The historic city of Arequipa was one of the strongholds of colonial Spain in the south of Peru, and it is one of the few major settlements of Peru that wasn't first founded by the Inca people. This means that it holds a distinctive mestizo culture that is quite different from many other parts of the country, and the historic center has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its well preserved colonial origins.


As well as its long history, the city is also nestled between three large volcanoes, which gives the cityscape a very distinctive appearance.

Explore The Convent Of Santa Catalina

This large religious complex is one of the most impressive convents in South America, and is often considered to be a city within a city, with its own streets and buildings meaning that it was once almost self sufficient. With several parts of the convent dating back to the sixteenth century, it is also a historic place to visit, and has a very quiet and tranquil atmosphere despite the bright colors that are used to decorate many parts of the complex. Having once been home to over four hundred nuns, only a small part is now active and the convent is now home to just 20 nuns, with the rest of the convent open to the public.

Enjoy A Peruvian Cooking Experience

There is no better way to enjoy and experience a new culture than to taste its most popular dishes, and at the cooking school in Arequipa it is possible not only to taste the food, but also to learn how it is made too.

Set in a charming colonial building with beautiful gardens, the class is guided on how to prepare some of the most popular Peruvian dishes, and also get to taste their work which makes a good meal at the end. There are also options to include a class dealing with Peru's national drink, the pisco sour, which is not only wonderfully tasty, but also enjoys and interesting history too.

Visit Colca Canyon

Those who don't mind getting up early in the morning can take a trip out to the iconic Colca Canyon, which is famous for the steep rocky walls of the canyon and the condors that soar overhead. Because the condors are usually active very early in the morning, most people on this trip will leave the town at around 6am, and will need to be at the canyon for 8am. There are several tour operators that run tours to the canyon from Arequipa, and those with more time to spend can combine a visit to the canyon with a cultural experience in Chivay, the nearest town.

Go White Water Rafting

The Chili River is home to some of the most exciting experiences that can be enjoyed in Arequipa, and with a series of grade 2 and 3 rapids the white water rafting is a fun and interesting trip to enjoy. Just a short bus ride out of the city the trip starts with with some nice easy rapids and the usual safety briefing, while all the equipment and helmets are supplied by the rafting company. There are also longer trips available on the Cotahuasi River, where even livelier rapids up to grade 5 are available.

Mountain Bike Down The Slopes Of A Volcano

As it is surrounded by three volcanoes there is certainly no shortage of mountain biking tracks that can be taken around Arequipa, but some of the most fun is to be had on an organized trip where a 4x4 takes you up part of the mountain side, and then puts you on your bike to take the thrilling journey back down the mountain. The longest day trips can see you descend nearly 2,500 meters in an afternoon, and the thrilling gravel single track paths are excellent for mountain biking.