A Getaway to Arequipa - One of My Favorite South American Cities

We took an opportunity to get away for a few days in Arequipa, a city in the south of Peru, while Jana's parents were in town. After a major issue with our flight plan, we absolutely loved Arequipa. It is now one of may favorite South American cities. The central square there is as good as any I have seen. And it is the most Spanish feeling place I've ever been outside of Spain. More details after the jump.

The LL Dancing to Organ Music with a New Friend at the Main Cathedral

Our trip to Arequipa started with a major problem. We arrived to the airport to be told by LAN Peru that the fare we purchased was only for permanent residents of Peru. I had heard about this. LAN has these deeply discounted fares for Peruvians that are a great benefit of having residency in Peru. We are talking like $50 each way, usually, for fares within Peru. Given that I was aware of this, I made sure not to book on LAN's website while in Peru. It's easy to mistakenly buy one of these fares. Instead, I purchased from Expedia, which I had read did not offer these fares unless your IP address is in Peru. I bought these tickets prior to our arrival, and they frankly were not that cheap, so I did not imagine we could have a problem. Well, we had to pay AN ADDITIONAL $177 before we could board. Not a nice surprise. I am in the process of trying to get Expedia to make this right. They never gave any indication that we would face this fee. They never provided a link to detailed fare rules. They basically sold me a ticket I could not use. Even if they refund us the extra fee (which I doubt they will), I don't think I'll ever book anything with Expedia again.

With that out of the way, we arrived to Arequipa, and discovered a fantastic city. We stayed at the Casa Andina Private Collection hotel. It is in the heart of the historic center, and it a beautiful hotel that was once the residence of a very wealthy family during the colonial period. We splurged and upgraded to a suite so that the LL could sleep in her own space and we could still have some space as well. And was it ever worth it. It was probably the nicest hotel room I've ever stayed in. And it only cost about $200. What a deal. Stone walls. Twenty foot barrell ceilings. Massive bathroom. 200 year old paintings. Tons of floor space. We loved this hotel:

While in Arequipa, we particularly enjoyed three things. First, the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, is a convent that was completely closed from the public until around 1970. It is a massive complex where the richest families of Arequipa paid loads of money to have their daughters become part of the cloister. Each nun lived in a house paid for by their family, a servant, and lived a very comfortable life. This is an example of the stark inequalities and how the Church perpetuated them during this era. It was interesting history and a beautiful place. The streets within the complex are named after cities in Spain. All of these are from this site:

Second, the main square. It is dominated by a church, and has several other wonderful buildings surrounding it. The only downside is that they were replacing the flowers while we were there so much of the green space was blocked off. But this was offset by a beautiful evening there around sunset. With snow-capped volcanoes in the background and the lights coming on as the sun disappeared, it was a beautiful setting. Then, on Sunday morning there was a big parade and car show on the square. It turns out they have the parade every Sunday, which seems excessive, but we were glad to see all the community groups and military branches marching around the square. These give you an idea.

Third, was the Museo de Santuarios Andinos. The big draw here is Juanita, a young woman who was sacrificed by the Incas to appease their volcano gods. She was frozen almost immediately after death and was discovered after a volcanic eruption melted the ice cap on the peak where she died. Her discovery revealed a great deal about the Incas, and learning about her path toward death and why she was sacrificed was at once enlightening and troubling. No photos allowed.

Overall, Arequipa was a wonderful respite from the busy Lima. Arequipa, in the historical center, at least is tranquil, well preserved, architecturally interesting, and full of wonderful places to walk. Along with the above highlights, we went to Alpaca World and fed the animals, found a massive playground where (for a small fee) the LL could play and even take a ride in a boat on a small lake. We also ate very well and inexpensively. One place was called the Museo del Pisco. Needless to say, we got an education there. Arequipa is Peru's second largest city, and is mainly viewed as the stopover prior to visiting the Colca Canyon. It's not the top stop on most Peru tourist routes That distinction belongs to Cusco. Cusco has a lot going for it as the gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. But as a city, I'd take Arequipa every time.