Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
2,049 reviews
Excellent
1,299
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644
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89
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15
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2
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Cristian G
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
I had an idea of a city with a real old town and that is not the case. It is a crude decoration of reconstructed facades and empty interiors. They sell you that they are 4 centuries old and it is false. The churches and buildings put the date of creation with Latin numerals when 4 centuries ago they were numbered in Roman numerals, the same happens with the texts written on stone in modern Spanish instead of the Spanish of the time. And if you look closely, you will see many buildings with stone on the façade and the steel rods of the reinforced concrete structures protruding from the roofs. As I said, a simple set with no history and they don't let you fly over a drone with a camera so as not to uncover the deception. I do not recommend it for those who like real history with real historical buildings.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JEAN-CLAUDE G
Chalon-sur-Saone, France159,980 contributions
Jun 2024 • Friends
If you don't have a guide you can't see that the historic center of Arequipa is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I didn't see an explanatory sign in front of colonial houses or balconies for example. It lacks an arrow on the ground to indicate the main sights of the city. We could have used the place of arms to put tourist information etc. In short, I do not think that Arequipa is a very touristic city.
Automatically translated
Written July 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patrick d
Calais, France8,351 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
With the cathedral as a central landmark on the Plaza de Armas, you can explore the adjacent pedestrian streets. Some museums, pretty churches and the two most interesting visits in the city: The Monasterio Santa Catolina and the Santuarios Andinos. The concentration of these riches made this center the most pleasant of our five weeks of travel. Arequipa is really a very endearing city, too much so at times: The cobbled streets are very slippery, be careful.
Written October 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pierre-Yves
Berlin, Germany51 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We heard of Arequipa as the white city or la ciudad blanca, without really knowing why. Walk through the old part of the City and you understand :-) The historic center is beautiful and very well cared / renovated. You can enter in many houses to discover the inner gardens or squares. A must see and a wonderful day or half day walk. Many restaurant or cafe options as well if you want to stop a while for a rest
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mathew D
Loveland, CO5 contributions
Aug 2022
Our only regret is not having stayed here longer. There are so many beautiful colonial-era buildings, restaurants, museums and bars in the historic center. All of them within walking distance and safe (although we did wander a little too far one day and ended up in a strange street with lots of sketchy bars). Just use common sense and don't wander too far off and you will love it.
Written September 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
betteskid
Boston, MA1,327 contributions
Oct 2022
We spent some time people watching and enjoying the park when we visited Arequipa. Going here gives you a sense of the people and a bit of the history of the place. It is definitely worth taking a stroll around the area when you visit Arequipa
Written October 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeannete R
Calgary, Canada6 contributions
Dec 2019
Arequipa is a beautiful city. The buildings around the Plaza are in very good shape and also beautiful. The plaza is a busy place, there is music, and many other activities to enjoy. There are plenty of restaurants around the place. At night the Plaza looks very pretty and it is also safe.
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
realworldtraveller
Italy357 contributions
May 2015
There is NO historic centre in Arequipa; it's just the main square and one short pedestrian street with a few shops, some cafes that close early and after walking it up and down a couple of times it's already time to leave town. The only problem is that you are hundreds of miles away from anything else.
Written September 12, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zforall
Sarasota, FL279 contributions
Nov 2019
Especially at night. Do not get into any one of the many taxis cruising the square. We were warned. This is a poor city, typical of the property owners living elsewhere..
Written November 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gdinunzio
Rome, Italy45 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
With its buildings built in white volcanic rock (sillar), the historic centre of Arequipa is the result of its people's endurance against natural processes and the capacity of cultures to overcome crises. The pre-existent indigenous populations, the Spanish conquest and the evangelization, the spectacular natural setting, are all main factors in the definition of Arequipa’s identity.
This combination of influences, and the response to an unstable ground due to earthquakes, is illustrated by robust walls, archways, porticos, vaults, courtyards and open spaces, and a strong indigenous influence in the intricate Baroque decoration of its facades.
The core of the historic town is the Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor) with its archways, the municipality, and the cathedral; at one corner of the plaza there are the Church and Cloisters of La Compañia, the most representative ensemble of the Baroque mestizo period.
Not far from Plaza des Armas you can visit the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, a spectacular religious citadel, integrating architectural styles from the 16th to 19th centuries and the complex of San Francisco includes a small square, the main church, the convent, and the cloisters of the third order.
Your walk can continue with the visit to the chapels and convents of Santo Domingo date from the 16th to 18th centuries: San Agustín, La Merced and the church of Santa Maria; Santa Teresa and Santa Rosa; Puente Real (now Puente Bolognesi) and Puente Grau are also built from sillar.
Churches are generally well preserved and maintain their religious use; however, many manor houses (twenty percent completely restored) have lost their original use as residences and have been adapted for administrative and cultural activities.
The center of Arequipa also contains about 500 of dignified casonas, characteristic well-proportioned vernacular houses.
Concluding, two days are well spent to visit this masterpiece of creative integration between european and native cultures, which also offers a great offer of good restaurants and craft shops.
This combination of influences, and the response to an unstable ground due to earthquakes, is illustrated by robust walls, archways, porticos, vaults, courtyards and open spaces, and a strong indigenous influence in the intricate Baroque decoration of its facades.
The core of the historic town is the Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor) with its archways, the municipality, and the cathedral; at one corner of the plaza there are the Church and Cloisters of La Compañia, the most representative ensemble of the Baroque mestizo period.
Not far from Plaza des Armas you can visit the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, a spectacular religious citadel, integrating architectural styles from the 16th to 19th centuries and the complex of San Francisco includes a small square, the main church, the convent, and the cloisters of the third order.
Your walk can continue with the visit to the chapels and convents of Santo Domingo date from the 16th to 18th centuries: San Agustín, La Merced and the church of Santa Maria; Santa Teresa and Santa Rosa; Puente Real (now Puente Bolognesi) and Puente Grau are also built from sillar.
Churches are generally well preserved and maintain their religious use; however, many manor houses (twenty percent completely restored) have lost their original use as residences and have been adapted for administrative and cultural activities.
The center of Arequipa also contains about 500 of dignified casonas, characteristic well-proportioned vernacular houses.
Concluding, two days are well spent to visit this masterpiece of creative integration between european and native cultures, which also offers a great offer of good restaurants and craft shops.
Written August 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Josué E
Lazaro Cardenas Municipality, Mexico
Como podría viajar a Piura - Perú si soy de Lázaro Cárdenas? A donde tengo que llegar primero para encontrar un avión e irme? Por motivos de problemas de salud tengo que viajar para allá pero desconozco como irme, alguien me podría ayudar por favor? Se los agradecería mucho:((:
Written June 13, 2021
Cuantos días son necesarios para conocer bien la ciudad de Arequipa ?
Written March 3, 2018
Si la visita se centra solo en el caso histórico, coincido que con 3 días es suficiente. Caminar por el centro histórico es pintoresco y hay varios museos, conventos, etc. para visitar.
Pero si vas a Arequipa, no debes dejar de ir al cañón del Colca (2 días mínimo) y llegar al menos hasta Cabanaconde (KunturHuaso es una excelente opción para alojamiento y comida). Se puede explorar diversas opciones de treeking.
Buen viaje!
Written March 3, 2018
Soy de México y quiero visitar Perú , como llego a Arequipa .? Vía Cuzco o Vía lima? En tren ? Avión? Autobús ?
Precio?
Todo lo que me puedan informar acerca de conocer Perú en dos semanas, cuáles son los mejores lugares para conocer
Gracias de antemano !
Written March 28, 2017
Hola.
Primero debes llegar a Lima, dónde está el aeropuerto internacional Jorge Chávez. En Lima puedes hacer algunas cosas, cómo visitar el centro histórico y algunos distritos bohemios como Miraflores o Barranco. Para llegar a Arequipa puedes ir por avión, llegas en una hora y media desde Lima, o en bus, a través de cruz del sur u oltursa, pero son 16 horas. En avión te va salir alrededor se 90$, y el bus la mitad. Allí en Arequipa tienes que visitar el centro, los lugares para comer, y si puedes el Colca. Yo te recomiendo que luego se que visites Arequipa, vayas al Cuzco. Espero haberte ayudado. Un abrazo y suerte!
Written March 28, 2017
Soy de México y quiero visitar Perú , como llego a Arequipa .? Vía Cuzco o Vía lima? En tren ? Avión? Autobús ?
Precio?
Todo lo que me puedan informar acerca de conocer Perú en dos semanas, cuáles son los mejores lugares para conocer
Gracias de antemano !
Written March 28, 2017
Mi experiencia personal fue desde Lima en avion. Luego en taxi al hotel en el centro histórico.
Written April 2, 2017
Alguien que actualmente esté de visita en Arequipa, podría decirme que tal está el clima? Creen que sea recomendable viajar esta semana? gracias.
Written March 10, 2017
Mira cualquier página del tiempo...te dará un previsión más fiable que la mía
Written March 13, 2017
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