Arequipa on Foot: City Walks and Tours

Arequipa is compact, and its centre can be crossed on foot in under an hour. A relaxed loop with stops takes two to three hours. The altitude is about 2,335 m, so walk slowly and carry water. Prices are in soles (S/).

Guided options

Free walking tours start daily at the Plaza de Armas and are paid by tips. Start times differ between operators, so ask at the plaza or your hotel. Food walks of Mercado San Camilo can be booked through tour platforms. Independent guides at Santa Catalina work in seven languages and lead a tour of about an hour.

A loop of the centre

  1. Begin at the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral on its north side.
  2. Go to the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús at General Morán and Álvarez Thomas, with its carved Andean-Baroque front.
  3. Walk to Santa Catalina Monastery, Santa Catalina 301. It opens daily 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with Tuesday and Wednesday to 8:00 PM, and a foreign adult pays S/50.
  4. Visit Casa Tristán del Pozo, San Francisco 108, which has free exhibition space.
  5. End at Mercado San Camilo, on Calle San Camilo near Calle Perú, for juice, bread and cheese.

A building on this loop at Ugarte 403, now Casa Andina Premium, is a colonial house called the Casa de la Moneda. It dates from about 1794 and worked as a mint only between 1836 and 1841.

A longer route to Yanahuara

Pass through the narrow sillar lanes of San Lázaro and cross the Chili river by Puente Grau, opened in 1888 after works that began in 1884. Then climb to the Plaza de Yanahuara. Expect 2 to 3 km each way and a moderate climb at this height. At the top you find a mirador with carved arches and views of Misti and Chachani. Queso helado sellers work the plaza, and a taxi will bring you back down.

Timing your walk

Churches keep different hours, and listings disagree, so check each door before you plan around it. The cathedral museum is open Monday to Saturday only. Santa Catalina is the one stop with fixed published hours, which makes it a good anchor for the day. Cafes around the plaza are handy for a rest, and the market is best before lunch.

Street sense

Go in the morning for the clearest views, and protect yourself from strong sun. Keep phones out of sight, and after dark take hotel-booked taxis. Fake taxi drivers have been reported near bus terminals. Peru is Level 2 on the US scale, and Arequipa has seen protests, so read the UK FCDO safety page before you go.

Read more: Attraction tours in Arequipa and Activities in Arequipa .

Pick a guided walk: Arequipa walking tours on Viator . Official site: Santa Catalina Monastery .