Evening falls and the magic begins: the cathedral is illuminated in one of Peru’s most beautiful city squares.
But that is not all. More than 500 grand colonial-era houses in the historic center takes visitors back to another time, to the earliest beginnings of the fusion between European and Andean traditions, as expressed in Arequipa’s vaulted roofs and arches of white stone, made from the local volcanic rock known as “sillar”.
The historic center of Arequipa also offers a thousand culinary adventures in its famous traditional restaurants, or “picanterías”, where stone mortars and clay pots are used to prepare the finest stuffed peppers, shrimp chowder or the unforgettable chili pepper sauce and potato dish known as “ocopa”.
How to get to Arequipa’s Historic Center?
Route 1
Lima-Arequipa
1 h 15 min approximately
Arequipa-Historic Center
28 min approximately
What to do in Arequipa’s Historic Center?
Visit the handcrafts and alpaca clothing stores in the main square [“Plaza de Armas”].
Visit the San Camilo market, designed by Gustave Eiffel.
You can visit the Jesuit church, a fine example of colonial baroque architecture.
General information
Esentials
Camera, sunscreen, cash, light jacket.
Altitude
2 331 meters above sea level
Climate
Min. 9.2 ℃/ Max. 22.7 ℃
