Arequipa City Tour with Santa Catalina Monastery
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore Arequipa's historic center
- Visit the Santa Catalina Monastery
- Discover colonial architecture
- Learn about local history
- Enjoy scenic city views
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour of Arequipa's historic center
- Visit to Santa Catalina Monastery
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
The White City opens up its doors in a tour that begins in the Carmen Alto viewpoint from where we will be able to admire the beautiful landscape of farming terraces and the three guardian volcanoes that surround the city: Misti, Chachani and Picchu-Picchu.
We will then continue to the colonial district of Yanahuara, famous for its church built in Andalusia style, and its viewpoint with is gorgeous architecture surrounded by sillar stone arches. We will then visit the Monastery of Saint Catherine, an impressive religious monument that had been closed to the public for nearly 400 years; its narrow streets, plazas and gardens reminds us of the ancient districts of Seville or Granada.
Finally, we will head for the Main Square, where we will be able to see the Cathedral and the arches that surround the plaza, and then visit the Church of the Company of Jesus founded in the 17th century by the Jesuits, and which stands out for its cloisters and the famous Saint Ignacio Dome.
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is conducted in Spanish; English-speaking guides may be available upon request.
- Photography is allowed in most areas; however, some sites may have restrictions.
- The tour involves walking; ensure you're comfortable with the activity level.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for the tour.
- Bring a hat and sunscreen to protect against the sun.
- Carry a bottle of water to stay hydrated.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- Note: Admission to religious places in shorts is not allowed; please wear long pants or a long skirt
Traveler reviews
Anxious and non-engaging driving
On this tour, led by Maria Jesus, we were briefly told the history of the city showing us the three volcanoes that surround the city, then guided us to the neighborhood of Yanahuara. Much of the visit was to the monastery of Santa Catalina, despite the beauty of the cities and the monastery we were not satisfied by the explanations of the guide who was rather pedantic, hasty and anxious, often repeating the same things and not getting particularly involved.
Nice tour that gets one...
Nice tour that gets one to the Yanahuara viewpoint without having to walk or take a taxi. The Iglesia de la Compania near the Plaza de Armas was beautiful and its San Ignacio Chapel decorated with birds from the jungle was amazing. Glad that admission was included, along with the even more expensive admission to the Monasterio de Santa Catalina. Although one can visit these sites on one’s own, this tour saves a lot of time. Jeymi was a good guide. Unfortunately February is not the best month for viewing the volcanoes though because it is the rainy season.
City of Arequipa beautiful
The city of Arequipa is beautiful with cobblestone streets and palaces from the time of the Spanish conquest that are beautiful and the monastery of Santa Catalina is a wonder I have never seen a monastery as big and beautiful as this.
Fantastic Guide and Tour
Our guide, Charo, made this one of our best city tours in Peru. We would highly recommend it. We started out in the car seeing a few view points and she even made a few stops to accommodate some things we wanted to try but didn’t know how to find. We then did a walking tour of the Plaza de Armas area and Monastery of Santa Catalina and it was fantastic. All of the sites were not only beautiful but interesting. We especially loved the Monastery, which was not only beautiful but Charo also did a wonderful job of answering our questions and centering women’s history. As a historian, I can found her information far better and she centered women’s agency in ways others haven’t and she also addressed colonialism far better and in a more complex way. We cannot recommend this tour enough!
Good English guide
We understand the guide’s English perfectly. We so far have had several tours with Viator, she is the only one who spoke real English.