Arequipa: The white city

Yours truly, enjoying an afternoon mojito with a view of the cathedral towers.
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More so than any other city in Peru, I wish I had more time in Arequipa. It is known as the white city because most of the buildings are built with a concrete made from ash produced by the nearby volcano.

Three mountains loom over Arequipa. One is a recently active volcano called Misti, a Quechua approximation of the English "mister." A sign of respect, I assume, for the volcano that could wreck the city. To its side sits the 6,000-meter Chachi, meaning "dressed in white," though it appears global warming has reduced the snow to more of a white sombrero. Pichupichu stands in the distance (on the meaning, I'm not sure, but I was told at Machu Pichu that "pichu" means mountain. Mountain Mountain? Maybe).

The cathedral dominates the city's central plaza.
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Tourism certainly has arrived to Arequipa, but it doesn't feel so overrun as does Cusco. Mostly, Arequipa is used as a basecamp for trips into the Colca Canyon (more on this later). Still, the city has a lot to offer.

Santa Catalina is probably the city's top attraction. The former convent (a very small part of it is still used by nuns) was built by the nobility for their daughters, who prayed in luxury (see the review for more info and photos).

Arequipa is a city you could roam around for days; I didn't get to do nearly as much of this as I would have liked. The streets are busy, lively and safe. There are several interesting museums and churches, and one of the prettiest plazas. The plaza is ringed by balcony restaurants (there is a slight cost premium, but you can still get a three-course meal for what you'll pay at Panera). If you walked around the back of the cathedral, there is a pedestrian street with bars and cafe that offer eye-level views of the cathedral towers.

At high altitude, Dad takes a break after a flight of stairs with the Volcano Misti looming over Arequipa.
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Speaking of, a recent earthquake almost destroyed the towers, but they have been repaired and I wouldn't have known if I hadn't been told. Drop into the info Peru offices to check out local happenings in Arequipa. We lucked into the Festival International de la Guitarra, which brought top classical guitarists from around the world. The show was cheap, too. The front row cost 15 soles (5 USD), but the balcony was about $1.50.

All around the city, but especially in Calle Jerusalen, you can find tour agencies to set up trips to Colca Canyon. We had very good luck with EcoTours, who found a driver to take us through the canyon and then all the way to Puno (the buses were full and we were behind the eight ball).

I would try to take three days to enjoy Arequipa, or plan a longer stay with a two-day trip to the canyon in the middle. With its somewhat European feel, it would be a nice place to rest and read a book in a cafe for a few hours, or to catch up on your travel journaling after seeing four cities in three days. Enjoy!