Things to do in Arequipa
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Chicha
Famed chef Gastón Acurio arrived in Arequipa with Chicha. As with the astutely crafted menus he is celebrated for elsewhere in Peru, Chicha’s selections turn the freshest local ingredients and regional specialties into noteworthy flavor fusions such as the cuy laqueado (guinea-pig appetizer with Arequipan touches of corn and rocoto pepper) and the rocoto relleno (in this dessert version red peppers are stuffed with cream cheese and dulce de leche ). The experience is rounded off with a tantalizing list of cocktails and service that leaves no detail unattended to.
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Museo de Arte Virreinal de Santa Teresa
This gorgeous 17th-century Carmelite convent was only recently opened to the public as a living museum. The colonial-era buildings are justifiably famed for their decoratively painted walls and restored rooms filled with priceless votive objets d’art, murals, precious metalworks, colonial-era paintings and other historical artifacts. It is all capably explained by student tour guides who speak Spanish, English, French, German and Portuguese; tips are appreciated. A charming shop at the front of the complex sells baked goods and rose-scented soap made by the nuns.
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Iglesia de la Compañía
Just off the southeast corner of the Plaza de Armas, this Jesuit church, one of the oldest in Arequipa, is noted for its ornate main facade and main altar, which is carved in the churrigueresque style (an intricate decorative motif popular during the late Spanish baroque period) and completely covered in gold leaf. To the left of the altar is the San Ignacio chapel, with a polychrome cupola smothered in junglelike murals of tropical flowers, fruit and birds, among which mingle warriors and angels.
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Museo Arqueológico Chiribaya
Opened in 2008, the Museo Arqueológico Chiribaya houses an impressive collection of artifacts from the pre-Incan Chiribaya civilization, including well-preserved textiles and the only pre-Inca gold collection in southern Peru. The museum is housed in a beautiful colonial mansion that features design details by French engineer Gustave Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame. University student guides offer 40-minute tours in Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Italian and German when prearranged.
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La Catedral
The history of La Catedral, the cathedral that dominates Arequipa’s main plaza, is filled with doggedness. The original structure, dating from 1656, was gutted by fire in 1844. Consequently rebuilt, it was then promptly flattened by the earthquake of 1868. Most of what you see now has been rebuilt since then. An earthquake in 2001 toppled one enormous tower, and made the other slump precariously, yet by the end of the next year the cathedral looked as good as new once again.
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Pablo Tour
Consistently recommended, Pablo Tour’s guides are experts in trekking and cultural tours in the region, and can furnish trekkers with all the necessary equipment and topographical maps. They are happy to customize tours depending on clients’ needs or offer professional advice to those hoping to go it alone. The owner, Edwin, speaks English and French. Can also help travelers communicate with the Hostal Valle del Fuego in Cabanaconde, or Oasis Bungalows at the base of the Cañón del Colca.
reviewed
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Pablo Tour
Consistently recommended, Pablo Tour’s guides are experts in trekking and cultural tours in the region, and can furnish trekkers with all the necessary equipment and topographical maps. They are happy to customize tours depending on clients’ needs or offer professional advice to those hoping to go it alone. The owner, Edwin, speaks English and French. Can also help travelers communicate with the Hostal Valle del Fuego in Cabanaconde, or Oasis Bungalows at the base of the Cañón del Colca.
reviewed
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Sabancaya
Sabancaya (5976m) is part of a massif on the south rim of the Cañón del Colca that also includes extinct Hualca Hualca (6025m) and Nevado Ampato (6310m). Sabancaya is currently the most active of the region's volcanoes and has erupted in recent years. The crater can be approached between eruptions if you have an experienced guide, but neighboring Ampato is a fairly straightforward, if strenuous, three-day ascent, and you get safer views of the active Sabancaya from here.
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Majes River Lodge
Offers easy one-hour rafting trips (S60) or more challenging three-hour trips that pass through class IV rapids (S110) on the Río Majes. Overnight accommodations in bungalows with solar hot-water showers cost S40 per person; camping, meals of fresh river shrimp, and tours to the nearby Toro Muerto petroglyphs are also available. Take a taxi (S10) or a combi (S1.50) from Aplao to the Majes River Lodge.
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Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel
In the inner suburb of Cayma you’ll find the eye-catching Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel, dating from 1730. For a tip, the church warden may take you up the small tower, which has panoramic views. To reach Cayma from Yanahuara, walk along San Vicente and then take Av León Velarde, or catch one of the regular combis (minibuses) marked ‘Cayma’ from Av Puente Grau (S1, 15 minutes).
reviewed
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Paucarpata
The rural suburb of Paucarpata , about 8km southeast of the city center, makes a pleasant country escape. Combis can be caught along Goyeneche, Independencia and Paucarpata, which is the eastern continuation of Mercaderes (25 minutes), or you can take a taxi. Paucarpata itself features an attractive colonial church on the main plaza and several good picanterías (local restaurants).
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Colca Canyon and Arequipa
4 days (Arequipa)
Explore one of world's deepest canyons and the 'white city' of Arequipa.
Not LP reviewed
from USD$890 -
La Mansión del Fundador
The 17th-century La Mansión del Fundador, once owned by Arequipa’s founder Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, has been restored with original furnishings and paintings, and even has its own chapel. The mansion is in the village of Huasacache, 9km from Arequipa’s city center, most easily reached by taxi (round-trip S20). Local city tours occasionally stop here.
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Río Cotahuasi
Another more off-the-beaten-track possibility is the remote Río Cotahuasi, a relatively new whitewater discovery reaching into the deepest sections of the world's deepest known canyon. Expeditions here are infrequent and only for the experienced, usually taking nine days and passing through several class IV and V rapids.
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El Molino de Sabandía
A 3km walk from the plaza brings you to El Molino de Sabandía. This mill was built in 1785, fell into disrepair and was restored two centuries later; it now grinds once more for visitors. The neat grounds, shaded with weeping willows and providing great views of El Misti, are a favorite of picnickers.
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Iglesia San Juan Batista
Turn right on Av Lima and walk five blocks to a small plaza, where you’ll find the Iglesia San Juan Batista, which dates from 1750. The popular Fiesta de la Virgen de Chapi is held on May 1. At the side of the plaza there’s a mirador (lookout) with excellent views of Arequipa and El Misti.
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Museo Regional Histórico Etnológico Municipal
The small Museo Regional Histórico Etnológico Municipal is housed in a tumbledown colonial building. Paintings, historical documents, maps and other paraphernalia pertaining to the city's history are displayed here. Most interesting are the satirical caricatures of stately 19th-century Peruvian elite.
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Museo Arqueológico de la Universidad Católica de Santa María
The university-run Museo Arqueológico de la Universidad Católica de Santa María has interesting little displays on local excavation sites, as well as some artifacts, including surprisingly well-preserved ancient ceramics. Guided tours are available in Spanish and English; tips are expected.
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Casa de Moral
Built in 1730, Casa de Moral is named after the 200-year-old mulberry tree in its central courtyard. Owned by BCP, the house is now one of the most accessible for snooping, and bilingual guides are available. It has a fascinating little map collection charting South American development.
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Tradición Arequipeña
This locally famous restaurant has mazelike gardens, live folklórica and criollo music (upbeat coastal music), and offers a Sunday morning breakfast of adobo de cerdo, a traditional slow-cooked pork dish. It’s 2km southeast of the center; a taxi ride here should cost S4.
reviewed
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Cayma
Beyond Yanahuara is Cayma , another inner suburb of Arequipa's city center, nicknamed El Balcón (the Balcony) for its privileged views. To reach Cayma from Yanahuara, walk along San Vicente and then take Av Leon Velarde, or catch one of the regular combis marked 'Cayma' from Av Puente Grau.
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El Gaucho Parrilladas
Not one for vegetarians: these guys are experts in steak and steak alone, and they don’t skimp on portions. On a lower level off the Plaza de Armas, the restaurant has a snug atmosphere. It’s popular with locals and tourists staying at nearby hotels alike, so reservations are recommended.
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Café Casa Verde
This nonprofit courtyard cafe staffed by underprivileged kids is the perfect spot for a morning or afternoon break. It dishes up yummy German-style pastries and sandwiches, though service can be slow. Attached is a local handicraft store where proceeds also go to helping kids in need.
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Velluto Crepes
This newcomer to Calle Jerusalén has a twin operation in Cuzco. Sandwiches are substantial, soups are made from fresh ingredients, and crêpes are a twist on the traditional. Additionally, the place boasts a selection of imported beers and wines not available at many places in Peru.
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Michell
More than just a source for fine alpaca wool goods and raw thread, this complex functions as a tourist center for an international wool export company. It includes a well-presented commercial boutique, a museum detailing the process of wool production, and a small zoo and a cafe.
reviewed