5 must-try activities in Arequipa
Written by Lea C.
Visit in December 2019
Arequipa is the second largest town in Peru, but it really doesn’t feel like it. The downtown is relatively small and the town in general is easy to explore. One thing that feels special about Arequipa is that it is surrounded by three volcanoes, Misti being the main one that you can see from the Plaza de Armas downtown.
If you’re spending some days in Arequipa, I strongly recommend visiting the Cañón del Colca (second deepest canyon in the world) overnight. But while you’re in town, here are my 5 must-try activities:
(And if you prefer to see the city, click here)
3. Explore the Yanahuara Neighborhood
Free Walking Tour
As in many cities in Latin America, the Free Walking Tour is really a perfect way to discover the downtown (and sometimes other neighborhoods, such as the bohemian neighborhood of Lima called Barranco and filled with street art).
I would suggest you do the free walking tour early in your stay to receive many recommendations from the guides in terms of restaurants, souvenirs shops and activities. They usually last between an hour and a half and two hours, cover the architecture and history of the main noteworthy buildings of downtown (going in if they’re free, and if they’re not, telling you what they’re about so you can decide if you want to come back later).
They sometimes include a food component, which was all about chocolate for Arequipa. The city is full of history, colors and beautiful architecture. I especially enjoyed visiting the artisans’ plaza.
Museo Santuarios Andinos
Very close to the Plaza de Armas, you can find the Museo Santuarios Andinos.
Photography was not allowed, but it was really fascinating. It’s quite small, so you can visit it in about an hour (more if you take a guide and they explain a lot of things), and the main attraction is “Juanita”, an Inca child who was sacrificed and her body later found on the Ampato volcano, mummified similarly to Ötzi in Europe.
Explore the Yanahuara Neighborhood
This neighborhood is located about 25 minutes from the Plaza de Armas, which makes for a nice walk, and offers an atmosphere that is really different from the one you will find downtown.
It is organized around a small park from where you have a very nice view of the town and of Misti (pictured here). There are often locals selling crafts and souvenirs near the park.
If you go to this neighborhood, make sure to check out La Recoleta (see below)!
Monastery/Museum La Recoleta
If you have the time, visit the ancient Monastery turned Museum La Recoleta. It is located about ten minutes from the Plaza de Armas, and you’ll have to cross the Chili river to get to it. You can combine this activity with the exploration of the Yanahuara neighborhood described above, five minutes away.
The library was in my opinion the most impressive room, but the inside court is really pretty (you can see hummingbirds) and the museum contains many artefacts from the Inca (like the quipu, a string device used the record information using knots) as well as from the colonial period, including many animals (taxidermy) that were exotic to the Spaniards.
Don’t forget to climb to the top of the tower for a striking view of the city and of the Misti volcano!
Casa Museo Vargas Llosa
Literature fans will probably benefit from this visit more than others, but know that Vargas Llosa is one of the most famous Peruvian authors and won the Literature Nobel Prize in 2010.
This house/museum is 20 minutes away from the Plaza de Armas, presents his life and certain objects belonging to him, such as his typewriters. It also contains a hologram of the author giving his Nobel acceptance speech!
And if you want to read one of his books to prepare your trip to Peru, try Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter!
In short, Arequipa is a very pleasant city to visit, perfect to explore before (or rest after) a visit to the Canyon del Colca. And to discover my favorite restaurant in town, click here!