Arequipa Travel Guide

Walking Sightseeing Tour We begin our tour through the main attractions of the 'White City', thus named because all colonial architecture is made of sillar (hardened volcanic lava) of a whitish hue, in the heart of the historic center of Arequipa, the Plaza de Armas.

In the Plaza de Armas we can enjoy a beautiful monument at the center of the square, where the Tuturuto bronze statue represents a soldier of the Arequipean revolution. Towards the south we visit the Vestibule of Flowers, and to the north the Vestibule of San Agustín, both two-storey buildings that launch a succession of immense arcs of colonial times. From the top, one can enjoy a beautiful panoramic vista of the plaza and tourist restaurants that feature a variety of folkloric musical groups.

In the front of the plaza we head toward the impressive Catedral of neo-Renaissance style with some French influences, with a marble altar in the interiors. Later, crossing the plaza, which is decorated with beautiful lights, trees and doves, toward the west side, we will come upon the first colonial church, La Compañía, of exquisite Jesuit architecture and columns worked in typical Arequipean style.

Turn south through Santa Catalina Street, past San Agustín, a large house of baroque facade and home of cultural centre Chaves de la Rosa that displays art exhibits. A few meters away, we arrive at the beautiful Passage of the Cathedral, where we find a variety of craft shops and restaurants with terraces, until arriving at the Casa Tristán del Pozo manor house, of splendid decoration and beautiful colonial patios. Leaving the passage, up the street, arriving at the square of San Francisco, there is Franciscan Church, two of the most important museums of the city and the prestigious artisan center Fundo de Fierro.

San Lazaro district, the oldest in the city, with its narrow and colorful side streets and its attractive square. It is time to return and visit the colossal Convento de Santa Catalina and the Museo Santury —where one of the most famous mummies of America, the Momia Juanita, rests. Conclude the long walk visit the Casa del Moral, one of the most beautiful colonial manor houses of Arequipa, located on the west side of the Plaza de Armas,. With impetuous vaulted rooms, it is an example of the luxurious Arequipean baroque style.

SHOPPING IN AREQUIPA

Before going shopping in the city of Arequipa, we must consider the diversity in stores with similar aspects with respect to their products and prices. Let's take a virtual stroll of these sites.

Our first point of attention is downtown Arequipa, or the Cercado (surrounded), where the most prestigious stores of the city are located. We begin at the commercial center La Gran Vía, located on Muñnoz Nájar Street, which is a modern locale with more than six sections that sell high-quality clothes, gifts and household items. We also find perfume shops, video stores and musical instruments and equipment stores, in addition to cyber-cafés, cafeterias and video games.

We now head to the main street of the downtown, Mercaderes, where we discover innumerable establishments such as clothing stores, supermarkets like the well-known El Super, where we find household and electronic products, CD's, furniture and articles for the home; and the most modern shopping mall in Arequipa, Panorámico, where there are establishments specializing in different products and services, electronic games, toys and more.

On Santa Catalina Street and the Passage of the Cathedral, we find the best local crafts, clothes, ceramics, home decorations, carpets of alpaca and vicuna, native instruments and antiques. It is in the San Francisco plaza where the El Fundo of the Fierro artisan center is located. Within these beautiful colonial premises, local artists and craftsmen sell and exhibit artisan products, paintings and clothing made of best fabrics of the region.

For those searching for a place where everything is sold at low prices, there is the shopping center Centro Comercial Siglo XX located in the street of the same name. Here, diverse national and imported low-priced products can be found such as, shoes, clothes, computers, toys, bicycles, food, candies and more.

Finally, away from downtown, we find two commercial districts of great importance: the Avenida Ejército, home of the principal outlets for bicycles, cellular phones, automobiles and articles for the home. Along Avelino Cáceres Avenue, we find imported goods sold at reasonable prices such as computers, musical instruments and equipment, home electronics, and software, among others.2008-08-02T07:29:22.000 352