Cheap Flights To Arequipa

Located in the south of Peru, Arequipa is the country's second most prominent city and stands at the base of the Misti volcano in a highland area. Dotted with Spanish colonial era buildings made of sillar, a white volcanic rock with an iridescent sheen, the city is known as La Ciudid Blanca. From shimmering colonial architecture to historic Baroque churches, the city embodies its name "the White City". The heart of the city is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, making it a top destination for history enthusiasts.

Peru's second-biggest city has a wide range of attractions and places of interest to suit all kinds of visitor whether you love food and drink, culture and heritage or are an adrenaline junkie looking for thrilling outdoor pursuits. There's an average of 300 days of sunshine a year in Arequipa and clear blue skies make it ideal for hiking, biking and other outdoor sports. The beautiful weather means you're sure to have good conditions for sightseeing whether you want to explore the historic Santa Catalina Monastery or come face to face with the Ice Maiden at the Museo Santuarios Andinos. The city also has an exciting events calendar, so you can time your holiday to coincide with vibrant events including Carnaval and the Holy Week celebrations.

Things To Do

Peru's second most-populated city Arequipa has scenic architecture from the Spanish colonial era, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that will delight history lovers and a number of natural wonders including the world's second-deepest canyon.

• A magical monastery

Santa Catalina Monastery was established in 1580 by a wealthy widow and has since been expanded to cover more than 20,000 square metres to the north of the Plaza de Armas. This sprawling complex was once the residence of 450 people including nuns and their assistants, but it is now open to the public as a historic attraction with just 20 currently serving nuns living in its northern quarter.

• Meet the Ice Maiden

The Museo Santuarios Andinos is a contemporary museum that focusses on the captivating story of Juanita: a girl who is thought to have been killed during religious sacrificial ceremonies around 600 years ago. Thanks to the sub-zero temperatures of the 6,000-metre tall peak of the Nevado Ampato, Juanita's tragic fate was discovered when explorers came across her ice-encased body in 1995, and you can see Juanita "the Ice Maiden" at the museum.

• Hike the canyons

If you're a fitness or outdoors enthusiast and are looking for a hike that will challenge you mentally and expand your horizons, head to the Colca Canyon, the second deepest on Earth, and find a real sense of freedom among the rolling green hills.

Calendar Of Events

Arequipa welcomes tourists from across the globe each year with its impressive attractions and events calendar which includes everything from climbing competitions to Carnaval.

• Carnaval: The South American tradition of Carnaval is celebrated in late February, when the queen of Carnaval is chosen and the city celebrates with parades, live music, dancing and even friendly water fights.

• Semana Santa: Otherwise known as Holy Week, the Semana Santa takes place in late March or early April each year and is one of the most important religious festivals in the country involving statues of Judas being torched and religious festivities.

• Founding Day: The city's most important annual event is the Founding Day, which involves Peruvian music and dancing, beauty pageants and sports events including a climbing race up El Misti Volcano.