Arequipa
Peru's dazzling White City - an elegant colonial centre built of pale volcanic stone beneath snow-capped volcanoes, home to a spectacular walled convent, a UNESCO gem.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Arequipa is Peru's dazzling White City, an elegant colonial centre built almost entirely of sillar, a pale white volcanic stone that glows in the sun, set dramatically beneath three snow-capped volcanoes. A UNESCO gem, its grand arcaded Plaza de Armas, baroque churches and, above all, the vast Santa Catalina convent, a walled city-within-a-city of colourful lanes, make it one of the most beautiful cities in South America.
What you actually see
- The Plaza de Armas - the grand arcaded square and cathedral in white stone.
- Santa Catalina Monastery - the vast walled convent of colourful lanes.
- The white sillar architecture - the pale volcanic stone buildings.
- The volcano backdrop - the snow-capped Misti and its neighbours.
When to go
Year-round thanks to its mild, sunny climate; May to November is the driest. It is lower and warmer than Cusco, a pleasant place to acclimatise gently before heading higher, and the gateway to the Colca Canyon.
Honest expectations
It is lower than Cusco but still at 2,300 metres, so still worth easing into. It is a gateway to the Colca Canyon, often used as a base. The centre empties in the evening once the day visitors leave for the canyon. The famous convent charges a fair entry fee but is worth it.
Nearby
The Colca Canyon and the volcanoes are to the north; the southern desert leads toward Nazca.
What to pack for Arequipa
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
