Hotels in Arequipa

Arequipa: White Volcanic Stone and Andean Altitude

Arequipa sits at 2,335 metres above sea level in southern Peru, flanked by three volcanoes — El Misti (5,822 m), Chachani, and Pichu Pichu. The city earned the nickname La Ciudad Blanca for its colonial architecture built from white sillar, a volcanic ashlar quarried locally. The Historic Centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, clusters around the Plaza de Armas, where the 17th-century Catedral de Arequipa stretches the full width of the square. The Santa Catalina Monastery, founded in 1579 and occupying an entire city block, remained closed to the public until 1970 and functions as a city within a city.

Where to Stay

Most hotels concentrate in the Centro Histórico and the adjacent Yanahuara district, a quieter residential neighbourhood 1.5 km northwest of the Plaza de Armas with close views of El Misti. Budget and mid-range properties line Calle Jerusalén and Calle San Francisco. Travellers bound for Colca Canyon — roughly 160 km north — typically use Arequipa as a base before the four-hour drive.

Practical Tips

• Altitude: At 2,335 m, allow 24–48 hours to acclimatise before strenuous activity.
• Climate: Days are sunny and dry from May to November; light rain arrives December through March.
• Getting here: Rodríguez Ballón International Airport receives direct flights from Lima (1 hr 20 min) and Cusco.
• Currency: Peruvian sol; ATMs are common on and near the Plaza de Armas.