Arequipa Essentials Experiences, arequipa hotel
“Be prepared
to fall under
the spell of
Arequipa,
its regal
architecture
and impressive
geography.”
Sillar stone quarries. 10 Km. The
quarry is near the airport and is
a gorge where water erosion has
produced a small canyon of sillar.
This stone was deposited there
from eruptions of the Chachani
volcano, millions of years ago.
There is a new tourist circuit
highlighting the Añashuayco
quarries in which a set of different
tourist experiences are being
offered; tourists can engage in
a type of experiential tourism,
because of the stone cutters,
who use age old techniques for
carving the traditional stone blocks
employed in the construction of
the city’s main buildings, nature
and cultural tourism, thanks to
the impressive natural backdrop
and a refurbishing project of a
huge amphitheater, and adventure
tourism on account of the rock
climbing scene and hiking routes.
Excursions from
Arequipa:
• Lagunas de Mejía National
Sanctuary. 145 Km from Arequipa,
3 Km from the beach resort of
Mejía and 19 Km from Mollendo, a
port city.
It is the only surviving wetlands
along 2,000 Km of coastline in
Peru. While its area is rather
small (690 hectares), 8 different
habitats are found there and it is
also a strategic stopover point for
migratory birds (more than 200
species).
Toro Muerto and Querullpa. 164
Km. Toro Muerto contains one of
the world’s largest collections of
petroglyphs. It is an area of 500
hectares strewn with stone upon
which ancient peoples carved
thousands of images (animals,
geometric designs and dancers)
between the years 700 A.D and
1,500 A.D. Just a few minutes
away is Querullpa and its amazing
footprints of prehistoric animals
that lived in this area 150 to
200 million years ago, when this
mountainous setting was a serene
beach.
When?
Festival of Our Lady of
Chapi / May. A traditional
pilgrimage to the Chapi Sanctuary,
90 Km from the city of Arequipa,
takes place.
Anniversary of the
founding of the city of
Arequipa / August 15th.
Several activities occur during
the celebration, such as the
International Fair (taking place
on Juli Hill), crafts expositions,
Festidanza (a dance show) and the
Race up Mount Misti International
Contest.
The White City knows well how to maintain its Colonial heritage to the
point that you can do your banking in old and gorgeous mansions. The downtown is particularly
beautiful, with a heart of finished white volcanic stone called sillar that has been fashioned into
arches, façades and cupolas. Its people are kind and enjoy good conversation and relish living
under the watchful gaze of their guardian volcano, Mount Misti. An added bonus is the 300 days of
brilliant sun as well as the exquisite main square, conquered by noisy pigeons, a demonstration of
its people’s hospitality.
The department of Arequipa is dominated by the Andean Mountains with the chain reaching the
very lip of the continent at Puerto Inca, a lovely beach that boasts a unique stone citadel facing
the Pacific Ocean. As there are huge snowcapped mountains rising high into the sky, so are there
deep wounds in the surface of the Earth. Canyons like Cotahuasi and Colca, that start out as fertile,
terraced and pleasant valleys that later taper and plunge into dizzying canyons.
These are some of the deepest places found on the planet, yet places where kind people live. The
Lagunas de Mejía National Sanctuary is the only stopping point for over 1,240 miles for dozens of
species of migratory birds.
The list is long, yet there is still a rather important footnote to Arequipa, and that is its famous
and diversified cuisine, full of scents and concoctions that match its magnificent landscape and
towering volcanoes.
From Lima: 1,009 km / 15hr.
From Cusco: 491 km / 9hr.
From Puno: 294 km / 5hr.
From Tacna: 270 km / 3hr. 30 min.
Daily flights
1hr. from Lima
30 min. from Cusco
20 min. from Juliaca-Puno
30 min. from Tacna
• Main Square and the Cathedral.
The Main Square, famous for its
symmetrical harmony and the
architectural elegance of its double
arcade, is also the departure
point for sightseeing in the city.
To one side is the Cathedral,
built Neoclassical in style and
when taking its tour, you will see
priceless works of religious and
secular art, wood carvings and
jewels, together with its renowned
19th century Belgian organ.
• Church and Cloisters of the
Company of Jesus. A supreme
testimony of 17th century religious
architecture, the church and its
adjoining cloisters are located at
one of the corners to the Main
Square. As quoted by experts, it
might just be the most beautiful
and complete architectural
complex in Arequipa. Inside, it
boasts more than 60 paintings
from the Cusco School and an
extremely handsome wood carved
pulpit.
• Saint Catherine Monastery. A
small, walled-in city within a city,
it has cloisters, plazas, streets,
buildings with Spanish roof tiles
and cobblestone floors. It opened
in 1580 as a cloister for nuns.
Displayed on its interior are
Colonial paintings from the Cusco
School, wood carvings, statues,
objects of worship and well
preserved rooms showing what
daily life was like for nuns more
than 400 years ago.
• La Recoleta Convent. A 17th
century Franciscan convent, the
architectural styles vary from
Romantic to Neogothic. It is famous
for its enormous library containing
more than 20,000 books, some of
which are more than 400 years old.
• Saint Teresa Museum of
Viceroyal Art. The Monastery of
the Barefoot Carmelites of Saint
Joseph opened its doors as the
Museum of Viceroyal Art 295
years after its founding. Since
the cloister remained as such for
almost 3 centuries, time stopped in
every corner of the building and in
every object. You will see the most
exquisite collection of paintings
and sculptures, religious objects
and furniture from the 16th to the
19th centuries.
• San Lázaro Quarter. A charming
quarter of tiny streets, narrow
alleyways, small plazas and wide
houses. It is known for being the
oldest in Arequipa, and supposedly
the spot where the city was
founded. In 1538, some Dominican
priests established themselves
there.
• Yanahuara Plaza. One of the most
important churches in Arequipa, the
Church of Saint John the Baptist,
is located in this peaceful plaza.
It was built in 1750 and is still
considered to be an architecture
jewel. It is also the place where you
can climb the Mirador (lookout) that
poets from this area have written
inscriptions on and from where you
will enjoy a spectacular view of the
city and its three volcanoes.
• Mansions. Elegant homes from
architectural traditions of the
17th and 18th centuries, easily
recognizable as one walks down
the city streets and through the
plazas of downtown. Some of the
finest examples are the Del Moral
mansion (dates from the 18th
century and its façade is one of
the best Baroque expressions in
Arequipa), the Goyoneche mansion
(foundations of which originally
date from 1558 and is famous
for its ornate architecture and its
Colonial art works) and the Tristán
del Pozo mansion (built in 1738
on top of the remains of certain
16th century homes; it exhibits
unique characteristics of Arequipa’s
architectural style).
• San Agustín National University’s
Museum of Archeology. On
display are pre-Hispanic textiles,
mummies, stone and metal
artifacts, and its most prized
collection is the Yabar Collection of
keros, or ceremonial vases.
• City Historical Museum.
Exhibitions relate to time periods
corresponding to Peruvian
Independence and the Republic,
showing objects, documents,
photos and authentic uniforms
worn during the war.
Essentials
• Santa María Catholic University
Museum of Archeology and of
Andean Sanctuaries. The former
is an exposition, in chronological
and scientific order, of the entire
cultural development of the
department of Arequipa throughout
history, and the latter displays
different mummies, such as the Ice
Maiden (Mummy Juanita).
• Museum of Contemporary Art.
On permanent exhibition here
are works from Peruvian painters
from the turn of the 20th century
to the present, sculptures and
photos from the renowned Vargas
brothers.
Sites in the Arequipa
countryside
• Sabandía. 8 Km. A lovely district,
where pre-Incan terraces are still
used to grow crops. Some of the
houses still flaunt Republican
architectural traces from the 19th
century. There is also a Colonial
mill, the Molino de Sabandía.
• Socabaya. 10 Km. A town full of
history where you can explore a
place called The Socabaya Rocks,
caves that distill water; likewise,
the City Founder’s House was built
in Huasacache, a mansion for the
founder of Arequipa, Garcí Manuel
de Carbajal.
• Sogay. XX Km. A charming little
village, on the outskirts of which,
the same as with Quequeña,
spread out upon an open plain, are
plenty of petroglyphs and some
500 year old ruins. Sogay is also
famous for its different waterfalls;
visiting them means that you must
hike through a small canyon.
