About Arequipa
Arequipa Perú
Arequipa is a destination that dazzles those who are lucky enough to visit it. With its Historic Center declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the prominence of volcanic stone in many of its buildings makes it better known as the “White City” of Peru. In addition, it offers a natural environment like few others in the world, so that your vacation here will be unforgettable. Our Arequipa tourist guide will let you know everything you can do during your stay.
Location
In the southern mountains of Peru, 1,009 km from Lima.
Altitude
2 335 m.s.n.m.
Climate
Dry and sunny climate, with an average maximum temperature of 25 °C and a minimum of 10 °C.
Best Time to Travel
Arequipa has tourist destinations of great cultural and natural value, which make it an ideal destination to visit at any time of the year.
How to get to Arequipa?
1.- Land Route:
The main route is the Pan-American Highway South (Lima – Arequipa). The trip takes approximately 14 hours by bus; 1009 km.
From the city of Lima there are interprovincial land transport services to this city.
2.- By air:
Arequipa has perfect air communication with different regions of Peru. There are daily flights from Lima to the Alfredo Chávez Ballón airport (approximately 1 hour); this airport is located 25 minutes from the city of Arequipa.
There are also connections with other regions of the country, including:
• Cusco (approximately 30 minutes).
• Tacna (approximately 30 minutes).
• Juliaca (approximately 30 minutes).
In addition, there are scheduled flights to Bolivia (La Paz and Santa Cruz), and Chile (Arica, Iquique and Santiago).
3.- Railway
This region has an extensive railway network that links the cities of Arequipa – Juliaca – Puno and Cusco.
History
The origins of Arequipa still date back to the first civilizations (Churajon, Chuquibamba and Waris) and the great Inca culture, who settled in its fertile valleys. But it was during the colonial period, when the city of Arequipa was founded on August 15, 1540, under the name of Villa Hermosa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunta. And from September 22, 1541 the city was renamed Ciudad de Arequipa.
Currently, Arequipa is one of the most populated cities in Peru and one of the main tourist destinations in Peru, which stands out for its impressive pre-Columbian monuments and its impressive white ashlar architecture that can be seen in its colonial temples, old mansions, monasteries, arches, vaults and baroque-style facades.
