- Katari Hotel at Plaza de Armas 4-star · PEN 430 to PEN 720 per night
- Casa Andina Select Arequipa Plaza 4-star · PEN 380 to PEN 620 per night
- Le Foyer Arequipa 2-star · PEN 120 to PEN 200 per night
- Los Tambos Boutique Hotel 3-star · PEN 230 to PEN 360 per night
- La Casa de Melgar 3-star · PEN 180 to PEN 300 per night
Where to eat
- Zig Zag Peruvian, Andean, European fusion · about PEN 95 per person
- Chicha por Gastón Acurio Peruvian, Arequipeño, Novoandina · about PEN 90 per person
- La Nueva Palomino Peruvian, Arequipeño, Picantería · about PEN 70 per person
- Crepísimo French, Crêperie, Cafe · about PEN 40 per person
- Hatunpa Peruvian, Andean · about PEN 30 per person
- Tradición Arequipeña Peruvian, Arequipeño, Picantería · about PEN 65 per person
- El Tío Darío Peruvian, Seafood, Arequipeño · about PEN 60 per person
- Salamanto Peruvian, Contemporary, Tasting menu · about PEN 180 per person
Getting around
- Car With Driver main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Taxi overcharging tourists
Airport, bus terminal and Plaza de Armas
Street taxis without meters quote inflated fares to foreigners, sometimes several times the local rate, or claim the agreed price was per person.
How to avoid it: Agree the price clearly before getting in, or use Uber/Cabify/InDrive where the fare is fixed in the app. Ask your hotel the typical fare first.
Fake or unlicensed Colca tour operators
Tour-agency strip near Plaza de Armas and Calle Jerusalén
Cheap "agencies" or street touts sell Colca Canyon tours that are oversold, use unsafe vehicles, change the itinerary, or never run; payment is taken upfront in cash.
How to avoid it: Book with an established agency with a real office and reviews, pay by card where possible, and get a written itinerary and receipt before paying.
ATM card skimming and shoulder-surfing
Bank ATMs around the centre and tourist areas
Skimming devices or hidden cameras capture card details and PINs at standalone or poorly lit ATMs, and accomplices watch you enter your PIN.
How to avoid it: Use ATMs inside banks during the day, cover the keypad, and check your statements. Avoid standalone street ATMs at night.
Distraction / bag-snatch theft
Crowded markets (San Camilo), bus terminal, busy streets
A person bumps, spills something on you, or asks for directions while an accomplice opens your bag or grabs a phone or wallet.
How to avoid it: Keep bags zipped and in front of you, do not leave phones on café tables, and be extra alert in crowds and at the terminal.