Arequipa is a city with endless plans for any type of traveler, so if you have only a few days to spend in this southern destination, you will have seize every moment not to miss main touristic attractions.
Today, we will tell you about the most important activities you can do in Arequipa in two days.
Write down every detail and enjoy all the city can offer you!
Day 1: exploring the White City
Arequipa is located at 2335 meters above sea level, so the first day we recommend taking a city tour and leaving the longer excursions for the second day. Thus, your body will
acclimatize and you can avoid suffering from altitude sickness.
After a fulfilling breakfast buffet at Tierra Viva Arequipa Plaza Hotel, you can head to the Monastery of Santa Catalina, a convent of cloistered nuns, commissioned by the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo and inaugurated in 1579. Its colorful walls and characteristic architecture will make you fall in love with the place. To enjoy every detail we recommend to make the visit with a guide, who will tell you all the details and secrets of the monastery.
The visit to Santa Catalina is long, so when you leave the convent you will be hungry. Without any doubt, the best option to have lunch in Arequipa are in its picanterías. In these famous restaurants you will find from stuffed rocoto to shrimp soup or ocopa arequipeña, among many other dishes that will delight you.
After an amazing lunch, it’s time to visit the Plaza de Armas and its surroundings. This main square, recognized as one of the most beautiful in Peru and South America, stands out for its buildings made of volcanic sillar and for the portals that surround it. In addition, you will find the Cathedral Basilica of Arequipa and, just two minutes walking, the Church of the Company, two buildings of great architectural beauty.
Also you can make a quick visit to the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries, just half block away from the Plaza de Armas. Here, you can see the Juanita Mummy, a human mummy from the Inca era that has more than 550 years old and is perfectly preserved.
To finish your visit with a nice view of the city and sunset, we recommend you Yanahuara, a neighborhood known for its viewpoint, from which you will have a beautiful view of the White City and its three volcanoes.
At the end of the day enjoy a good meal, do not hesitate to repeat your visit to a picantería, where you can taste the dishes you did not had at lunch. You will always want more!
Day 2: a visit to the Colca Canyon
On your second (and last) day in Arequipa you have to visit the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world and the place where the famous Andean condor lives.
To make the most of your visit, we recommend you to book a full day trip with Tierra Viva´s Travel Advisor.
The tour starts very early in the morning, they will pick you up at Tierra Viva Arequipa Plaza Hotel around 2: 30-3 a.m. After a 3-hour drive you will stop at Chivay for breakfast. The next destination is the Condor’s Cross, a viewpoint where you can admire the immensity of the canyon and the flight of the condor. Afterwards, you will make stops in different viewpoints, to view the famous agricultural terraces, and in some traditional towns, such as Yanque and Maca. The tour normally ends around 6:00pm.
If you still have strength, take a night walk through the Plaza de Armas. If you were amazed by it during the day; with the lights on, it looks even more charming!
As we know that a trip of two days can be exhausting, we wait for you in Tierra Viva Arequipa Plaza Hotel, to offer you the best services and a great comfort. Discover our rooms and book with us here!
