Arequipa Catherdral

Arequipa, the White City

Arequipa is called the white city, as many of its buildings are built from a kind of white volcanic stone, sillar (ignimbrite). There are many churches and a convents, reflecting the strong Catholic tradition brought by the Spanish, who reestablished the city in 1540.  The Aymara were the first to settle here.  Some believe this is the origin of the city´s name, Arequipa: Ari (in Aymara) means “the summit” and Quipa is “laying behind,”  which is indeed the city´s position behind the majestic volcano El Misti. There are two smaller volcanoes nearby, and the constant shifting of tectonic plates and unstable earth have led to a number of devastating earthquakes.

The imposing cathedral, just off the Plaza de Armas, has more of a baroque look than others in Peru, as it had to have an extensive reconstruction after the last big quake in the 1860s. The center of the city has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, representing an interesting integration of European and native building techniques and characteristics. The Plaza de Armas itself is gorgeous, and a popular place for people to hang out and enjoy the weather.  That’s what we did for a good part of the afternoons. It´s much cooler than it has been anywhere else we’ve visited in Peru, partly because of the altitude, about 2300 meters. We loved exploring all the courtyards, open spaces and cool Baroque details of building facades.

Arequipa is also the gateway for visiting Colca Canyon (about 100 miles north). We did an overnight trip that included time in the mountains, a visit to some hot springs, condor viewing from the mountaintops, and some of the most amazing views we’ve ever seen! There was also a memorable stop at Toro Muerto cemetery, built into an almost vertical cliff face! This was the traditional burial place for the Wari.

Historic Casonas

We visited a couple of historic “casonas,” the most impressive of which was the Casa del Moral, named for the blackberry bush in its garden.  The house is baroque in style with lots of puma heads with snakes in their mouths along with shields, crowns, angels, etc.  The history was fascinating, and there were rooms filled with antique furniture, paintings and carvings. The vaulted ceilings made the house seem very grand.  We were even able to get up onto the roof terrace for a great view of the city.

What to Eat and Where to Stay

For about $6, both of us are able to eat well and leave more than satisfied. We found it easy to find small restaurants serving set meals pretty much anywhere in the city. We stayed in a cute, family run business in a great location not far from the town center. It’s called La Posada del Montonero. The host, Silvia, was very helpful in giving us information on the city and its surroundings, restaurant tips, etc.  We had a big room with a bed, electric shower and small TV for about $15 per night. There is a wide range of lodging available in the city, from small B&Bs like the one we stayed in, to hostels, to luxury hotels.

More photos of Arequipa