Peru's white city, built out of volcanic sillar stone under three volcanoes. At 2,335m it's high enough to be the sensible step before Cusco.
Free things to do
Free
San Camilo market juice run
Point at fruit you can't name; the señora knows best.
Free
Plaza de Armas & the white city
Volcanic sillar arcades on three sides, the cathedral on the fourth, and El Misti standing behind the lot of it.
Free
Yanahuara viewpoint
A twenty-minute walk to stone arches framing three volcanoes, best in the last hour of light.
Where to stay
from $13
Arequipay Hostel
Dorm bed · per night
from $13
Mango Hostel
Dorm bed · per night
from $37
Le Foyer Arequipa
Private room · per night
from $38
Econunay
Private room · per night
Trips that take it in
South America · 11 days · loop · 3 nights in Arequipa
The Andes Loop
Lima → Arequipa → Cusco → Lima
$353
plus flights · Jan 2027 dates