Duration

1 day

Altitude

2335 m

Physical level

hard

Overview

In this tour through the city of Arequipa you can visit churches and convents, the countryside of Arequipa can visit the typical Arequipa in their daily activities in comfortable vehicles fully equipped, always accompanied by a bilingual guide on board explaining the tourist places to visit.

The city of Arequipa, also known as the White City, is the second most important city in Peru after Lima, the capital. Arequipa is a beautiful city that was founded by the Spaniards in 1540 in a place especially chosen for its natural beauty and cozy climate.

 

The Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena, or Convent of Santa Catalina, is a religious tourist complex located in the historic center of Arequipa, department of Arequipa, Peru.

It was built as a citadel gradually, in the four plots that acquired the Cabildo de Justicia y Regimiento de Arequipa in 1568 for a monastery of “Nuns” that was to be called Nuestra Señora de la Gracia. The monastery of Santa Catalina is a sample of four centuries of Arequipa architecture.

In this monastery entered the women who so wished, although in the founding document they indicated that they must be Spanish women. They had to give a dowry of one thousand pesos of tested and marked silver and one hundred pesos for food. In the mid-18th century the population consisted of fifty-seven nuns with black veils, eighteen nuns with white veils, fifty-one donated nuns and two hundred maidens and lay maids.

AREQUIPA CATHEDRAL

The Cathedral of Arequipa is considered one of the first religious monuments of the XVII century in the city. Built in sillar (stone of volcanic origin), with brick vaults, is the main sanctuary of the city that occupies the entire north side of the Plaza de Armas. Built entirely in ashlar, it has a neo-Renaissance style with a certain Gothic influence. Its façade consists of seventy columns with Corinthian capitals, three façades and two large side arches. It is crowned by two high Renaissance and stylized towers. Inside is the main altar, made of Carrara marble.

MUSEUM OF ANDEAN SANCTUARIES

The Museum “Andean Sanctuaries” – UCSM, was created by means of Resolution Nº 3966-R-97 of December 5, 1996, as a result of the important archaeological investigations carried out by the Project: Sanctuaries of Height of the Andean South, directed by Doctors Johan Reinhard and José Antonio Chávez Chávez.

The Sanctuary Museum houses the Mommy Juanita and several elements, is designed to become an Institute of Scientific Research and Social Projection. It currently carries out the functions of programming, promotion, development, evaluation, and dissemination of scientific research.

In the administrative organization, it reports directly to the Rectorate. MOMIA JUANITA

The Momia Juanita, or Ampato’s maiden, or the ice lady, are the names given to the frozen body of a 14-year-old girl, who died between 1450 and 1530 found in the snowy Ampato, in southern Peru, in 1995.

It is believed to have been part of a Capac Cocha ceremony, a frequent human offering in the Inca Empire, and possibly died during the reign of Inca Sapa Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui.

During an expedition to Monte Ampato in 1995, mountain archaeologist Johan Reinhard and mountaineer Miguel Zarate saw something shimmering in the snow-covered crater in the distance and descended into the ravine in search of a bundle. They lifted it with care, and with astonishment they saw that it was the body of a young woman, excellently preserved. In addition, in the vicinity were found several villas, gold statuettes and spondyllus, several types of plants, including corn and several legumes. Days later, the remains were taken to Arequipa and initially stored in a refrigerator and are conserved in the Museum of Andean Sanctuaries of Arequipa.

Itinerary

AREQUIPA CITY TOURITINERARY

This Arequipa City Tour shows us the impressive beauty of the White City of Arequipa. The tour includes sites such as him, Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa Cathedral, the Cloister and the Church of the Society of Jesus, the Complex of San Francisco and the Viewpoints of Carmen Alto and Yanahuara.

We will pick you up from your hotel to begin the tour through one of the most attractive viewpoints of the city called “Carmen Alto”. In this place we will observe the three tutelary volcanoes that surround the city of Arequipa, pre-Inca terraces and our guide will tell us about the agriculture of Arequipa.

Then we go to the district of Yanahuara to appreciate the Yanahuara Portals built in Sillar and the Church of San Juan Bautista.

Then we go to the Monastery of Santa Catalina that presents a citadel of sillar, this monastery was founded in 1579, then we go to the Minor Basilica of Arequipa, which is located in the Plaza de Armas, with a neoclassical style, finishing the tour we move to the Church of the Company of Jesus and the Dome of San Ignacio that is one of the best preserved of the city of Arequipa.

 

The City Tour includes a guided visit to:

  •  Monastery of Santa Catalina
  •  Arequipa Cathedral
  • Andean Sanctuary Museum
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What to bring

FAQ - Freaquent asked questions

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