Must-see attractions in 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…

There’s an escalating drama to this theatrically presented museum, dedicated to the preserved body of a frozen ‘mummy,’ and its compulsory guided tour …

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…

This tranquil neighborhood makes for a pleasant, walkable excursion, with a mirador (lookout) as its centerpiece providing excellent views of Arequipa and…

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…

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…

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’s main plaza, unblemished by modern interference, is a museum of the city’s sillar (volcanic rock) architecture – white, muscular and…

This gorgeous 17th-century Carmelite convent is open to the public as a living museum. The colonial-era buildings are justifiably famed for their…

This magical neighborhood lane is Arequipa's most picturesque with radiant white sillar (volcanic rock) houses – people really live here – and pavers,…

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…

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…

This university-run museum has interesting little displays on local excavation sites, as well as some artifacts, including surprisingly well-preserved…

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,…

The house where Peruvian writer, activist and Nobel Prize in Literature recipient Mario Vargas Llosa was born has been converted into a creative museum…

This 17th-century mansion once owned by Arequipa’s founder, Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, has been restored with original furnishings and paintings, and even…

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…

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…

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…

One of many small university-run museums in Arequipa, this one’s a little more esoteric than most with themes jumping between archaeological remains,…