Arequipa City Tour – Half-Day Tour

We will pick you up from your hotel in the center of Arequipa.

We will start our interesting tour by going to the stunning views from the “Mirador de Carmen Alto” where you can see the whole Chilina Valley) and the Mirador de Yanahuara.

Then we head towards the city center, where we will visit the most impressive architectural monuments of the city, the magnificent Monastery of Santa Catalina, a miniature city that houses the nuns of Arequipeñas for more than 400 years.

Afterward, we will continue our tour to the beautiful main square or “Plaza de Armas”, surrounded by gorgeous colonial arches. Here we will visit the beautiful Cathedral of Arequipa (outside), where our local guide will give us an explanation. Then we will pass by the Church and Cloisters of the Society of Jesus.

Tour Schedule
City Tour in Arequipa Half Day (Morning)

09:00 – 11:00 Pick up from your respective hotel, to start our tour where we will visit the neighborhood and the viewpoint of Yanahuara to take some of the best photos
11:00 – 13:00 Then we will visit the Plaza de Armas, the Church of the followers of Jesus next to the cloister and the Monastery of Santa Catalina.

City Tour in Arequipa Half Day (Afternoon)

14:00 – 16:00 Pick up from your hotel to start our tour where we will visit the neighborhood and the viewpoint of Yanahuara to take some of the best photos
16:00 – 18:00 Then we will visit the Plaza de Armas, the Church of the Company of Jesus next to the cloister and the Monastery of Santa Catalina.

Important

Breakfast on this day will depend on the transfer time from the hotel. The exact time schedule of the tour will be confirmed in a previous briefing

TOUR INCLUDES

TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE

CONTACTS

Carmen Alto viewpoint

It is located in the Cayma District, and is located 6 km from the center of Arequipa and is owned by Mrs. Miriam Cáceres, who has a small business of natural products and traditional juices there.

In this haven of peace, we can be enchanted by the landscape, enjoying a wonderful view of the valley of the Chili River, joining in the distance with the tutelary volcanoes of the city.

St. Catherine’s Monastery

The Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena, or also known as the Convent of Santa Catalina, is a religious tourist complex located in the historic center of Arequipa.

What makes the visit especially interesting is that the monastery is itself a small city, 20,000m2 surrounded by a 4-meter-high wall that separated the life of the cloistered nuns from that of the rest of the inhabitants of Arequipa.

History of the Monastery of Santa Catalina

The history of the Monastery of Santa Catalina dates back to the 16th century. When the Spaniards were already settled in Peru, Francisco de Toledo visited the city of Arequipa and listened to the wishes of its inhabitants, who asked for the creation of a place where the nuns could carry out their work and have the religious life they desired.

Thus, the viceroy ordered the construction of a great monastery without knowing that, years later, it would become one of the most important in the country.

On September 10, 1579, when the city of Arequipa had not even reached 40 years since its foundation, the Santa Catalina Monastery was inaugurated, an authentic jewel of colonial architecture that remains standing to this day.

The first nuns who lived here came from different parts of the country and different social classes: they were Creoles, mestizos and even daughters of curacas, the political leaders of the Inca Empire, but they all shared one main characteristic: they had the same religious devotion.

The Monastery of Santa Catalina hosted hundreds of nuns for years who lived without practically any connection to the outside until, in 1970, they decided to open it to the public so that all tourists and citizens of Arequipa could know and enjoy this mysterious place.

How to get to the Santa Catalina Monastery?

The Santa Catalina Monastery is located just a few blocks from the city’s imposing Plaza de Armas, so you can get there from any point in the historic center of Arequipa.

At Dreamy Tours, we offer to take the City Tour in Arequipa that includes a guided visit to the Santa Catalina monastery, as well as other tourist attractions in the city.

What is the best time to visit the Monastery of Santa Catalina?

The city of Arequipa has a fairly stable climate, with moderate rainy seasons between January and March, so the visit to the monastery can be done without inconvenience throughout the year.

Visiting hours to the Santa Catalina Monastery?

The Santa Catalina Monastery is open every day of the year with the exception of Good Friday, December 25 and January 1. Hours are Thursday through Monday from 9:00 a.m. m. at 5:00 p.m. m. and Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 9:00 a.m. m. to 8 p. m.

The Cloisters of the Society of Jesus

The Cloisters of the Society of Jesus were built attached to the Temple, its completion date was in the year 1738.

For a short time it was the premises of the Jesuit College “Santiago”, since then the expulsion of the Jesuits was ordered in 1767.

In 1788, at the request of Bishop Chávez de la Rosa, part of the Cloisters became a hospice for orphaned children. After the Arequipa Public Charity was created, this institution took over the hospice, and for this reason reforms were introduced in the Cloisters.

The Cloisters consist of two large patios with arches and a third smaller one, the first one stands out for its Baroque style.

Currently the Cloisters are occupied by businesses related to tourist activity, such as restaurants, crafts, etc.

LOCATION:

Located in the historic center, on the left side of the Iglesia de la Compañía, with sculpted ashlar arches, beautiful corridors; also called Pasaje Romaña, and currently occupied by commercial establishments. Located on the corner of the Plaza de Armas, between General Morán and Álvarez Thomas streets.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

We have price alternatives that accommodate all budgets, prices per person, expressed in US Dollars.

Make your quotes and reservations by email [email protected], you can also communicate with one of our sales executives at the telephones detailed below, we will be happy to assist you.

Phone – WhatsApp: +51 969 787 221
Phone – WhatsApp: +51 986 994 218

HOW TO BOOK THE TOUR?

To start the reservation process, please send us the following information:

To confirm reservations it is required to pay 50% in advance and the other 50% can be paid upon arrival at your destination.

PAYMENT METHODS

GENERAL CONDITIONS

• All rates for our Peru Packages are expressed in US dollars (subject to currency exchange rates) and are priced per person
• The rates for Peruvians only include VAT
• All our rates are subject to availability and circumstances
• Children under 2 years and 11 months are considered INF (babies) and are not permitted on this tour
• Children from 3 to 10 years and 11 months are considered DCC (child) and thus eligible for special rates and obliged to share the room with their parents
• Children over 11 years old are considered adults
• Minors must travel with an identity document
• Rates do not apply to holidays, Easter, long weekends, national holidays, Christmas, or New Year