Arequipa

The journey not the arrival matters.

T.S. Elliot

Is Arequipa worth visiting?

The first thing you notice when you arrive in Arequipa (whether by plane or coach) is the incredible backdrop of the snow capped Andes. ‘Backdrop’ is the right word to use as it almost seems like the scenery is painted on canvas. It’s one of those moments where you genuinely can’t believe your eyes, and I’m personally glad to have visited just for this memory.

Arequipa itself wasn’t one of my favourite places in South America. It does have a certain charm though and is well geared up for tourists with plenty of cultural attractions. Don’t miss out on a visit to “Juanita”, a mummified Incan maiden found at the top of one the nearby mountains – her body left there as a sacrifice to the gods. The Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena is also a lovely place to wander around, with its striking coloured buildings. Despite being located in the heart of the city its stone walls capture a sense of peace and tranquility that can be a welcome boost for weary adventurers.

If you want to visit the Colca Canyon (and I’d recommend you do!) then Arequipa is the gateway city you’ll likely need to pass through to reach it. Give yourself a day or two to spend exploring Arequipa, but no more than that.

Transport in and around Arequipa

Arequipa has an airport with regular flights from other key destinations in Peru. It’s also well connected by coach for onward travel to the Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca (Puno). It’s worth noting that the coach station is quite far out of town and you’ll need to factor in taxis to and from the station. Annoyingly, we also discovered that it was almost impossible to find coach timetable / ticket information online so you have to actually get yourself physically to the station in order to plan your travel. We wasted a fair amount of time going back and forth from the station / sitting in the station waiting for a coach.

I would also point out that coach journeys in this part of the world are not for the faint hearted. You’re crossing one of the tallest mountain ranges on the planet and that means steep, winding roads on journeys of many hours, as well as snow and ice thrown into the mix. If you suffer from travel sickness you should be prepared for the possibility that these journeys may not be much fun.

Travelling solo and safety in Peru

I generally felt very safe travelling around Peru however I wanted to mention that in Arequipa I did get groped inappropriately by a random man on the street. It was one of the few occasions on our trip where I had ventured out without my boyfriend, and having had no issue previously I wore a knee-length skirt, thinking nothing of it. I absolutely don’t believe that women should be expected to cover up however I did want to share my personal experience as it may be something to take into consideration.

The centre of Arequipa is beautiful and a haven for tourists but accommodation can be quite pricey for travellers on a budget. If you’re staying even within walking distance of the centre the atmosphere can get a little intimidating. I normally really enjoy exploring the more rough and ready areas of a destination but my experience in Arequipa left a bit of a sour taste.

Favourite memory in Arequipa: Feeling in awe every time I looked out the window.

Best food in Arequipa: Hatunpa – a cafe specialising in potatoes. Did you know that Peru has over 4000 native varieties of potato?