Main Square, city of Arequipa
Bordered by various arched walkways and the Cathedral, the Main Square possesses a beautiful bronze fountain of three plates crowned by the figure of a sixteenth century soldier. Of this person, who is called “Tuturutu”, the story says he was in charge of warning of any new event. Around the square, you see three granite portals with brick and lime bases: Portal del Cabildo (Portal de la Municipalidad), Portal de las Delicias (Portal de San Agustín), and Portal del Regocijo (Portal de Flores).

Cathedral, city of Arequipa
It is considered one of the first seventeenth century religious monuments of the city. It is built of sillar (white volcanic stone) with a brick base. Destroyed by fire in 1844, it was rebuilt in 1868 by the Arequipa architect Lucas Poblete. He used a Neoclassical style and placed the entrances of church on the flanking naves. In 2001, the building was struck hard by an earthquake, which seriously damaged its towers.

Iglesia de La Compañía and complex (The Church of the Company of Jesus Christ)
This complex, made up of buildings constructed by the Jesuits for religious and living purposes, is a representative monument of the seventeenth century religious architecture (1660). The church itself rises from the center of the buildings. It was designed in 1573 by Gaspar Baez and destroyed by an earthquake in 1584. The current structure dates from 1650. Inside you find sixty-six canvases from the CuscoSchool from such artists as Bernardo Bitti and Diego de la Puente.

Iglesia de San Francisco and complex (Church of Saint Francis)
The complex contains the Saint Francis church, the convent and a smaller church known as La Tercera Orden (the Third Franciscan Order). What catches the attention inside the church is the bas-relief decorated Baroque pulpit and the silver front of the main altar. Besides these, a short passageway, named Manguillo de San Francisco, has been added to the complex to separate the church from what was the first girl school and later a women jail. Today, it has become a commercial art center known as “Fundo El Fierro” (Iron Ranch).

Monasterio de Santa Catalina (Saint Kathleen Monastery)
It occupies an approximate area of 20.000 m2 (215.285 feet2), and its placement is similar to the first neighborhoods of Arequipa. The building exhibits rooms of very different architectural design. One of the areas has been established as a gallery to display the canvasses of the Cusco, Quito, and ArequipaSchools. There are other rooms, or sectors, to visit as well, like el Claustro de la Portería (the Gate Cloister), el Museo Precolombino (the pre-Colombian Museum), el Claustro de San Francisco (the Cloister of Saint Francis), etc.

Convento de La Recoleta (La Recoleta Convent)
A Franciscan convent founded in 1848, open to the public since 1978. It features various styles that include Romantic and Neo-gothic styles due to its different remodeling campaigns (the last one in 1940). It has four cloisters and eleven sectors, as well as two pre-Colombian art rooms, two others dedicated to the AmazonRain Forest, and another to religious art. It also has a gallery exhibiting canvasses from the Cusco and ArequipaSchools and a valuable library that protects more than 20.000 volumes and ancient books.

Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo (Church and Convent of Santo Domingo)
Architecturally, the church is characterized by a bell tower, its entrance with a corner pedestal, and its impeccable arch under the choir loft. Inside, one can appreciate paintings and other pieces of sacred art.It is also known for its side entrance being the oldest in Arequipa. The upper cloister of the convent was constructed around 1734.

Catholic University of Saint Mary
Here, they exhibit la Dama de Ampato (the Lady of Ampato), an Inca mummy of a twelve to fourteen year old girl found at the top of the Ampato volcano by the climber Miguel Zárate, the archeologist José Chávez, and the anthropologist Johan Reinhard on September 8, 1995. According to the specialists, it is very likely that the girl, whose remains were found frozen, died from a blow to the temple from a five pointed granite mace. It seems that she was sacrificed to the Ampato Apu (protector god) some 500 years ago.

Urbanización Selva Alegre (Selva Alegre suburb)
Considered the “garden of the city” for its large parks and huge trees that live in harmony with the modern houses of the area, Selva Alegre was constructed as a monument to Juan Pablo Vizcardo y Guzmán, fore runner of the Peruvian independence. The Molino de Santa Catalina (Mill of Saint Kathleen) is anothersite to visit, completely restored and located on the mall of this zone.

Yanahuara Lookout
It was built in the nineteenth century and is composed of a series of sillar stone arches where the words of famous Arequipa citizens have been engraved. This spot is a wonderful view point of the city and MountMisti volcano.

City of Sabandia
Wide terraces and three volcanoes, the Misti, the Chachani, and the Pichu Pichu, provide the scenery around this traditional town. Some of the houses still preserve characteristic styles of the Viceroyalty or of the nineteenth century Republicanism. A recreational area with two swimming pools that use the cold river waters of the surrounding region has been built.

Misti Volcano
The foothills of the volcano are located 20 km / 12 miles. northeast of Arequipa (1 hour by 4x4 vehicle)
The Misti volcano, 5825 masl / 19.111 fasl is the guardian of the city. From the summit, you can see the city of Arequipa, the ChiliRiver valley, and the Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes.

Yura Hot Springs
These are wells of thermal waters at the foothills of the Chachani volcano, 2575 masl / 8448 fasl. The therapeutic properties of the waters, which temperature fluctuates between 23ºC (73.40ºF) and 28ºC (82.40ºF), are celebrated. Between 1810 and 1831, Mr. José Nogal y Noguerol built the wells that are still maintained today.

Sumbay Caves – Rock Art
Located within the boundaries of the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve, this area boasts over 500 rock art figures. These representations, possibly made by the first inhabitants of the area, are approximately 6000 to 8000 years old.

Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve
35 km / 22 miles northeast of Arequipa (1 hour and 30 minutes by bus)
The reserve covers almost 367.000 hectares, including territory from the Provinces of Arequipa, Caylloma (department of Arequipa), and General Sánchez Cerro (department of Moqueqa). It was created for the purpose of preserving important associations of flora and fauna, protecting the natural environment that was deteriorating and in the process of being destroyed, as well as caring for the vicuña through a repopulation program. The reserve is located between 2800 and 6050 masl (9186 and 19.849 fasl) and the Misti (5825 masl / 19.111 fasl), the Chachani (6075 masl / 19.931 fasl), and the Pichu-Pichu (5664 masl / 18.583fasl) volcanoes are found there.

Among the most representative species of the reserve are the vizcacha, the fox, the condor, and the Andean flamingo or parihuana. Scientists have determined the existence of 169 animal species, 23 of which are mammals (including two forms of domesticated South American camelids), 138 species of birds (blue billed ducks, eagles, and kestrels are the trophies), 3 reptilians, 4 amphibious, and 3 fish species. SalinasLake is considered a special spot to observe flamingos during their migration period.

Others Tourist Attractions
Molino de Sabandía (Sabandía Mill)
Mansión del Fundador (Founder’s Mansion)
District of Cayma
MountChachani
District of Yarabamba
District of Quequeña
District of Chiguata
District of Tiabaya
District of Characato
Saint Lazarus neighborhood
Goyeneche House
Saint AugustineChurch
Mercy Church
Tristán del Pozo house
University of San Agustín Archeological Museum