Flying into Arequipa gives a sense of the inhospitableness of the landscape. Surrounded by volcanoes and deep gorges, all in a vast desert, it is easy to understand why the relatively benign geography of the valley of Arequipa, and its vegetation provided by the irrigation of the River Chili, attracted its first Spanish settlers. The city of Arequipa was founded, or at least re-founded, on August 15 1540, by Francisco Pizarro’s envoy, and in 1541 the king of Spain gave the city the title of Villa Hermosa – beautiful city.

There are a number of stories as to how Arequipa got its name. Some claim that the Inca general Mayta Capac stopped in the valley and moved by its beauty said’Are quepay’ -’stay here‘. Other versions say that the Aymara Indians living in the valley called it’Ariquipa‘, meaning the place behind the pointed mountain, referring to Misti.

The centre of Arequipa is built out of a unique white volcanic rock, sillar, spewed out of nearby Chachani. This gives the city a majestic aspect, especially around sunset when the changing colours of the sky are reflected in the facades of the buildings. Arequipa is known as’la ciudad blanca’,'the white city’, and may people believe that this is because of the sillar. However, a more sinister explanation, which is probably more accurate, is that the racial purity of its original citizens, thoroughbred Spaniards, is the real reason for the city’s name. Although Arequipa did used to be a stronghold for wealthy citizens of the Old World, this whiteness has long been replaced by a varied hue of skin-tones, with many residents originating from the sierra.

What cannot be denied is the beauty of the city centre. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 2000, the city is a wonderful example of the blending of colonial architecture with local conditions. Many of the colonial palaces and houses still stand, despite numerous earthquakes, and can be visited. The churches are particularly beautiful and are a delight to wander round, both inside and out.

Arequipeños like to think of themselves as being separate from, and superior to, the rest of Peru, and much of Arequipa is very traditional and regional. It is even possible to get an Arequipeño passport, although this is no more than regional pride. However, the independence of the city is reflected in its history, which has often opposed itself to directives from Lima. In 1950, students from the Colegio Independencia school went on strike to protest again central government policies. In a march in the Plaza de Armas the police opened fire on the students, killing many. Signs of this are still visible in the clock face of the Cathedral, where a bullet hole from the shooting can be seen.

On June 23 2001, a very strong earthquake rocked the south of Peru, killing over 100 people and causing much material damage. The seaside resort of La Punta near Camaná was completely wiped out by a tidal wave, and 80% of houses in Moquegua suffered damage. In Arequipa, the cathedral lost a tower and many buildings were damaged. This was the strongest earthquake in the south for many, many years. However, exactly how strong depends on the source referred to. International news sources all reported that the earthquake measured around 7.9 on the Richter scale. However, in Peru it was reported to be only 6.9 on the same scale. Why the difference? Apparently, the Peruvian government passed a law some years back that anyone living through an earthquake greater than 7.0 on the Richter scale would have certain debts cancelled. Obviously, an earthquake measuring only 6.9 would not result in such a measure being passed, although this may just be a coincidence, of course.
This independent attitude has dimmed somewhat in recent years as the once-strong economy of Arequipa has suffered. With unemployment rising and people seeing no improvement in their prospects, many are moving to Lima to search for work, or even trying their luck abroad. This would have been unimaginable for most Arequipeños, even during the darkest days of terrorism and hyperinflation.

Arequipa city and towns in the region have spawned a number of renown, and infamous, Peruvian figures, including the writer Mario Vargas Llosa, the former leader of the Shining Path Abimael Guzmán, former president Fernando Belaunde Terry and Vladimiro Montesinos, the leader of Peru’s intelligence service during Alberto Fujimori’s term of office. Montesinos has been attributed with the rise and fall of Fujimori’s reign of power.

In June 2001, Arequipa suffered an earthquake of 7.9 on the Richter scale. This caused serious damage to the centre of the town, with several of the historical buildings affected, including the cathedral, which lost one of its towers. However, the effect on visitors to the city is minimal, and all attractions are open.

Arequipa is a wonderful city to stay for a few days, exploring its beautiful centre and relaxing in the many cafes and bars, enjoying the sunshine. It makes an excellent base for visiting nearby attractions, and should be included on any tour of the south of Peru.

The Colca Canyon was thought to be the world’s deepest canyon until it was discovered that nearby Cotahuasi Canyon is in fact deeper still. Nevertheless, a visit to the Colca Canyon is an incredible experience, not just for the spectacular setting, but also to see the giant condors. These birds, with a wingspan of over 3m and weighing up to 12kg, glide past on the thermals only meters away.

For those wishing to leave the gringo trail, the Cotahuasi Canyon offers some beautiful scenery and superb trekking, and the Valley of the Volcanoes provides a landscape unlike any other. The petroglyphs of Toro Muerto, over 2,000 carved rocks under the desert sun, is an incredible archaeological site visited by few tourists.

Adventure in Arequipa is also easy to find, with plenty of 6,000m-plus mountains and volcanoes easily accessible for climbing, and excellent trekking in the Colca Canyon and in the Cotahuasi Canyon. For those seeking greater thrills, some of the world’s best white-water rafting is possible in the region, through the Colca and Cotahuasi Canyons. For those wanting to ride the rapids without so much danger, good rafting is also found in Majes.

There is a flat fee of $3.50 for a taxi to and from the airport. There are several daily flights to Lima, Cusco, Juliaca and Tacna.

All travel agencies will sell tickets, or these can be bought from the airlines. TANS has its offices at Portal de San Agustín 143-A, Plaza de Armas, T 203637. Lan Peru has its office at Santa Catalina 118-C, T 201224.

Several international airlines have offices in Arequipa.
American Airlines at Edificio El Pinar, dpto 114, T 231932.
KLM at Av. Parra 218, T 225380.
Lufthansa at Centro Comercial Cayma of. 36, T 251840.

Bus connections
Arequipa has good bus connections to most places in the south of Peru, as well as to Lima. Arequipa has two bus stations, which are conveniently situation right next to each other in the Parque Industrial. The Terrapuerto tends to handle buses to Lima and the coast, whereas the Terminal Terrestre generally has buses to other destinations, although some buses to Lima also leave from here. Be careful, particularly in the Terminal Terrestre, as robberies do happen here. Most bus companies use the bus stations, although a small number of companies have their own offices. It is strongly advised to only take buses from the bus stations, as the offices of other companies are often in dangerous locations. A taxi from the bus stations to the centre costs approximately $0.70.

Lima
There are many buses from Arequipa to Lima, mostly travelling overnight. Regular buses make frequent stops and take about 16 to 17 hours. Direct buses are more comfortable and provide food, taking 13 to 14 hours. Most of the better services to Lima leave from the Terrapuerto.

Services from Terrapuerto
Ormeño has EconoClass buses for $8 at 7am, 1pm, 3pm, 5.30pm and 9pm, a Business Class service at 5pm for $14 and Royal Class services at 5pm and 9pm for $23 and $26. Cruz del Sur has Ideal (basic) services at 8.30am, 10.30am, 12pm, 2.30pm, 3.45pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm and 8.30pm for $8. It has Imperial services at 4.30pm and 6.30pm for $17 and Cruzero services at 5.30pm and 7.30pm for $23 and $28. Enlaces has special services at 4pm, 5.30pm, 7pm and 8.30pm for $14, bus-cama services at 4pm and 5.30pm for $17 and a very good bus-cama service at 8.30pm for $23. Santa Ursula has semi-cama services at 5.30pm and 7.30pm for $14. Cial has a special service at 6.45pm for $13. Pluma has regular services at 7am, 8am, 11am and 1pm for $7 and direct services at 4pm and 6.45pm for $8.

Services from Terminal Terrestre
Oltursa has a very good value bus-cama service at 5pm for $17. Flores has basic services at 6.30am, 3.30pm, 8.30pm for $8, a special service at 8pm for $14 and a good semi-cama service at 4.30pm for $16. Cromotex has special services at 1pm, 4.30pm and 7pm for $12. Civa has direct services at 3.30pm and 7.45pm for $10 and a special service at 5.30pm for $14. Tepsa has regular services at 6.30am, 3pm and 8.30pm for $8. Carhuamayo has a special service at 6.45pm for $13.

Nazca, Ica, Pisco
If heading to a destination on the south coast towards Lima, take a Lima-bound bus and get off at your destination. The journey to Nazca takes 8 to 10 hours and costs a couple of dollars less than the full fare to Lima. The journey to Pisco takes 10 to 13 hours and costs the same as the full fare to Lima. Night buses pass through these destinations very early in the morning, so it is advisable to take a day bus. Direct buses to Lima do not normally stop, so make sure that the bus will drop you off where you are going. Regular buses do normally stop, but make sure beforehand. Direct buses do not enter Nazca, Ica or Pisco, and will only drop you off at the turning on the Pan-American Highway. From there you will need to take a taxi into town. No buses enter Pisco, but there is usually plenty of transport from the turning on the Pan-American Highway.

Tacna/Moquegua
The journey to Tacna takes about 5 hours on a direct bus and 6 hours on a regular bus. Direct buses do not enter Moquegua, although regular buses do. The best company to Tacna is Flores (Terminal Terrestre), which has normal services at 5.15am, 6.15am, 8.45am, 10.30am, 2.45pm, 5pm, 6.45pm, 7.45pm and 10pm for $4 and special services at 7.45am, 12.30pm, 4pm and 6.30pm for $6. Ormeño (Terrapuerto) has EconoClass services at 7.45am, 1.30pm and 9.30pm for $4. Cruz del Sur (Terrapuerto) has regular services at 7am, 8am, 9.45am, 2pm, 4pm and 9pm for $4 and an Imperial service at 5.30pm for $7.

Mollendo
Mollendo is two hours from Arequipa. In the summer, buses leave every ten minutes or so, and in the winter every 30 minutes. Fares are about $3,00. There are a number of companies, Santa Ursula, Flores, Transportes del Carpio among the best. Both leave from the Terrapuerto. See the beaches of Mollendo.

Camaná
There are good bus connections to Camaná, with buses leaving every twenty minutes or so from early morning until around 9pm. The journey takes about three hours and costs $3. There are plenty of companies, with Flores and Cromotex among the best.

Corire
Transportes de Carpio (Terrapuerto) has buses to Corire every hour, charging $2 for the 3-hour journey.

Puno
There are three routes to Puno. Two go via the sierra of Arequipa on rough, unpaved roads, taking about 9 hours and offering great views. The third route via Moquegua is all paved, so far more comfortable, but takes 11 hours. At night the route via Moquegua is strongly recommended. Most buses also go to Juliaca. Buses via Moquegua pass Desaguadero on the Bolivian border. If going from Arequipa to Bolivia it is best to go to Desaguadero, 9 hours from Arequipa. Most buses leave from the Terminal Terrestre.

SurOriente (Terrapuerto) has a good service with heating and a toilet via Moquegua at 7.30pm for $10. Civa has a service via Moquegua with a toilet and heating at 6.30pm for $8. Julsa has a number of services, including one via Yura at 7.30am for $6 and a service via Moquegua with a toilet at 7pm for $8. Ormeño (Terrapuerto) has regular services at 7am and 6pm via Moquegua. It also has a Royal Class service via Moquegua at 9pm for $26. Cruz del Sur has poor services without heating at 7.15am and 6pm for $7. San Román has services via Chiguata at 6.30am and 8am for $6. Horizonte has a service at 7pm for $7. Romeliza has a service via Chiguata at 6pm for $6. La Merced has a service via Moquegua at 6.30pm for $7.

Cusco
Cusco is approximately a 12-hour journey from Arequipa on a reasonable unpaved road. The journey can take significantly longer in the rainy season. Make sure that the bus has heating, as it can get bitterly cold at night. Even if the company says that the bus has heating, take warm clothing as this often does not work. Most companies charge $7 – $8 for Cusco, and only basic services are available. Buses leave mostly from the Terminal Terrestre.

Ormeño (Terrapuerto) has services at 5am and 5pm. It also has Royal Class service at 9pm for $34. This goes via Moquegua and Puno and takes 18 hours, although the journey is far more comfortable as the road is completely paved. Cruz del Sur has services at 7.30am, 5.30pm and 6pm. Civa has a service at 5pm. Cromotex has services at 7.30am and 5pm. Transportes Reyna has a service at 5pm. Carhuamayo has services at 7am an 5pm. Corrales has services at 5.30pm and 7pm. El Chasqui has services at 7.30am, 2pm and 5.30pm. Romeliza has a service at 5pm.

Colca Canyon
The journey from Arequipa to Chivay takes three to four hours and costs about $6. Most buses continue to Cabanaconde, a further two hours from Chivay. Some companies do not go to Cabanaconde, however, so check beforehand. Most companies operate from the Terminal Terrestre. Transportes Reyna is probably the best of the companies, and has daily buses at 2am and 11.45am. Cristo Rey has buses at 2am and 12.30pm. Transportes Andalucía has buses at 2am and 12.30pm. Señor de los Milagros (Terrapuerto) has a bus at 2.30pm.

Cotahuasi Canyon
There are two bus companies, Turismo Alex and Transportes Reyna, (which is the better of the two), operating services to and from Arequipa from the Terminal Terrestre. The journey takes 12 hours and costs $8. The road is very rough and uncomfortable. Buses leave Arequipa around 4.30pm, getting to Cotahuasi around 4.30am. Unfortunately, this means that almost the whole journey is at night. Getting to Cotahuasi at 4.30am is unpleasant, and as the buses proceed to Alca, it is not possible to stay on the bus. However, there are several hostels very close to the Plaza, where buses stop, and it is possible to knock on the door of a hostel and find a bed.

Andagua (Valley of the Volcanoes)
Transportes Reyna (Terminal Terrestre) has a bus at 4pm, charging $7 for the 10-hour journey. The bus continues from Andagua, so you cannot sleep on the bus until dawn. However, there are a couple of basic hostels in the Plaza of Andagua, and you can knock on their doors. Valley of the Volcanoes photos.

The liveliest club in the centre is the Forum (San Francisco 317), with a surprisingly large dance floor with a good atmosphere. There are quieter rooms if you don’t fancy a dance. A live band usually plays at weekends. Cover charge on these days is around $3, and the place starts filling up around midnight. Another very popular disco is the Kibosh (Zela block 1) with a small, crowded dance floor and loud rock music. The Jenizaro Pub (Melgar 119) also has rock music and a small dance floor, as does déjà vu (San Francisco block 3), which also shows videos on a giant screen in the evenings. A slightly more kitschy disco, with lots of mirrors and smoked glass, is The Point (Palacio Viejo 204), which has a small dance floor and a good mix of rock and Latin music. Popular places on Av. Dolores include the Tradición Arequipeña, which has live music on Saturdays, and gets very, very packed, and the Planet, a large disco.

Cultural centres
There is no theatre, although the occasional production from Lima does arrive, and there are very few concerts, although there is an Arequipeño orchestra, which plays occasionally. Additionally, there are a number of cultural centres, which sometimes have some form of performance. These include the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano (Melgar 109), the Instituto Cultural Peruano Alemán (Ugarte 207) and the Alianza Francesa (Santa Catalina 208).

Feb 3 Festival of Virgen de la Candelaria in Cayma and Characato, where fireworks are set off the night before.

Feb (second half) Carnaval Arequipeño, where a carnival queen is chosen, and there are parades and folkloric dance competitions. Water (and sometimes other things) is thrown on passers by to celebrate.

Mar/Apr The Semana Santa (holy week) celebrations in Arequipa take the form of massive processions in the centre of town, with participants dressed in mourning clothes, in the style of Seville in Spain. On the morning of Easter Sunday, effigies of Judas are burnt in different locations of the city.May 1 Fiesta de la Virgen de Chapi, and many people travel to Chapi to venerate the virgin, who is the most important in the region.

June 24 Día del Characato with bullfights and festivities in the district of Characato.

June 24 Fiesta of San Juan Bautista in Yanahuara.

July 16 Festival of Virgen del Carmen, where groups dance’Los Turkos’, representing the resistance of the Indian population to Spanish domination.

Aug The main celebrations in Arequipa occur in August to mark the founding of the city in 1540. Typically, a dance exhibition, Festidanza, with participants from all over South America, happens. There is an enlarged crafts market at the Fundo El Fierro, and there is an interesting general trade exhibition at the FIA. There are also massive rock concerts at the FIA, featuring musicians from all of Peru and Latin America. The night of the 14th there are firework displays all over the city. On the 15th there is a mass ascent of Misti and a parade around the centre of Arequipa.

Aug 30 Festival of Santa Rosa de Lima in La Tomilla.

Sep 8 Festival of the Virgen de los Remedios in Socabaya.

Oct 8 Fiesta of the Virgen del Rosario, in Yarabamba, Yanahuara and Yura.

Oct 15-19 Feria Agropecuaria in Viraco, with bullfights.

Oct 18 (and most of month) Celebrations for the Señor de los Milagros, similar to the celebrations in Lima, although on a less grand scale. The faithful dress in mauve for the month, and there are processions carrying the statue of the Lord throughout the city, with the streets decorated with flower petals.

Nov For the whole month guaguas (manjar-filled pastries) are eaten.

Nov 2 Day of the dead, when deceased relatives are visited in cemeteries.

Alpaca is a soft, warm wool, not unlike cashmere. Better than alpaca is baby alpaca, the first shearing of a baby’s wool, and is softer and warmer than alpaca, but is more expensive. The best of all, and probably the most expensive wool in the world, is that of the vicuña. Until recently it was illegal to shear vicuña wool, as the vicuña was nearly hunted to extinction in the 1960s, but under tight control this law has been slightly relaxed in recent years. Vicuña wool is the finest in the world, having a diameter of 11-13 microns, as opposed to 30 microns for sheep wool, 17-19 microns for alpaca and 16 microns for cashmere. A scarf made of vicuña wool costs upwards of $400. Recently, wool from the guanaco, another relative of the llama, has begun to be used in the production of clothing. This is between alpaca and vicuña in quality. Llama wool is not used in the production of clothing, as when it gets wet is gives out an awful odour.

There are many places selling alpaca clothing. Crafts stores sell cheap, generally low-quality jumpers and other items, although these are often mixed with lambs’ wool. There are more upmarket shops in the cloisters of the Compañía church on Morán, ½ block from the Plaza de Armas, and in the Pasaje de la Catedral. Alpawool, at Santa Catalina 116, has good quality products. The best items are from Grupo Inca, the only company in the world allowed to work with vicuña wool, with high quality, although expensive, clothing. They sell in their Alpaca 111 shops at Zela 105 and in the cloisters of the Compañía church. Their factory shop in Tahuaycani has a small zoo with llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos on show. Grupo Inca also has shops in Cusco, Lima, the US and South Korea.

Crafts
A good crafts market is the Fundo El Fierro next to the San Francisco Church, especially in August when many extra stalls are set up. Not found elsewhere are the woven alpaca carpets, typical of the Cotahuasi area. Other craft markets include the one in the Portal de Flores, and crafts are also found in the Comercial market in Mercaderes. There are many craft shops on Santa Catalina and in the Pasaje de la Catedral.

Jewellery
Much gold and silver jewellery is imported from Italy, and is therefore slightly more expensive than in some other countries. However, excellent reproductions of Inca and other pre-Hispanic jewellery can be found. Oro Pesa, in the Panorámico shopping centre and Oro Fino in the cloisters of La Compañía, have some very fine examples. Try the Comercial market next door to the Panorámico for cheap 14-karat gold-plated jewellery.

Leather
Arequipa used to have a strong leather industry, and although this is no longer the case, many good-quality leather items can be found. Pedro P Diaz, in Puente Bolognese, has a good selection, and Eduardo Rios in the Panorámico shopping centre specialises in leather clothing, which will be made to order at reasonable prices.

Antiques

There are a few antique shops in Santa Catalina selling colonial items. However, these are expensive. There are also a number of shops selling reproduction Cusqueña school paintings at reasonable prices. Bear in mind that it is illegal to take originals out of the country, so do get a certificate stating that it is a copy.

Chocolate

Not really an item to take home, but the chocolate at La Ibérica is excellent, and there are some items for sale that make good presents.

Supermarkets

Most Arequipeños still do their shopping in markets (see below), so there is little need for large supermarkets. However, there are a number of smaller supermarkets offering most things that are needed. These tend to be more expensive than markets, but are more convenient. El Super has two branches in the centre, with a reasonable range of products. One is on the Plaza de Armas and the other is on Piérola. Franco’s, in Yanahuara, is Arequipa’s biggest supermarket, but still not huge. If you are after a particular brand or are looking for something difficult to find, this is your best bet.

Markets

Markets are central to life in Arequipa, and almost anything can be bought in a market. Most Arequipeños still do food shopping at markets rather than supermarkets, and the selection of fruits and vegetables is wonderful. Also, a number of markets selling everything from plastic plants to CD-RW drives tend to be where most Arequipeños go shopping for other things. San Camilo market, on San Camilo, is a large covered market selling food, and it also has a good selection of flowers and small number of crafts. It is in a dangerous area, so keep your eyes open. Siglo 20 is a market of small stallholders selling just about everything. If you need something difficult to get hold of, chances are that you will be able to find it here.

Shopping centres and clothes stores

Mercaderes is the main shopping street, and most of the good quality shops are found there. The El Panorámico shopping centre, on the second block of Mercaderes, has a number of small shops selling a large range of items. La Uruguaya, on the first block of Mercaderes, is a relatively large department store, with some good quality clothing available. Estilos, on the third block of Mercaderes, is another department store, with a wider range of items than La Uruguaya. However, the quality of the clothing is not as good. Frankie and Ricky’s (Jerusalén 109) has good-quality clothing made from organically-grown Peruvian pima cotton, one of the best in the world.

Books and maps

There are no shops that sell English-language books, and the small number of bookshops are very expensive. A much cheaper alternative is to buy books from the numerous second-hand bookshops, which have a reasonably well-stocked range of Spanish-language books, and the occasional book in English or other languages. Maps can be bought from most librerías (which are not bookshops but stationers).

Photography

There are a large number of shops offering photo development. Most places are one-hour and the quality is not great. Among the best is Photo Chela on Santo Domingo, which also sells a good selection of Kodak print and slide film. The Fuji shop on Palacio Viejo has possibly the best developing in Arequipa, at good prices, but as the photos are sent to Lima for development it takes two days. This shop also sells a good range of Fuji films, including slide film.

The Colca Canyon runs for over 100km, and the average distance from the peaks of the mountains to the river below is 3,400m. Until recently, it was thought that it was the deepest canyon in the world, although it is now generally accepted that the Cotahuasi Canyon, also in the department of Arequipa, is deeper. The depth of the canyon from the Cruz del Condor to the river is approximately 1,500m. The deepest point of the canyon is beyond Cabanaconde, close to the Valley of the Volcanoes.

In addition to the canyon, the area is one of the most volcanically active in Peru, and Sabancay, which erupted in the 1980s, can usually be seem smoking, as can Ubinas.

The Colca Canyon was largely inaccessible until the 1970s, when a road from Arequipa was built as part of the Majes irrigation project, which diverts water from the Colca River to the agricultural area of Majes. In fact, the valley was largely forgotten throughout the Republican period, and the inhabitants lived in almost total isolation. The villages, which have changed little since Toledo’s decree, are now in regular contact with the rest of Peru, and the area is visited by many thousands of tourists every year.

Gallery: Sangalle Oasis – Colca Canyon Trekking

Evidence of pre-Inca settlement by indigenous peoples from the Lake Titicaca area has led some scholars to believe that the Aymara people first named the city – ari means ‘peak’ and quipa means ‘lying behind’ in Aymara; hence, Arequipa is ‘the place lying behind the peak’ of El Misti. However, another oft-heard legend says that the fourth Inca, Mayta Capac, was traveling through the valley and became enchanted by it. He ordered his retinue to stop, saying, ‘Ari, quipay’, which translates as ‘Yes, stay’. The Spaniards refounded the city on August 15, 1540, and this date is celebrated with a week-long fair.

Unfortunately, Arequipa is built in an area highly prone to natural disasters; the city was totally destroyed by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in 1600, and has since been rocked by major earthquakes in 1687 and 1868 among others.Modern History

During the 20th century, Arequipa was again struck by two major earthquakes, one in 1958 and another in 1960.

Monasterio Misterioso opened to the public in 1970, when the mayor of Arequipa forced the convent to modernize by opening its doors to tourism. This followed more than a century of the convent being shrouded in mystery. In 1871, Pope Pius IX sent Sister Josefa Cadena, a strict Dominican nun, to straighten out a convent of ‘privileged’ nuns who had servants and slaves, and often invited musicians to play at their parties. After the sister arrived, the majority of the nuns did not venture outside the convent’s walls.

Since the 1950s, almost two dozen Incan sacrifices have been discovered atop various Andean mountains. The most famous was the 500-year-old body of a girl dubbed ‘Juanita, the ice princess’ – she was given her own museum in 1998.

Recent History
The modern city of Arequipa was founded on 15 August 1540, by Garcí Manuel de Carbajal, an emissary of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

Arequipa was named “The White City” (La ciudad Blanca). This led Arequipa to develop a large Peruvian Mestizo population as its demographics changed and grew over the centuries.

The city has 4 universities (the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa, the local state university (founded 1828), and the Universidad Católica de Santa María (founded in 1961)), a private institution, Universidad Católica San Pablo is a private institution, and (Universidad Alas Peruanas).

Arequipa’s most recent earthquake occurred in 2001. As a result of constant rumblings in the region, many of the buildings are built low for stability. Despite the many quakes endured by the city, several fetching historic structures have survived.

Tourism is now a major part of modern Arequipa. The streets of Santa Catalina and Jerusalén harbor dozens of travel agencies offering city tours and excursions to the canyon country – Colca Canyon is a favorite among travelers.

Post The post office is located on the first block of Moral.More…
Consulates
Austrian Consulate, Quinta Tristán K-9, José Luis Bustamante y Rivero, T 424768.
Belgian Consulate, Av. Lima 401, T 216669.
Bolivian Consulate, Mercaderes 212, of. 405, T 213391.
British Consulate, Av. Tacna y Av. Arica 145, T 241340.
Chilean Consulate, Mercaderes 212, of. 400, T 226787.
Italian Consulate, Centro Comercial La Salle D-15, T 221444.
Spanish Consulate, Ugarte 218, 2nd floor, T 214977.
Swedish Consulate, Av. Villa Hermosa 803, T 252499.
Swiss Consulate, Av. Miguel Forga 348, Parque Industrial, T 229998.Crime and safety
There have been many incidents of taxi drivers assaulting passengers, and to avoid this it is best to use reliable taxis. In general, taxis from companies with phone numbers and names prominently displayed, are safer, and so should be used if possible.

The tourist police station is located at Jerusalén 317.

Health
The best private clinics in Arequipa are the Clínica Arequipa (Corner Puente Grau and Av. Bolognesi, Yanahuara) and the Clínica Monte Carmelo (Gómez de la Torre 119, Urb. Victoria). The EsSalud hospital is located at the corner of Peral and Ayacucho. The Hospital Honorio Delgado is located on Av. Salaverry.

Immigration offices
The immigration office is located at Parque Dos, Quinta Tristán, T 421759. Take a taxi from the centre.

Laundry
Lavandería Alemana is located at San Camilo 501-B.
Lavandería Cayro is located at Jerusalén 311.
Lavandería Del Pueblo is located at Puente Bolognesi 342 and Alvarez Thomas 558.

Local transport, combis and buses
Combis and buses go to all parts of the city. From the centre, the best place to catch combis is from Sucre (heading towards Tingo) and Cruz Verde (heading towards Yanahuara and Cayma). There is a flat fare of $0.20.

Taxis
Taxis are the easiest way to get around Arequipa, charging $0.70 for a standard journey. Always take a taxi with a company logo, as there has been a spate of assaults by robbers posing as taxi drivers.

Money, Banks
Banco de Crédito (Visa cash machine) at the corner of General Morán and San Juan de Dios.
Banco Continental (Visa cash machine) is at San Francisco 108.
Interbank (Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus cash machine) at Mercaderes 217.
Scotiabank at Mercaderes 410.

Moneychangers
There are plenty of money changing shops in the centre, especially opposite bank branches.

Sport and activities
Taking part

There is a good sports club, Club Internacional (Av. Bolognesi, Yanahuara), by the river, where there are excellent sports facilities (two swimming pools, tennis, football, frontón, a gym). There are also football pitches and frontón courts in the parks in many residential neighbourhoods. There is an Olympic-size public swimming pool in Cayma.

Football
The local team, FBC Melgar is in the Peruvian first division. The team play at the Estadio Melgar or at the Arequipa Stadium (UNSA).

Bull fighting
Bull fights take place in August when Arequipa celebrates its founding. Unlike in most of the world, the fight takes place not between a bull and a man, but between two bulls, and neither of the bulls is killed at the end. Fights tend to take place outside of the city is the country districts. Bull fighting gallery Pic

Horse Racing
There are races most days at the Hipódromo in José Luis Bustamante y Rivero.

Toilets
There are toilets in the Panorámico shopping centre. Always carry toilet paper, as many toilets, even in restaurants, do not provide any.

Travel services
Tourist information

The tourist information office is located on the Main Square and has good information on the main attractions in the area.

Travel Agencies
There are dozens of travel agencies in Arequipa offering tourist services for travellers. Most offer similar trips, mainly to the Colca Canyon. Trips to other destinations, including climbing the nearby volcanoes, may need to be arranged privately. Acuarius Travel (Santa Catalina 104) TeleFax: +(51) (54) 247393 and Cevitur (Santa Catalina 102) are decent, cheap agencies. GSA PERU TRAVEL (Portal de San Agustín 119) Phone: +(51) (54) 226660 / Fax: +(51) (54) 202477, Gold Tours (Jerusalén 206), Ricketts Turismo (Santa Catalina 200), Lima Tours (Santa Catalina 120) and Cóndor Travel (Puente Bolognesi 120) are a bit more expensive, but offers better tours.

Private guides
Guides are available through the travel agencies, and there are good guides at Santa Catalina Convent and the Museo Santuarios Andinos.