From Wikitravel

[edit] Understand

Arequipa is Peru's　third most important city (after Lima and Cuzco), and it's located just below the edge of the Peruvian Altiplano.

It is nicknamed the 'white city' (la ciudad blanca in Spanish), because many of the buildings in the area are built of sillar, a local white stone. This rock was quarried from the many volcanoes that surround the city, including the towering El Misti. Ask for local help to identify the three volcanoes surrounding the city. Arequipa also has a large amount of good weather it averages to about 300 days a year

Arequipa is also famous for its spanish colonial architecture, and especially the Convento de Santa-Catalina, a "city within the city". Very clean city.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

By far the easiest way to get to Arequipa is by plane, landing in Rodríguez Ballón airport, 7km from the city. LanPerú, Aero Condor and Star Perú fly from Lima, Juliaca and Cuzco. A taxi from the airport to the Plazza de Armas should cost between S/12 and S/20, depending on the size of the car, the size of your bags and your bartering skills.

[edit] By bus

Several buses a day do the long trips to Cuzco (10 hours, 30-60 soles), Puno, Camana (5 or 6 hours, 10 soles), Pisco (10-12 hours, 30-100 soles), Nazca, Lima (cheap bus for 30 soles, takes 15 hours, more expensive buses are faster) and Tacna (near the border with Chile).

In general, you get what you pay for with buses, but it still doesn't hurt to ask about the quality of the bus before you buy your ticket. Some of the more reputable companies are Ormeño and Cruz del Sur.

[edit] By train

Charter trains to Juliaca and Puno are only available for groups of 40 or more.

[edit] Get around

The best way to get around is by taxi. The attractions around Plaza de Armas can be reached by foot. You can hail taxis just from the sidewalk. Taxis have a meter but they don't use it. Make sure you bargain a bit. The target price for city rides should be around 3-4 soles depending on distance. Some cab drivers try to rip you off by saying prices are per head but price is always per ride for all passengers. Allow for a minor extra charge for luggage (usually half a sol per major piece).

• You can rent a car with a driver included and go all around Arequipa just $6 an hour, call

+5154 9905151 or email: mistiano@gmail.com, and get around the best places of Arequipa; discos, restaurants--make your trip easier and just have fun.

• You can rent a truck at a very low rate including a driver (just $55 per 8 hours plus diesel expenses), call

+5154 9350539 or email: fbedregal@yahoo.com, and go ahead and visit Arequipa's outskirts and places such Colca River, Majes, Camana and Mollendo beaches

[edit][add listing] See

• The Plaza de Armas, the main square of Arequipa, surrounded by buildings made of sillar, a white volcanic stone.

• Visit some of the many markets in the centre of Arequipa.

• See Juanita Mummy. From May to November the main exhibit is the Dama de Ampato, also known as Juanita. Found close to the main square is the Museum of the Catholic University, with the interesting exhibition of frozen bodies of sacrificial victims found in the neighbouring volcanoes.

• Visit the Catholic colonial-era Convento de Santa Catalina. It is quite close to the Plaza de Armas.

• One of the newest attractions is the Convento de Santa Teresa, a little off the usual tourist areas in downtown Arequipa. Not as interesting architectonically as Santa Catalina, some of the paintings and artifacts are stunning.

• Nearby, in the old countryside, is the Molino de Sabandía (Sabandía Mill), a three centuries old water mill, set in the old Arequipa countryside.

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Arequipa has a fair number of markets in the centre, good for food as well as handicraft.

• There are some interesting shops geared towards tourists, including Patio del Ekeko, free WiFi included. The old Jesuit convent, half a block from the Plaza de Armas, is free to enter and has very good shops for fine Alpaca garments and local products. The place itself is very nice.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Try whitewater rafting in some of the best rivers of the world. A typical half-day tour with some 90 minutes actual rafting will cost you about 70 S/.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Around Plaza de Armas you will find a lot of people approaching you with menu cards and offer you a free drink, etc. Check prices and haggle a bit for an extra free drink. Food in general is good but not outstanding.

You should definitely eat Rocoto relleno con pastel de papa, a stuffed, quite large pepper with potato pie, in the Lucila in Sachaca, or in many other fine restaurants around. Ask beforehand if it has been made for "tourists" or if it is the original, quite hot, style; if the last one, be careful, it can be extremely hot!

Try Alpaca steaks!

As with all Peruvian food: local delicacies are heavy and sometimes very hot. Try them with care, especially since the height of the city (around 2,600 meters) makes digestion slow. Take a mate de coca, coca-leaf tea, after meals: it does help digestion and makes the altitude more bearable.

• Maya, Calle Jerusalem (Almost on the corner of Ugarte). Breakfast, piglets, burgers and more. Their set lunch is somewhat expensive, but they do it better! Set lunch 5,50 S/..  edit

• Picanteria La Lucila Sachaca, still run by Sra Lucila Salas de Ballon, it's a short taxi ride out of town. Old style kitchen with Cuy (Guinea Pigs) eating scraps in the corner, and Lucila still makes her sauces the old way as she keeps an eye on everything and everyone.

And for dinner, you can find the best restaurants from the city in San Francisco street (third block). One of thes best is Zingaro Restaurante [1](san francisco 309) where you can try typical food like "cuy" or "rocoto relleno" and also they serve the best meet I´ve ever tried! and don't forget to ask about a drink called "coca sour". In the same block you can find some pubs or small discos, like Deja Vu, they have good music and drinks.

[edit] Vegetarian

• Mandala, Calle Jerusalén 207, tél: 22 99 74, natural and tasty vegetarian food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. At lunch time, the menú ejecutivo, including a small salad, a soup, a yoghurt, a main dish, a dessert and a drink costs only 5 soles.

• Restaurant Vegetariano Su-hua Wang, Calle Moral 205, has excellent vegetarian Chinese food for good prices. Closed on Sundays.

• Govinda - Hare Krishna Vegetarian and Pizza. Sometimes they have a buffet, if not get the Menu Turistico, a 4 course meal for 15 soles which includes homemade yogurt, a Peruvian specialty, and your choice of entree among several Indian and Italian options. Everything is fresh and organic or locally grown. Eat outdoors and don´t go if you are in a hurry, expect it to take an hour as one person is preparing each part of your meal from scratch.

• Nitay Gouranga Vegetarian Restaurant, Between the Calle Rivero and Calle Jerusalem . You can find there tasty vegetarian food and desserts and you can get the menu of the day for just 4 soles including the soup the main dish and the soft natural drink. Tasty vegetarian food. Also you can order and have different options. You can find also yoghurt pizza stuffed potato, etc.

[edit][add listing] Drink

The local booze is Anis Najar. Chicha and Pisco Sour is also drunk.

The local beer is Arequipeña, -on its way to be replaced by Cuzqueña after a merger,

The local soft drink is Kola Escocesa, not as sweet as Inca Kola

Most bars and clubs are on Calle San Fransisco, uphill from the main square. Many have happy hour specials until 10 PM.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

Close to Plaza de Armas.

• El Rosario Hospedaje, Pasaje del Solar No 124, Phone 222517, run by a friendly elderly couple. Hot water showers. Singles from 10 soles.
• The Crismar Hotel, Calle Moral #107, [www.crismarhotel.com/]. One and a half blocks from main plaza across the post office, best location, free transfer from airport, and bus terminal, prices start at $30 tax exempt for tourist, great coffee shop Bernini's at hotel.
• Hotel Viza, calle Peru #202, [2]. Three blocks from the Plaza de Armas, $25 a nice room, includes breakfast and pick up from the airport.
• The Arequipa Youth Hostel, at Zela 313. Dorm bed 13 soles, rasta manager.
• Arequipay Backpackers at Cruz Verde 309, Telephone: +5154223001, E-mail: reservas@arequipaybackpackers.com, [3]. Dorm bed 20 soles, including breakfast and hot showers. A few blocks from the main plaza.
• La Reyna, Zela 209. Doubles 30 soles. Pirate wifi on the roof.
• Colonial House Inn, Calle Puente Grau 114. ("Arriba de la Plaza" to the taxi driver) A huge, beautiful room for $27, the rest are cheaper, good breakfast.
• Bothy Hostel, Calle Puente Grau 109, Telephone +5154 282438. Sunny terrace, kitchen use, DVD room, hammocks and helpful staff. 20 soles a night.
• Le Foyer Hostel, Ugarta 114, S/35 per night for single room with shower. 2 blocks north of the Plaza de armas. Several restaurants below, on a rather busy road.
• Home Sweet Home, Rivero 509, Telephone +5154 405982. [4]Family run hostel, multilingual staff. Dorm beds 25 soles. Cosy bedrooms, wifi, terrace, laundry, travel agency. Great breakfast 5 soles.
• Hostal Lluvia de Oro, Jerusalen 308, lluvia_de_oro@hotmail.com. About three blocks from the main Plaza, friendly, in front of the tourist police station, nice patio, pick up from airport.
• El Solar de la Macarena, Calle Jerusalen 531, info@elsolardelamacarena.com. Just opened in February 2008. Wifi, private bathrooms, nice shared kitchen, laundry, TV in every room. You can hang out on the roof or the 2nd floor terrace.

[edit] Stay safe

All the usual advice given for Peru applies here as well. Arequipa feels like a somewhat safe city, and like in most of the other major Peruvian cities there was always a fairly large police presence. That said, don't unnecessarily flaunt your valuables or your money. Despite of this, there have been several robberies reported. DO NOT walk alone after 11PM in the downtown area!

In the downtown area, there is a fairly large presence of tourist police, wearing white shirts. Ask them for help.

The most common form is when a foreigner takes a no-name cab and some corners later other people are picked up to rob the tourist. To be safe, don't just hail any old cab that passes by. Always take branded taxis (of which you can see plenty). Several of these branded taxis are very careful about the owners/drivers they take on. Consequently, they are very reliable. The best of these is the "Turismo Arequipa" company with a green and white logo (watch out for fakes). "Taxitel" is also good.

The safest way to call a taxi is to ask your hotel or hostel to do it for you. Almost all hostels and hotels have a relationship with a taxi company whose drivers are known and trusted. This holds for the rest of Peru as well.

[edit] Get out

• The Colca Canyon: Theoretically possible as a daytrip, but most people opt for a night in Chivay, ate the least. Condors and landscapes.

• Chachani 6057 meters above sea level. Arrange transport with one of the adventure tour guides in town and be prepared for a 2-hour bumpy, swerving, scary drive around sharp curves up steep mountain roads. The base camp is over 5000 meters and the views are spectacular. If you are well-acclimated and have gear (ice axes and crampons) you should be able to summit from high camp in just over 8 hours. Otherwise just hike up the switchbacks to high camp (don´t stay there, you can´t sleep well at that altitude. Heed the mountaineer´s motto: "Hike high, Lie low") and then on to the col, from which you can see the beautiful view of Arequipa and surrounding mountains. The trek beyond can be dangerous if you´re not an experienced mountaineer. If you are, be prepared for a tough slog up dangerous scree and a trecherous traverse, and make sure you feel up to the return trip.

• El Misti 5822 meters above sea level. Is a 2 day climb there are a lot of agencies in Arequipa offering the climb for around $50 US. First night camps at approx 4600m so it gets very cold. You wake up at 1am to make the summit for sunrise. Not at all a technical climb, you can pretty much walk to the top. It helps to be acclimatised as you can get pretty breathless up there.

• Visit Umacollo

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!