Arequipa
This convent shouldn’t be missed, even if you’ve overdosed on colonial edifices. Occupying a whole block and guarded by imposing high walls, it is one of…
Must-see attractions in Arequipa & Canyon Country
Cañón Del Colca
This famed viewpoint is for many the highlight of their trip to the Cañón del Colca. A large family of Andean condors nests by the rocky outcrop and, with…
Arequipa
There’s an escalating drama to this theatrically presented museum, dedicated to the preserved body of a frozen ‘mummy,’ and its compulsory guided tour …
Arequipa
A must for visitors who want to see more of Arequipa's cathedral, the included 45-minute bilingual tour of this 'museum' is actually a peek at the inner…
Cañón Del Colca
The spectacular views here are a highlight of Cabanaconde, taking in the mountain range, with the villages resembling specks of white dust clinging to its…
Arequipa
This tranquil neighborhood makes for a pleasant, walkable excursion, with a mirador (lookout) as its centerpiece providing excellent views of Arequipa and…
Arequipa & Canyon Country
A fascinating, mystical site in the high desert, Toro Muerto (meaning ‘Dead Bull’) is named for the herds of livestock that commonly died here from…
Arequipa
This beautiful building on the Plaza de Armas stands out for its stark white sillar (volcanic rock) and massive size – it's the only cathedral in Peru…
Arequipa & Canyon Country
This salt lake 4300m above sea level becomes a white salt flat during the dry months of May to December. Its size and the amount of water in it vary each…
Convento y Museo de la Recoleta
Arequipa
Bibliophiles will delight in this musty monastery's huge library, which contains more than 20,000 dusty books and maps; the oldest volume dates to 1494…
Arequipa
If Arequipa’s cathedral seems too big, an interesting antidote is this diminutive Jesuit church on the southeast corner of the Plaza de Armas. Proving…
Arequipa
Arequipa’s main plaza, unblemished by modern interference, is a museum of the city’s sillar (volcanic rock) architecture – white, muscular and…
Arequipa & Canyon Country
This remote canyon is the deepest known canyon in the world - around twice the depth of the Grand Canyon, with stretches dropping down to below 3500m (11…
Museo de Arte Virreinal de Santa Teresa
Arequipa
This gorgeous 17th-century Carmelite convent is open to the public as a living museum. The colonial-era buildings are justifiably famed for their…
Arequipa
This magical neighborhood lane is Arequipa's most picturesque with radiant white sillar (volcanic rock) houses – people really live here – and pavers,…
Cañón Del Colca
This university-run museum is unexpectedly comprehensive for a small village, explaining the culture of the Cañón del Colca in conscientious detail…
Cañón Del Colca
No light pollution equals excellent Milky Way vistas. The Casa Andina hotel six blocks southwest of the Plaza de Armas has a tiny observatory which holds…
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Arequipa
Arequipa
Set in a wonderfully restored casona (large house) and garden dating back to the founding of Arequipa itself in 1540, this museum's small, changing…
Arequipa
This chapel's polychrome cupola is smothered in jungle-like murals of tropical flowers, fruit and birds, among which mingle warriors and angels. It's…
Museo Arqueológico de la Universidad Católica de Santa María
Arequipa
This university-run museum has interesting little displays on local excavation sites, as well as some artifacts, including surprisingly well-preserved…
Arequipa & Canyon Country
The highest point on the road between Arequipa and Chivay is this almost lifeless pass which, at 4910m, is significantly higher than Europe’s Mt Blanc and…
Arequipa & Canyon Country
This high plain that lies between El Misti/Chachani and the Colca Canyon has an average height of around 4300m and supports plentiful bird and animal life…
Reserva Nacional Salinas y Aguada Blanca
Arequipa & Canyon Country
The paved road from Arequipa climbs northeast past volcanoes El Misti and Chachani to this national reserve, which covers 367,000 hectares at an average…
Cañón Del Colca
The remnants of this pre-Inca settlement aren't visible from the road, but can be reached by a half-hour uphill hike from Yanque (or one hour along Carr…
Arequipa
This historic mill was built in 1785, fell into disrepair and was restored two centuries later; it now grinds once again for visitors. The neat grounds,…
Arequipa
The house where Peruvian writer, activist and Nobel Prize in Literature recipient Mario Vargas Llosa was born has been converted into a creative museum…
Arequipa
This 17th-century mansion once owned by Arequipa’s founder, Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, has been restored with original furnishings and paintings, and even…
Arequipa
The ornate Casa Ricketts has served as a seminary, archbishop’s palace, school and home to well-to-do families since it was built in 1738. Today it is the…
Arequipa
Originally built in the 16th century, this church has been badly damaged by several earthquakes. It still stands in its sillar (white volcanic rock)-brick…
Arequipa
This stylized baroque house built in 1730 is named after the 200-year-old mulberry tree in its central courtyard. Owned by the bank BCP since 2003 it is…
Museo de la Universidad Nacional de San Agustín
Arequipa
One of many small university-run museums in Arequipa, this one’s a little more esoteric than most with themes jumping between archaeological remains,…
Arequipa
The historical trajectory of both Arequipa and Peru is showcased in this educational, if unexciting, museum, split into different rooms dedicated to…
Cañón Del Colca
These hot springs, a more basic version of La Calera in Chivay, are a 30-minute walk down to the river from the plaza. The early-bird opening time is…
Arequipa
A colonial sillar (white volcanic rock) church and convento (monastery) complex that, despite extensive destruction from earthquakes, still retains…
Arequipa
This baroque church was originally constructed in 1575, destroyed in an earthquake in 1868 and then rebuilt by the end of that century. The exterior is…
Arequipa
This small church in Yanahuara dates from 1750. The highly venerated Virgen de Chapi was moved here after the 2001 earthquake destroyed the church it was…
Arequipa
It's worth a peek inside this casona (large house); the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (UNSA) is located within its 18th-century colonial halls and…
Arequipa
This colonial church in the city center of Arequipa has a white interior that contrasts with its gold-leaf picture frames.
Arequipa & Canyon Country
The only civilization between Arequipa and Chivay, save for a few scattered farmsteads, is this fork in the road that acts as a kind of truck/bus stop and…
