Province of Arequipa

Capital: City of Arquipa
Altitude: 2.345 m.a.s.l.
Distance:
Lima 1.009 kilometers
Cusco 830 kilometers
Puno 294 kilometers

A city founded in 1540. According to the chronist Cieza de Leon, it was "the healthiest and nicest of all villas of Peru".

Arequipa is a province of great cultural and geographical wealth. It is located in the Southeast of Peru. And because its territory has a coast and sierra the climate is varied.

The city of Arequipa, called "Ciudad Blanca" (white city) for the color of the houses built with sillar (white stone of volcanoes otigin), is a picturesque place that combines the beauty of its green country side with the imposing prescense of volcanoes and snowy mountains.

The city is surrounded by three volcanoes: The Misti (5.822 m.a.s.l.). The Chachani (6.075 m.a.s.l.). The Pichu Pichu (5.664 m.a.s.l.).

After Lima, it is considered the most important city of Peru.

How tu arrive?

By Land: Lima - Arequipa (1003 kilometers) approximate travel time by car de 14 hours.

By Air: There’s daily flights from Lima (50 minutes approximately) and from Cusco (30 minutes approximately)

By train: There’s a train service that connects Arequipa and the cities of Mollendo, Juliaca, Puno and Cusco. 

Festivities

Virgen de Chapi Festivity (May)

Festivity celebrated with pilgrimages from the sanctuaries and fireworks.

Corpus Christi Festivity (June)

It is celebrated with a festivity mass and Corpus Christi procession it takes place at the Cathedral of the city

Arequipa Jubilation Month (August)

It is celebrated with the International Arequipa Fair in Juli Mountain, many attractions take place as artistic performances, music shows, recreational activities, also the international Misti ascent competition takes place handicraft exhibit at “Fundo del Fierro”.
The main day is August 15 when the Friendship Corso takes place.

Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción Festivity (December)

It is celebrated with a variety of cultural activities that includes the traditional witite dance, dancer’s competition.

Touristy Attractions

The Monastery of Santa Catalina, impressive religious monument founded in 1579, considered a master-piece of colonial architecture and unique in the world. Until 1970, this little city of 20.426 square meters remained stopped in time; it kept hidden to the world. After 400 years it was restored and opened to the public. It has three cloisters with almost a hundred cells that form 6 streets and an alley, and it only has one plaza.

The Cathedral, made entirely of sillar, is the main church of the city. Located on a whole side of the Square of Arms. Its front has 70 columns, 3 doors and 2 big side-arches. It has real jewels in images, sculptures and oil paintings from renowed artists. Its main altar is made of marmor from Carrara (Italia) and its wooden pulpit is a beauty, carved in France by the artist Rigot and its organ made in Belgium. It has a complete museum of religious art.

The Churches: De la Compañia, De la Merced and San Francisco. Founded by the Jesuits in the 17th., century are characterized by its baroque architecture styles.

The convents and monasteries of Santa Catalina, La Recoleta and Santo Domingo.

It is interesting to visit:

- House of Moral
- House of Tristan del Pozo
- Sal Lazaro Neighborhood
- Selva Alegre Neighborhood
- House of Goyeneche
- Archeological Museum of the University of San Agustin
- Archeological Museum of the University of Catolica de Santa Maria
- View-point of Yanahura
- House of the Fundador
- Misti Volcano


Tourist Site Attractions:

The Valley of Colca, located at 164 kilometers from Arequipa. This valley has a great diversity of flora and fauna; besides being an outstanding habitat for llamas, alpacas and condors. In this zone there are 16 towns that descend from the Collahuas and Cabanas, inheritors of a rich cultural tradition. The Valley of Colca is part of the South-American techtonic plate.

The Thermal Baths of Yura, located at 30 kilometers from Arequipa. Its waters come from the interior of the Volcano Chachani and are renowed for their therapeutical properties.

The Valley of Majes, between 200 and 800 m.a.s.l., is a fertile valley embedded in a canyon which is the continuation of the Colca. On its 80 kilometers long track it can see petroglyphs, pre-Inca cementeries and cave paintings.

Petroglyphs of Toro Muerto, located at 160 kilometers from Arequipa, in the county of Castilla. There are engravings of 5.000 huge stones that represent geometrical figures of flora and fauna. There are volcanic stones spread over an area of five square kilometers.

The Valley of the Volcanoes, located in Andahua, at 277 kilometers from Arequipa. It is a beautiful landscape of about 80 small volcanoes that resemble the moon surface. It is at 3.587 m.a. s.l.

The region of the Rio Colca and the Valley of Cotahuasi are ideal for adventure tourism (canoeing, hiking, mountain biking, among others.). It is located at 30 kilometers from Chivay.

The National Sanctuary of Lagunas de Mejia, located at 20 kilometers from Mollendo and 143 kilometers from Arequipa. A natural scenario of 690 hectares with waters of different salt content, salt-marshes, totorales, salinas and gramadales. There are up to 157 species of birds.

The Caves of Sumbay, located at 88 kilometers from Arequipa. Despite the time, cave paintings from the paleolithic time are conserved in the inside. Its rocky walls show figures of humans, auquenidos, pumas, among others.

The Valley of Cotahuasi and its Canyon, an inter-Andean forest located in the county of La Union, at 375 kilometers from Arequipa. A place of great biodiversity with attractiveness like the water falls of Sipia and the snow mountains Coropuna and Solimana. Ideal place for canoeing, trekking and mountain biking.

The National Reservation of Salinas and Aguada Blanca. It is located at 35 kilometers from Arequipa. Created in 1971 to protect many endangered species of flora and fauna, like: guanacos, vicuñas and over 70 kinds of birds. It has an area extension of 370.000 hectares.

Useful Information

Rodríguez Ballón Airport
Arrival - Principal Hall
Phone/fax: (054) 44-4564

Casona Santa Catalina
(Street Santa Catalina 210)
Phone/fax: (054) 22-1227
Schedule: Monday-Sunday 09:00 -19:00 hours

Plaza de Armas
Portal de la Municipalidad N° 110
Phone: (054) 22-3265
Schedule: Monday-Saturday 08:30 - 19:30 hours /
Sunday 9:00 – 16:00 hours