Location:
It is located in the southwest of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean with 528 kilometers of coastline. Arequipa has a varied relief. It begins in the coastal desert and rises in the Andes, reaching great heights on the peaks of its snow-capped mountains and volcanoes.
Snowy mountains
The most important snow-capped mountains are
- Ampato (6,310 meters above sea level)
- Hualcahualca (6,025 meters above sea level)
- Chachani (6,057 msnm)
- Pichu Picchu (5,500 msnm)
Volcanoes
The most important volcanoes are
- Coropuna (6.305msnm)
- Solimana (6,117 m above sea level)
- Misti (5.821 msnm).
El Misti Volcano, Arequipa, Peru.
Ampato Snow-capped Mountain, Arequipa, Peru.
How to get to Arequipa.
By plane, Lima – Arequipa, flight duration 1:30 hrs.
By land, Bus Lima – Arequipa, duration 17:30 hours approx. fare 100 new soles on average.
Where to Stay.
. Hotel Costa del Sol Arequipa.
. Arequia Premium Andean House.
. Hotel El Cabildo.
There are several hotels, hostels, Airbnbs, for all budgets.
Tips.
.You change dollars at a currency exchange office. (best price)
.Do not wear jewelry during your stay.
.Taxi is cheap, within the city approximately 5 to 10 new soles.
If you take it on the street, negotiate the price before getting in.
.In most restaurants they offer a “Menu” they serve a starter, a main course, in some cases desserts, bread and a soft drink, an average value of 15 new soles ($4 US dollars).
. bring repellent.
. Wear a sun hat.
. Wear sunscreen.
Places to Visit.
. The Colca Canyon
. Historic Center of Arequipa
. Monastery of Saint Catherine.
. El Misti volcano.
Yanahuara Viewpoint.
Sabandía Mill.
. Church of the Company.
.Watch bullfight.
. Visit the House of Mario Vargas Llosa, Nobel Prize winner for literature.
R restaurants :
. Arequipa Tradition . Comfortable and pleasant place where you can enjoy the best traditional dishes of Arequipa. The incomparable colors of the tourist city adorn the dining rooms, where the aroma of Arequipa food attracts the visitor with the quality of its delicious flavors.
. 13 Nuns. “The story goes that 13 nuns founded the convent of Santa Catalina and we were inspired by them to create a charming space where you can enjoy a delicious selection of dishes, craft beers or a glass of our natural wines that come from small, independent vineyards. Here you will live a relaxed experience, designed to enjoy simple and delicious food, always accompanied by a good wine.
Zingaro Restaurant. In the middle of one of the most traditional streets of the city, the perfect place to create our space in a beautiful house in the Historic Center of Arequipa, delicious food .
Picantería La Cecilia. Located in the town of Tiabaya, 15 minutes from the city center, the cuisine is spectacular, especially the pork cracklings, potato pie, and stuffed rocoto. It is worth visiting.
Typical dishes of Arequipa :
. Notary. Potato, tomato and rocoto pepper salad
. Ocopa Arequipeña. Potato covered in a special spicy sauce and served cold. The sauce is a mixture of chili, garlic, onion, huacatay (a type of South American herb), peanuts, milk, cheese, and soda crackers. Ocopa is one of the signature dishes of Arequipa and is a great small dish to start a meal.
. Solterito de Queso. A super healthy salad, consisting of boiled potato slices mixed with cheese, herbs and fresh vegetables such as tomato, olive, rocoto pepper and onion.
. Rocoto Relleno. One of the most emblematic dishes of Arequipa, it is a type of pepper stuffed with ground beef, butter, cream and nuts, and is also usually covered with a slice of melted cheese.
. Shrimp Soup. “Chupe” is a Quechua word meaning soup, it contains a hearty mix of shrimp, garlic, milk, corn and various other vegetables.
. Potato cake.
. Adobo Arequipeño. Pork loin is marinated in vinegar and spices and chicha is added, an ancient Andean drink made from corn, cumin, garlic and other various spices. This is a rich and tasty dish well known throughout Peru.
. Etc, Etc….
Arequipa Ocopa.
Cheese Bachelor.
Stuffed Rocoto.
Shrimp Soup.
Potato Pie.
Pork Cracklings.
Typical Desserts of Arequipa :
.Camotillo.
.Ice cream cheese.
.Pumpkin tortillas.
.Squash omelette.
.Humidity.
.Arequipa empanada.
.Corn Cake.
.Arequipeño fritters
Chicha de Guiñapo. A corn-based drink, it differs from chicha de jora and chicha morada because it uses a special type of corn that normally grows in the Arequipa region.
Frozen cheese, Arequia – Peru.
Fritters, Arequia – Peru.
Humitas, Arequia – Peru.
Chicha from Guiñapo, Arequia – Peru.
Tours:
. Colca Canyon . It is a river canyon in southern Peru, famous for being one of the deepest in the world. It is a well-known trekking destination. It is the habitat of the giant Andean condor, which can be seen from viewpoints such as the Cruz del Cóndor. There are different tourist agencies around the Plaza de Armas that provide this service. There are tours for one day or several days, according to your preference.
Heading to the Colca Canyon, 4,910 meters above sea level Arequipa, Peru.
Map of Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Peru
Colca Canyon Arequipa – Peru.
Andean Condor, Colca Canyon, Arequipa – Peru. (costume)
Women’s clothing costume, Colca Canyon, Arequipa-Peru.
Hot springs, Colca Canyon, Arequipa-Peru.
Peasant community of the Colca Canyon, Arequipa-Peru.
. Historic center of Arequipa . It’s known for its Plaza de Armas, where the massive Basilica Cathedral displays artwork and religious relics in a museum. The 16th-century Monastery of Santa Catalina, built of volcanic stone, offers guided tours of its village-like citadel. Markets sell jewelry, traditional sweets, and handicrafts made from alpaca wool, and nightlife ranges from low-key pisco bars to bustling Irish pubs.
Cathedral Plaza de Armas Arequipa, Peru.
Coffee for sale in the Plaza de Armas, Arequipa, Peru.
. Santa Catalina Monastery . Just a few steps from Arequipa’s Plaza de Armas lies the Santa Catalina Monastery, an enigmatic place that surprises not only for its colorful colonial architecture but also for the secrets it has hidden behind its walls for centuries . In addition to its historical value, it offers visitors a fascinating insight into monastic life in the past, with its cobbled streets, quiet courtyards and ornate chapels.
Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa – Peru.
Interiors of the Monastery of Santa Catalina, Arequipa – Peru.
. El Misti Volcano . It rises to 5,820 meters above sea level, and the floor of the crater is at 5,550 meters above sea level. Although it has not had a major eruption in years, it is considered active or potentially active. There are two routes to visit the volcano: One is to the town of Chiguata, 30 km from Arequipa, from where you start a walk to the base of El Misti and sleep in a campsite to begin the ascent as soon as the sun rises. The other is to do it from the Aguada Blanca Reserve. It is 3 hours by car from Arequipa. There are different tourist agencies that offer this service. Misti Volcano means ‘white lord’ in Quechua, closely related to the nickname of the neighboring city, Arequipa, called ‘white city’.
El Misti Volcano, Arequipa Peru.
. Yanahuara Lookout Point. On the way to the lookout point, apart from taking in the view of the Misti volcano and the city, you can appreciate the colonial architecture of the traditional town. Its streets are narrow and have an Andalusian style that gives it a magical atmosphere, like the streets: Tacna, Pasaje Leoncio Prado, Callejón el Cabildo. We also have a panoramic view of its three volcanoes (Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu).
Viewpoint of Yanahuara Arequipa – Peru.
. Sabandía Mill . Dating back to 1621, it has been in operation for almost 400 years and uses the water from a spring. It represents the typical architecture of the region where the use of ashlar predominates, constituting a historical monument that brings to mind ancient times and the ingenuity and work of the people of Arequipa.
Sabandía Mill, Arequipa- Peru.
Sabandía Mill, Arequipa Peru.
. Church of the Company. It is located in the Historic Center of Arequipa , between the Portal of the Municipality and the Portal of Flores. Temple erected by the Company of Jesus is one of the most outstanding examples of the so-called Andean baroque architecture .
Church of the Company, Arequipa, Peru.
. See Bullfights. The traditional bullfights of Arequipa began as a pastime for farmers, but over the years they became an essential custom in the festivities, especially on August 15, the jubilee month of the White City. They take place throughout the year in various places such as Azufral de Zamacola, Menelik de Socabaya, Cayma, Characato, Polobaya, among others.
Traditional bullfight in Arequipa, Peru.
Traditional bullfight in Arequipa, Peru.
. Mario Vargas Llosa House Museum. After an efficient reconstruction and refurbishment, the house where Nobel Prize winner for Literature Mario Vargas Llosa was born has become the first museum to feature innovative technological services and an educational exhibition spread over two floors that narrate the writer’s life in chronological order and through holograms and 3D films. There are 17 rooms in total and the tour begins in the room where the character was supposedly born. It also details his time at the Leoncio Prado military school, the Universidad Mayor de San Marcos, his first trips to Europe, etc. The house museum also houses MVLL’s international awards and other personal items.
Mario Vargas Llosa House Museum, Arequipa – Peru.
Nobel Prize in Literature Medal MVLL, Arequipa – Peru.
We spent some extraordinary days in the city of Arequipa, we enjoyed its beautiful colonial architecture in the Historic Center, its exquisite gastronomy, its beaches and more, it is not a goodbye but a see you soon. See you soon, “White City.”
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