Santa Catalina Monastery
A walled convent in the middle of Arequipa, laid out like a small town of colourful lanes, courtyards and cells. Nuns lived here for centuries, and part of it is open to visitors.
Arequipa and Colca Canyon
Volcanoes surround this city of white volcanic stone, a base for visiting Colca Canyon; condors there are often seen.
Attractive locations
Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa
A large white volcanic stone church that runs along one whole side of the main square. Its long arcade and twin towers define the city's skyline.
Plaza de Armas of Arequipa
Arequipa's central square, ringed by arches built of pale volcanic stone known as sillar. Mountains rise behind the cathedral, and terraces make it a pleasant spot to sit.
Misti
A cone-shaped volcano that towers over Arequipa and appears in many views of the city. Experienced trekkers climb it with guides, while most visitors enjoy it from town.
Museo Santuarios Andinos
A museum focused on the Inca child sacrifice discoveries on nearby Ampato mountain. It displays the well-preserved mummy known as Juanita, along with offerings and clothing.
Colca Canyon
A very deep Andean canyon cut by the Colca river, lined with farming terraces and small villages. Viewpoints along the rim are used to watch Andean condors riding the air currents.
Yanahuara
A quiet district of Arequipa known for its viewpoint of stone arches, which frames the city with the Misti volcano behind. Narrow lanes nearby hold traditional sillar-stone houses and a small church.
Airports
Rodríguez Ballón International Airport AQP
It is about 7 km in a straight line from Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
General Jorge Fernandez Maldon Airport ILQ
It is about 146 km in a straight line from Arequipa and Colca Canyon.
Scams and safe taxis
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan11.6 °C35 mm
- Feb11.5 °C47 mm
- Mar11.6 °C25 mm
- Apr11.4 °C6 mm
- May10.1 °C2 mm
- Jun9.7 °C0 mm
- Jul9.4 °C2 mm
- Aug10.2 °C1 mm
- Sep11.1 °C3 mm
- Oct11.8 °C7 mm
- Nov12.1 °C4 mm
- Dec11.9 °C16 mm
Driest months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug. Wettest months: Jan, Feb, Mar.
Costs
Prices here are about 52% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Who can help
Emergency
Police 105. Ambulance 106. Fire 116.
local government
PromPerú (Peru's tourism promotion agency)
Helps with: Peru's tourism promotion agency, which runs the iPerú visitor information service. Its website lists a head-office phone line and address in Lima for travel questions.
Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in Peru or planning a trip there.
Phone: (511) 616 7300
Address: Calle 1 Oeste N° 050, San Isidro, Lima, Peru
ngo
Peruvian Red Cross (Cruz Roja Peruana)
Helps with: Peru's national Red Cross society. Its website describes disaster risk management, health and wellbeing work, emergency response, and first aid and CPR courses.
Who qualifies: People in Peru who need its health, emergency or disaster-related services.
Phone: +51 986 204 095
Email: contacto@cruzroja.org.pe
Address: Av. Arequipa 1285, Urb. Santa Beatriz, Lima
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Peru
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Peru since 1966. It gives humanitarian support to migrants, displaced people, returnees and host communities.
Who qualifies: Migrants, displaced people and returnees in Peru. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +51 1 6330000
Email: iomperuatencion@iom.int
Address: Calle Miguel Seminario 320, San Isidro 15047, Lima
local government
Police emergency number 105
Helps with: Reaches the police. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 105
local government
Ambulance emergency number 106
Helps with: Reaches the ambulance service. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 106
local government
Fire emergency number 116
Helps with: Reaches the fire service. UK government travel advice lists this number.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.
Phone: 116