Must-see attractions in Arequipa & Canyon Country

  • Crosses in courtyard of Cloister of Orange Trees in Monasterio de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina Monastery), Arequipa, Peru

    Monasterio de Santa Catalina

    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…

  • Cruz del Cóndor

    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…

  • Museo Santuarios Andinos

    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 …

  • Museo de la Catedral

    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…

  • Mirador de San Miguel

    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…

  • Yanahuara

    Arequipa

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

  • Toro Muerto Petroglyphs

    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…

  • La Catedral

    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…

  • Laguna de Salinas

    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…

  • Iglesia de La Compañía

    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…

  • Plaza de Armas

    Arequipa

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

  • Cañón del Cotahuasi

    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…

  • Callejón del Solar

    Arequipa

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

  • Museo Yanque

    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…

  • Astronomical Observatory

    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…

  • San Ignacio Chapel

    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…

  • Paso de Patopampa

    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…

  • Pampa de Toccra

    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…

  • Uyo Uyo

    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…

  • El Molino de Sabandía

    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,…

  • Casa Museo Mario Vargas Llosa

    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…

  • La Mansión del Fundador

    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…

  • Casa Ricketts

    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…

  • Iglesia de San Francisco

    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…

  • Casa de Moral

    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 Histórico Municipal

    Arequipa

    The historical trajectory of both Arequipa and Peru is showcased in this educational, if unexciting, museum, split into different rooms dedicated to…

  • Baños Chacapi

    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…

  • Iglesia de Santo Domingo

    Arequipa

    A colonial sillar (white volcanic rock) church and convento (monastery) complex that, despite extensive destruction from earthquakes, still retains…

  • Iglesia de San Agustín

    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…

  • Iglesia San Juan Bautista

    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…

  • Casona Iriberry

    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…

  • Iglesia de La Merced

    Arequipa

    This colonial church in the city center of Arequipa has a white interior that contrasts with its gold-leaf picture frames.

  • Patahuasi

    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…