Travel to Arequipa | Hotels and Tours

  • Arequipa Vacation Packages
  • Historical Centre of Arequipa - Travel to Arequipa
  • Colca Valley - Travel to Arequipa
  • Colca Valley - Travel to Arequipa
  • Natural Wonders of Arequipa - Travel to Arequipa

Top things to do in Arequipa

For those with an interest in ancient civilizations, handicraft collectors, bird watchers, lovers of hot springs, mountaineers, fans of hiking and adventure sports.

Arequipa Vacation Packages Hotels in Arequipa Flights Tickets to Arequipa Bus Tickets to Arequipa

Arequipa Vacation Packages

Hotels in Arequipa

Flight Tickets to Arequipa

Bus Tickets to Arequipa

 

Arequipa Travel Guide - Planning to Travel to Arequipa

Arequipa City known as the "White City" has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by the architecture of the beautiful colonial buildings in white ashlar sculpted as filigree as churches, temples and monasteries as Santa Catalina. It´s located on the slopes of Misti volcano. Is the second largest city in Peru.

The city is surrounded by beautiful countryside with amazing landscapes. From here you can start your visit to the famous Colca Valley and Colca Canyon, natural protected areas such as National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca and National Sanctuary of Mejía Lagoons. In the mountains and snowy peaks, plateaus and rivers, excellent sceneries for adventure sports.

Arequipa city is one of the best gastronomic offers in Peru.

Arequipa has a modern hotel infrastructure, excellent restaurants, bars, folklore shows, alpaca textiles, and much more ....

Arequipa & Canyon Country: Arequipa City, know as the White City or the city of the eternal blue sky, is surrounded by some of wildest terrain of Peru, this is a land of active snowy volcanoes, high Andean plateaus, thermal hot springs, last but no least , the world's deepest canyons

Our guide to Arequipa gives you expert recommendations on the best attractions, restaurants, hotels, and more.

Sights & Attractions in Arequipa

Historical Centre of Arequipa - Attractions in the city

World Heritage Site. Founded in 1540, the city has a line to the usage of the old Spanish cities, with square blocks, as an immense chessboard. The historic centre of Arequipa, built in volcanic sillar rock, represents an integration of European and native building techniques and characteristics, expressed in the admirable work of colonial masters and Criollo and Indian masons. This combination of influences is illustrated by the city's robust walls, archways and vaults, courtyards and open spaces, and the intricate Baroque decoration of its facades. Beautiful and interesting places to visit in the historical centre as the main square, one of the most beautiful plazas from Peru, churches, monasteries, colonial large mansions, museums and more.... Inside the historical centre are located the main hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping area, also the commercial and bank area.

Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena

The Monastery of Santa Catalina is located inside the Historical Centre, was funded in 1580 and eventually expanded to include cloisters, plazas, streets, tiled roofs, and cobblestone paving, this walled citadel served as total enclosure cloister for nuns from the city's most distinguished families. The town's interior hosts valuable colonial paintings of the Cusco School, carvings and figures, religious relics, and well preserved physical settings typical of the everyday life from more than four hundred years ago. It is one of the most fascinating colonial religious building in Peru, open to the visitors after 4 centuries in 1970. A paradise for photographers.

Around Arequipa

The countryside of Arequipa is surrounded by 3 volcanoes, the Misti 5,822 meters, Chachani 6,075 meters and Pichu Pichu 5,425 meters. Numerous villages and towns as Cayma, Yanahuara, Sabandía, Sachaca, Yura, Jesús, Characato, Paucarpata, amid beautiful landscapes in where the Inca agricultural system still exists, beautiful churches, colonial monuments and hot springs with medicinal thermal baths.

Colca Valley

It's the most popular excursion from Arequipa. A destination that combines natural riches, living history, archaeological places, hot springs and adventure sports like canoeing, mountain-biking, mountaineering, hiking, ziplining and horse-riding. Along the length of the valley are fourteen colonial towns hosting extraordinary examples of civil and religious architecture, stone houses with thatched roofs and temples such as those of the Lari, Yanque, Cabanaconde and Sibayo, which are considered true masterpieces of Mestizo Baroque art. Chivay town is the entrance door to Colca Valley and it´s located 166 Km. from Arequipa city, the route cross the Pampa Cañahuas and Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve where is possible sightseeing the vicuñas. In Colca area there are hotels, from economic rates located in the towns, and luxury hotels and lodges are located in the countryside. Wititi Dance new Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The main hotels has thermal baths and hot springs.

Colca Canyon

Is the extension of the Colca Valley, at its deepest, the canyon plunges some 3,400 meters (11,155 feet) forming one of the deepest canyons on earth. At 42 Km from Chivay lies the Cruz del Condor, at the top of the canyon, where is possible to find scenic viewpoints placed strategically to admire the landscape and the majestic flight of the condor. This zone offers one of the best world sceneries for white water rafting and kayaking, and for extreme adventure lovers, and for bird-watchers.

Natural Attractions in Arequipa

Nature and biodiversity in Arequipa stand in protected natural areas like the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve area for the protection of high Andean species especially the vicuña, Landscape Reserve Cotahuasi of great biological, cultural and scenic diversity and the National Sanctuary of Mejía Lagoons protected area for migratory birds in the coastal area, area of special interest for birdwatchers with 195 species recorded. Also Sumbay, Toro Muerto, the Valley of Volcanoes, and birdwatching in Arequipa.

Arequipa's Cuisine & Gastronomy

Arequipa's cuisine is one of the best of Peruvian Gastronomy. The "picanterías" or traditional restaurants of the "Ciudad Blanca" (White City) are a regional ancestral tradition, linking the rural with the gastronomic. These are traditional restaurants which still cook over a wood fire, a source of natural heat that intensifies the aroma of the food's spices.

You will love the restaurants of Arequipa, also known as "picanterias", where the delicious regional food spreads its aromas thanks to the wood fires. The "rocoto", an iconic regional delicacy, "solterito de queso" salad, "caldo blanco" (white broth), pork "chicharrón", stews , and the renowned "adobo dominical" (Sunday marinated meat) are delights for visitors. And the desserts? Nectar of the Gods¡ Visitors cannot fail to taste the traditional "chicha de maíz" and complement it with the delicious "Najar" anise liqueur as a digestive. What more can we ask for?

How to travel to Arequipa

Arequipa is easily accessible by air; commercial flights leave daily from Lima, Cusco, Juliaca (Puno - Titicaca Lake), Tacna. Daily bus services to Arequipa from Lima, Cusco, Puno and the main cities of south of Peru. Also coach tours to Arequipa from Chivay (Colca Valley), Puno and Cusco.

Tourism and Travel to Arequipa
  • Maps of Arequipa

Location of Arequipa City

South Andean zone, 7,660 feet /  2,335 m.a.s.l.
Nestling between the coast and the southern highlands of Peru, the land of with great heights on snow-capped peaks such as Ampato (6,288 m), volcanoes like Chachani (6,075 m) and Misti (5,825 m).

Population of Arequipa

864,300 inhabitants

Distances to Arequipa

Weather of Arequipa

Predominantly dry in winter, autumn and spring due to atmospheric moisture, is also due to semiarid effective precipitation and tempered by the thermal condition. It lacks the rigors of winter and summers overwhelming the coast, a situation that ensures the presence of a vital sun and a clear sky with 300 days of sunshine a year and a record 4000 hours of sun exposure to years justifying the nickname "City of the eternal blue sky 'funded. Throughout the year presents temperatures do not rise to 25°C (77 °F) and rarely drop below 10°C (50°F). The wet season lasts from December to March and is reflected by the presence of clouds in the afternoon and low rainfall. In winter (June, July), the weather gets a little cooler and the temperature drops to an average of 10°C (50 °F), but the dry climate helps to feel the cold less intensely.


  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    The Society of Jesus Cloister - Arequipa City
    © J. Mazzotti

     

  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    Sabandía Mill - © J. Mazzotti

     

  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    Wititi Dance, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity - Colca Valley - © J. Mazzotti

     

  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve
    © Andina

     

  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    Mirador Cruz del Cóndor - Colca Canyon
    © PromPeru - G. Tubbeh

     

  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    Founder's Mansion - © J. Mazzotti

     

  • Arequipa Travel Guide

    Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas)
    Bird-watching in Arequipa
    © J. Mazzotti