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Things to Do in Arequipa

Alpacas - Arequipa
Alpacas
by Amareyui
Reviews and photos of Arequipa attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Arequipa sightseeing.
Local Time 9:59 pm Friday, July 25, 2008
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The Ice Maiden
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  • By toonsarah on May 21, 2006
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  • One place I'd really recommend in Arequipa is the Museo Santuarios Andinos where you can see the famous "Juanita, La Niña de los Hielos", a 550 year old Inca girl sacrifice found in 1995 by mountaineers in the ice on the summit of a nearby volcano. An adjacent volcano had erupted and blown ash to melt the summit snow to reveal her sacrificial site.

    Juanita is displayed in a glass case along with a number of artifacts found with her, and lots of information about the Inca practice of human sacrifice. There's a also a good film about her discovery.

    I thought it might seem a bit disrespectful to display her body in this way but I found that the museum has done a great job of doing this while still respecting the fact that she was a real person and treating her accordingly. I was very moved by the opportunity to see her and learn about her short life.

  • Website: http://www.ucsm.edu.pe/santury/

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    Canyon del Colca
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  • By schlumpf on October 24, 2004
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  • Colca Landscape - Arequipa
    Colca Landscape
    by schlumpf
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    The 2 days/1 night experience trought the canyon del colca is something you gotte really do in Arequipa. This journey will take you trough an amazing landscape, with volcanoes, rural villages, animals wherever, piecefull and quietness with a supreme scenario.
    It starts from Arequipa early in the morning and on the first day you cross 5.700m , so do not forget to buy some hojas de coca... At the afternoon, after having passed rural villages, having met people on the way, alpaca, lamas and vicuNas, you will be taken in the hot bath, so you can enjoy a bath into a swimming pool with 40C hot water...amazing! Then you have to choose were to sleep; there are three options: colca lodge which is the most expensive but the most confortable (see my accomodation tip) or in some guesthouses. We book in colca lodge and the entire journey costed us 35USD.
    In the afternoon you will be taken to a tipical mountain market, fullfilled of peruvian trying to sell a lot of stuff...very imprressive.
    At day 2, very early in the moprning, you will be taken to cerro del condor, where the condors are flying just 5 meters above your head...woow!
    In the afternoon you will be taken back to Arequipa.

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  • Address: Arequipa area
  • Other Contact: colonialtours02@hotmail.com

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    La Compañía and Cloisters
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  • By acemj on September 17, 2006
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  • Arequipa Things To Do
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    The beautiful facade of this church is worth a look for its interesting architectural features. You'll notice angels with idigenous faces and Andean motifs in the carvings of birds and flowers. The stone is the beautiful white sillar that is used in almost all of the other buildings in Arequipa. Inside the church, you'll find 17th century oil paintings by Bernardo Bitti who was trained at a famous art school in Cusco.

    To the left of the main entrance of the church, you'll find a spacious cloister that was once a a monastery but is now basically a shopping plaza with shops selling alpaca products and other tourist-oriented merchandise. You can climb to the second level of the cloister for some nice rooftop views of the church tower and the city below.

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  • Address: General Moran at Alvarez Tomas
  • Directions: Southeast corner of Plaza de Armas

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    Santa Catalina Convent
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  • Updated By toonsarah on April 30, 2006
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  • A quiet corner of the Santa Catalina Convent - Arequipa
    A quiet corner of the
    Santa Catalina Convent
    by toonsarah,
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    This is the must-see sight in Arequipa. It's a complete miniature walled colonial town in the middle of the city. The buildings are painted in soft shades of terracotta and blue and are set around peaceful courtyards or along narrow alley ways. There's a beautiful scene around every corner and if you have a camara with you I guarantee it will go into overdrive!

    You can visit the rooms where the nuns used to live. These aren't austere cells but well-furnished rooms - these nuns didn't live in poverty but instead had the best of everything, even a servant each! (The nuns who still live in the convent now keep to their own section of the convent, away from the tourists.)

    You'll also see the laundry , the chapel and the visiting area, but the main attraction is simply the peace and quiet, only yards from the bustling streets of the city.

  • Directions: It's right in the middle of the city so you can't miss it!

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    Plaza de Armas
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  • By acemj on September 17, 2006
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  • Ryan in the center of the plaza - Arequipa
    Ryan in the center of the
    plaza
    by acemj, 2 more photos
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    The Plaza de Armas sits was once the exclusive domain of the Spanish colonists and the indigenous people were not allowed access to this portion of Arequipa. When you approach the square, you can still get a sense that it was once sectioned off from the rest of town and once you arrive, you too will feel you are in an exclusive place. The arches surrounding the plaza are topped with beautiful balconies and the imposing, but graceful cathedral gives the space an elegant feel. Behind the cathedral, you can see the snow-capped mountains that surround Arequipa.

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  • Directions: Center of town

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    Monasterio de Santa Catalina
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  • By acemj on September 17, 2006
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  • Peaceful space - Arequipa
    Peaceful space
    by acemj,
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    The Santa Catalina Monastery was founded in 1579 only 40 years after the Spanish arrived. It is one of the most peaceful spaces that I saw in my entire Peruvian visit. It's really more of a separate city within a city, created over time and reconstructed due to earthquakes and tremors over the years. The nuns who lived here (and continue to live here today - there are about 30 active nuns) were given isolated quarters that allowed them to pursue their lives of solitude and devotion to God. As you walk through the heavily walled 5 acre complex, you'll pass by these individual quarters, each with their own charm. There are separate courtyards (the Courtyard of Silence, the Courtyard of Oranges, etc) and there is even a cafeteria where you can sample the foods prepared here by the nuns.

    Check out my travelogue for more pictures.

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  • Address: Santa Catalina 301
  • Phone: 054229798
  • Other Contact: 25 Soles admission

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    Big Party time around the 15th of August !
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  • By Maillekeul on August 23, 2003
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  • From the 14th of August, the "fiesta" of Arequipa lasts about one week. The all department of Arequipa celebrates it : everybody is in the street, typically dressed. Drinks turn all over the nights.. You will maybe attend a show of "epileptic dance" !!

    A partir du 14 aout, c'est la fete d'Arequipa qui dure environ 1 semaine : tout le departement la celebre ! Les gens sont dans la rue, habilles typiquement : les verres tournent toutes les nuits... Vous verrez peut-etre une exhibition de danse "epileptique" !!

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    Yanahuara
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  • By Maillekeul on August 23, 2003
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  • One of the best places to eat typical peruvian meals (cuy, doble, triple, chicharron...). But I won't swear that you will love it !
    An address, good, very nice surrounding, but expensive : Sol del Mar, Jerusalen (not the street of the center of Arequipa !!) 207.
    Also a wonderful view of the Misti from the main place of this neighbourhood of Arequipa.

    Une des meilleures places pour manger la bouffe typiquement peruvienne (cuy, doble, triple, chicharron...). Mais, je ne vous promet rien sur le gout ! Une bonne adresse, super endroit mais cher : Sol del Mar, Jerusalen (pas celle du centre d'Arequipa !) 207.
    Egalement, une superbe vue sur le Misti depuis la place principale de ce quartier d'Arequipa.

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  • Directions: Go up the street Puente Grau, cross the bridge Puente Gran, and turn on your right, then left after 2 minutes walk. Ask for the Mirador Remontez la rue Puente Grau et depassez le pont. Tournez a droite, puis a gauche apres 2 minutes. Demandez le Mirador.

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    Iglesia Santo Domingo
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  • By acemj on September 17, 2006
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  • Arequipa Things To Do
    by acemj
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    This church is slightly off the beaten path on northern edge of the center, but it's worth the short walk. When we were here, there was some restoration going on, but we were still able to visit with no trouble. The luminous interior glistens with candlelight and is really quite magical.

    The church dates to the early 17th century, but was destroyed in a fire in the early 19th century and then rebuilt. There are some subtle elements of Andean and Moorish architecture to be found along with, of course, Spanish colonial style.

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  • Address: Santo Domingo and Pierola

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    One of the deepest canyon on earth...
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  • By christian99 on November 15, 2004
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  • Arequipa Things To Do
    by christian99
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    COLCA CANYON
    Most people who visit Arequipa take a tour out to the Cañon de Colca, one of the worlds deepest canyons formed by an enormous seismic fault between the Coropuna (6425m) and Ampato (6325m) volcanoes. The tour can be arranged on arrival in Arequipa at one of the several tour operators or travel agents around the Plaza. Many hotels can also arrange this activity. Although a tour can be fit into one day, it's best to go for at least 2 days, staying the night at the village of Chivay (3633m) the first village on the edge of the canyon.
    Remember to bring a swimming costume and towel for a visit to the thermal springs on the outskirts of Chivay. (Open 0600 - 1900. Entrance $1.50)
    Beautiful unspoiled Andean villages line both sides of the canyon. In addition you'll have great views of the smoking Sabancaya volcano, one of the America's most active volcanoes, as well seeing the many traditional pre-Inca agricultural terraces which line the steep valley sides.
    The high point of the tour is an early morning visit to La Cruz del Cóndor (3320m), a 1½ hours drive from Chivay. From this natural observatory you can see into the deepest part of the canyon, and witness the majestic flight of the Andean Condor, rising on the morning thermals (at around 9am

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    Overview
         		General Tips
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    Restaurants
    Tips: 35 - Photos: 19    		Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 31 - Photos: 15
    Things To Do
    Tips: 126 - Photos: 103    		Nightlife
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    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 20 - Photos: 17    		Tourist Traps
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    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 15 - Photos: 5    		Transportation
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    Local Customs
    Tips: 15 - Photos: 11    		Packing Lists
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    Shopping
    Tips: 16 - Photos: 12    		Sports Travel
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    Flights
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