Category Archives: Arequipa

The main reason I ventured to Arequipa was to experience the Colca Canyon, touted as the worlds deepest canyon and home of the Andean condor. It isn’t close, but the journey is well worth the reward. Most people choose to … Continue reading →

Get up close and personal with llama and alpaca at this fun and free attraction! Mundo Alpaca is set away from the historic district in Arequipa, but it’s worth the walk if you’re an animal lover. In the front is … Continue reading →

Set in a beautiful courtyard La Despensa is a lovely little café to grab a sweet treat – quite close to the Santa Catalina Monastery. Sure, they have tempting pastries from all different places of origin…but I love to eat … Continue reading →

This is my childhood fantasy: a restaurant based on potatoes. The motif doesn’t come out of nowhere, Peruvians have cultivated thousands of potato variations. I was the pickiest eater as a kid, but I would eat anything potato with gusto. … Continue reading →

Yanahuara is quiet neighborhood a short walk from the historic district in Arequipa. Up the gentle hill and under the arch is a special square that feels so far from the city. Try your luck at catching a glimpse of … Continue reading →

Lunch at a picanteria is a true Arequipan tradition. They’re only open during the day and have a set menu including a daily soup and an entrée. Picantería La Dorita sits at the base of the hill on your way … Continue reading →

Wander from the historic center of Arequipa for a bit of daily local life. Behind the bright blue walls is a two level market with endless rows, seemingly bigger on the inside! The metallic smell of blood from a freshly … Continue reading →

A photographers dream. A city within a city. A slice of history. Santa Catalina Monastery is another world you would never know exists, hiding in plain sight beside the bustling streets of Arequipa. The ticket price was so steep I … Continue reading →

A young girl who made an epic journey, her story was frozen in time until a volcanic explosion uncovered her naturally mummified body 500 years later. Juanita is the one history lesson you must learn while in Arequipa. The story … Continue reading →

High in the desert filled with mountains sits Arequipa, different from any other city in Peru. It’s name comes from the indigenous people who inhabited the land before the Spanish conquest. Ari means peak and Quipa means behind, this is … Continue reading →