Arequipa City Tour - Half Day

rating-reviews-title
btn-title-cta
Arequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumArequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumArequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumArequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumArequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumArequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumArequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita MuseumView All PhotosView All Photos
tour-service-info-1-title

Cultural

tour-service-info-2-title

Moderate

tour-service-info-3-title

Arequipa, Santa Catalina Convent

tour-service-info-4-title

Local producers

cardinfo-shared-service
cardinfo-half-day
cardinfo-price-from
$0
cardinfo-price-group
cardinfo-price-per-adult
cardinfo-price-tooltip

cardinfo-text-4

cardinfo-btn-cta-1
cardinfo-text-5
cardinfo-text-7Not included
cardinfo-text-8cardinfo-not-included
rating-reviews-title
Brochure Iconcardinfo-text-9

cardinfo-text-10

h2-title-1

Arequipa is unquestionably one of the prettiest cities in Peru. Founded in 1540 by the Spanish conquistadors, it is now home to just over one million people, making it the second largest city in Peru after Lima. Arequipa has a distinct look thanks to the white Sillar stone, mined from nearby volcanoes, and used in the construction of many of its buildings. For this reason, Arequipa is known as the White City. The city is full of impressive colonial and Republican-era architecture, both in the city center and neighboring districts. And in the distance, you can see the peaks of surrounding volcanoes, most famously Misti, an ever-present reminder of the region’s volcanic activity. During our half day Arequipa tour, you’ll learn more about this fascinating city, one of the most unique urban centers in Peru.

Free BrochureFree Brochure

Ready to explore? Download the brochure and start planning!

Contact Us

Your FREE travel expert is just a click away

Or Call us now! (888) 803 8004

h2-title-2

Exploring The White City!

Arequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita Museum
Arequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita Museum
Arequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita Museum
Arequipa City Tour & Santa Catalina Convent & Juanita Museum

Our Arequipa city tour will take you through the streets of the White City, passing cathedrals, churches, monasteries and more. Your guide will tell you all about life in Arequipa, from colonial times through to the present day. You’ll learn how the city has changed, and how the first Spanish colonists built upon an area once home to ancient peoples of the Peruvian Andes.

We will stop to admire some of the city’s most famous buildings, such as the Basílica Catedral de Arequipa. Located on the city’s elegant Plaza de Armas, this huge cathedral has been damaged by earthquakes on numerous occasions over the centuries, but each time it has been rebuilt, becoming ever more impressive. 

After exploring the Plaza de Armas and surrounding streets, we’ll head to the famous viewpoint of Yanahuara. With its carved sillar stone arches, this beautiful viewpoint offers sublime views across Arequipa and beyond the volcanic peaks of Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu. Yanahuara was built in the 19th century and stands next to the pretty San Juan de Yanahuara, a Baroque church built in 1750. Engraved into the sillar stone of Yanahuara are the names of notable people who have lived in Arequipa during the last two hundred years. 

After exploring the Plaza de Armas and surrounding streets, we’ll head to the most famous attraction in Arequipa: the 16th-century Santa Catalina Monastery, which opened to the public in 1970 after nearly 400 years as a cloister. For a nun to enter the monastery, they first had to prove their Spanish origin and pay a dowry of at least 1,000 gold pesos. Once inside, they were largely cut off from the world within the sprawling monastery, which is like a little town all of its own, with narrow streets, gardens, and different sections for sleeping, cooking, and prayer. The monastery covers an entire city block, and exploring its picturesque alleyways and rooms is quite an experience.

When the restoration of the Monastery began, before it opened to the public, a great collection of primarily religious paintings was found, some dating to the Viceroyalty of Peru. Some 400 works were restored, revealing influences from Italian and Spanish schools of art, as well as excellent examples of the Cusco School. The most important paintings are displayed in two immense rooms inside the monastery, with high vaults, in the shape of a cross, from which the plaster has been removed to reveal the Sillar walls.

The Santuarios Andinos Museum is located about a block from the Plaza de Arma. The museum is home to a 550-year-old Inca sacrifice, discovered atop Mount Ampato in 1995, the remains mummified by aridity and cold. Dressed in finely crafted ceremonial robes and surrounded by spiritually significant objects, this victim turned out to be a 12-year-old girl who was sacrificed to the gods in the 1450s. The archaeologists named Juanita the Ice Maiden. Juanita is now the centerpiece of the excellent Museo Santuarios Andinos, her mummified remains eerily preserved in a climate-controlled glass case. The atmospheric rooms of the museum house many other artifacts discovered during the expedition that found Juanita including more than 300 Inca relics, including textiles, ceramics, golden statues, silver, and copper.

Highest Altitude: 2,430 m (7,972 ft).
Lowest Altitude: 2,335 m (7,661 ft).


itinerary-service-title
  • Itinerary Service Type Icon
    Meals: Not Included
  • Itinerary Service Type Icon
    Tour Guide: Local Tour Guide: English/Spanish
  • Itinerary Service Type Icon
    Excursion: Arequipa City Tour - Private Service (4 hours Approx)
  • Itinerary Service Type Icon
    Entrance Fee: Cathedral, Santa Catalina Monastery & Juanita Museum

h2-title-3

2025
2026
June 2025
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
SOLD OUTINCA TRAIL TREK
Alternative TreksAVAILABLE
Sold outAvailable spotsOn DEAL price

Secure your spot on the trip now with our real-time availability information.
Act quickly—these spots sell out fast!

h2-title-4

whats-included-title

  • Transport: Private or shared.
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Santa Catalina and Juanita Museum.
  • Santa Catalina Convent and Juanita museum entrance fee. 
  • First aid kit, if you are taking any medications, please bring your prescription with you. 
  • Professional Guided tour ENG/SPA. 

whats-not-included-title

  • Medical and emergency evacuation insurance. 
  • Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance. 
  • Any activity not described in What's Included. 
  • Meals on your own. 
  • Tips/Gratuities. 

h2-title-5

Avatar

specialist-box-title
Carla Esquivel

specialist-box-phrase

contant-form-title

contant-form-first-name-error
contant-form-last-name-error
contant-form-email-error
contant-form-phone-error
contant-form-country-error
contant-form-package-error
contant-form-message-error

contact-form-submit-info-1contact-form-submit-info-2

top-tours-title

top-tours-info

top-tours-tooltip

TripAdvisor Reviews
Google Reviews
Facebook Reviews
5.0
NaN reviews
reviews-new-cta
asso-info

asso-info-tooltip

International Travel AwardsSafe Travelsguarranty logoSernanp logoLata Tourism Awards
lata logoadventure travel tradeUstoa LogoAsta logo