Popularly known as the White City (large parts of the city were built using ashlar, a volcanic white stone), Arequipa is the second largest city in the country. Arequipa stands out for its architectonic value, with colonial and arequipeño (a blend of Italian, Spanish and Andean styles) examples permeating throughout the city.
The most important monument is the Santa Catalina Convent. Founded in 1580, this impressive complex is almost a self-sustained village, made up of houses for the nuns and their servants, cloisters, plazas and narrow streets, kitchens, refectory and laundry.
The Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world, twice the depth of Grand Canyon, is a great place to see traditional Peruvian villages of undeniable Inca origin, enjoy natural hot springs and spot condors in the wild.
Arequipa boasts the nicest weather in Peru with an average of 300 sunny days per year, making it a perfect destination at any time. Temperatures show little variations from month to month with average highs in the lower 70’s and lows around 50F.
