Peru’s second-largest city was founded in 1540 and retains much of its colonial charm, despite standing in a shadow of three towering volcanoes: Misti, Chachani, and PicuPicu. Arequipa is an easy, 1.5-hour flight from Lima, where visitors should absolutely spend the night at the Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel, in the capital’s chicest neighborhood (Miraflores). You can also take a one-hour flight south from Cuzco, where you can revel in the beauty of the Sacred Valley at the Pumacahua Bath House, occupying a 17th-century home-turned-spa adjacent to a corn terrace at the immersive Explora Valle Sagrado.
The Peruvian Paradise
You Didn’t Know You
Needed to See
This South American destination has managed to stay under the radar. But once you get a taste of its culture, cuisine, and adventure, you may be tempted to return again and again.
Chances are, you know someone who has visited Peru, the ancient land of the Incas and home to the bucket-list destination that is Machu Picchu. But even seasoned visitors may have overlooked one of South America’s colonial gems—a city which happens to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, not to mention a haven of hyper-local Peruvian cuisine and the gateway to an enchanting land of snow-capped volcanoes. That place is Arequipa.
Exploring the White City
Nicknamed the White City for the volcanic stone from which most of the major buildings were (and still are) constructed, Arequipa (pop. 1.3 million) is awash in a distinctive baroque architectural style, which visitors can spy in every direction from the fountain set in the middle of the centrally-located Plaza de Armas. The square’s northern border is defined by the 17th-century neoclassical Basilica Cathedral, whose museum showcases Catholic art and objects that span six centuries. For more breathtaking cathedrals, head over to the Monastery of Santa Catalina and the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, both of which offer glimpses into this indigenous, elaborate architecture that exists nowhere else on earth. Just two blocks south of the square, guests can pay respects to the city’s oldest resident: Juanita, a well-preserved, defrosted young girl who was sacrificed to the Incan gods more than 500 years ago. She has called the Catholic University of Santa María’s Museum of Andean Sanctuaries home since she was discovered atop Mount Ampato in the Arequipa region in 1995.
“There’s loads of history in this judicial capital that sits 7,600 feet above sea level.”
Eat, Cook, Love
There’s loads of history in this judicial capital that sits 7,600 feet above sea level, but between museum visits and walks through the upscale residential neighborhood of Yanahuara (be sure to take a photo of one of those pearly white arches framing Misti), leave time for loitering in Santamillo, the vibrant downtown market just four blocks from the Plaza. There you can try local delicacies, such as queso helado, a sweet dessert made of vanilla, coconut, milk, cinnamon, and cloves that’s sold by street vendors (don’t worry, it’s safe to eat), ceviche, and rocoto relleno arequipeño (stuffed, spicy peppers). Big-time foodies come to Arequipa just to eat, and cooking classes are plentiful; the Peruvian Cooking Experience, run by the Hotel de Avila, offers some of the best courses in town, but you can also just dine at any of the picanterias, no-frills lunch spots specializing in spicy stews. Walk off some of your meal by strolling over to Calle Mercaderes, a pedestrian-only shopping avenue that is easily the city’s best spot for scoring the ultimate alpaca scarf.
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Primed for Adventure
Fantastic properties abound — such as Cirqa, an 11-room Relais & Chateaux property that was named to Travel + Leisure’s It List in 2020, and was built in 1540 as an inn for guests of the Church of San Agustín next door—but other lodgings on the Plaza offer a nostalgic romance that only comes from centuries of existence.
Ease into some adventure by signing up for an overnight trip to one of the deepest canyons in the world, Colca Canyon, about 100 miles northwest of the city and a popular spot for river rafting. With any luck, you’ll witness the majestic King of the Andes, the condor—from a distance, of course!
Further afield is the Valle de los Volcanoes, where more than 80 volcanoes dot the lunar landscape. To fully experience the valley, you’ll need three days, but all that effort is rewarded with frozen waterfalls (in winter), hot springs, and even a volcanic cone that was once used as a bullfighting stadium. For those with time constraints (or who don’t want to venture too far afield), a day trip up El Misti is possible, and worth that social media humble-brag post to reach its summit at 19,000 feet. Reward yourself back in town with mugs of chicha de jora, a beer-like beverage made from fermented maize that dates back thousands of years, and pause for a moment to drink in the beauty of what is arguably South America’s best kept secret.
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