Arequipa is located 1,024 km south of Lima, at Z230 meters (7,314 feet) a.s.l. and it has the nicest weather of the country. It seats at the foot of the Misti, a volcano that dominates the city, and it gets its nick name “the White City” because is built out of sillar, the white volcanic stone.
Arequipa, the second largest city of Peru, was founded in 1540 and its principal churches and mansions were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. Since the last century its main source of wealth has been alpaca wool. Today it is the leading alpaca-wool industry center in Peru.
The city keeps its colonial architectural sides, but also has a modern part with lots of up- scale hotels and casinos. Arequipa is famous for being staunchly regional, which has prompted Arequipans to protect their rich cultural heritage and to promote the natural attraction of the region. Arequipa gives tourists the opportunity to enjoy the city and its outskirts and it is the starting point for other circuit

Main Tourist Attractions

PLAZA DE ARMAS
The colonial style Plaza dates from the 19th century and is one of the finest in Peru. It is lined with a double row of arches. The imposing facade of the French neo-classical cathedral is built from sillar.

COLONIAL MANSIONS
These date from the 18th century and their most outstanding common feature are their sculpted facades and iron window grills. The best examples are the Casa Ricketts, Casa del Moral, Goyeneche Palace.

CHURCH OF THE COMPANY
The Old Sanctuary of the Company of Jesus (1698) has a splendid baroque facade of sculpted sillar. The interior is just as ornamental with gilded altars and the walls and vault of the chapel covered in decoration. This church is flanked by two 18th century cloisters leading off broad quadrangles built around Andalusian style fountains and columns richly adorned in floral motifs worked in bas-relief.

SANTA CATALINA MONASTERY
The monastery is without doubt the most arresting and interesting monument in Arequipa. Built in 1580, it is almost a city within a city a series of quadrangles, cloisters, living quarters, and places of worship all built of colored sillar in an area measuring 20,000 m2 and separated from each other by actual streets named after important Spanish cities. Two small museums have been established inside the complex, exhibiting paintings from the Cusco School, as well as ceramics and utensils from the Mochica, Chimu and Nazca Civilizations.

COLCA CANYON
The Colca Canyon is one of the deepest in the world (3,000 m). The Canyon offers stunning views of row upon row of terraces that are still being used even today by the descendents of the Collagua (a pre-Inca civilization), of several eternally snow-covered volcanoes and the River Colca itself. One of the most popular lookouts is the so-called Cruz del Cóndor (Cross of the Condor), from which it is possible to see the canyon floor far below and condors majestically riding updrafts of air.