Arequipa

8 June 2017

Arequipa is my favourite city in Peru. It is sunny, clean and beautiful with a temperate climate. What a relief after the cold of Cusco.

Most of the buildings are constructed from the volcanic rock nearby, which is white, hence it is also known as the ‘white city’. The residents are so proud of their city that they are Arequipeñoes first and Peruvians second. More than one Arequipeño has joked that they’re perfectly happy to declare independence from Peru – the rest of the country needs them more than Arequipa needs Peru.

I loved it, the ‘Plaza de Armas’ is elegant and gives a feeling of light and space. Of course you have the obligatory churches around the square, but besides the neo-classical buildings, the architecture in Arequipa has been able to combine European tastes with native art and symbolism. The church of La Compañia de Jesus is a fine example of this – mystical beings from Andean legends as well as indigenous flowers and plants feature on the facade and the cloisters.

You can visit museums between going to restaurants, Peruvian food is undoubtedly the best in South America and deserves its post, but what must be mentioned is the local picanterias which serve traditional dishes with a lovely chicha (a purple corn drink that is fermented). The portions a so big that I once had a two hour nap after lunch… Ahh… life is complete!

I also took the opportunity to stay here for a week to study Spanish. On the way to school you can see the volcanoes surrounding the city – Misti, Pichu Pichu and Chachani. Everytime I saw Misti, I felt the way I use to feel when living in Cape Town…when you see Table Mountain on the way to work, your heart does a silent skip and a hop, and happiness bubbles up inside you 🙂 a good start to a great day.

So don’t miss Arequipa, it’s not just a pit-stop on the way to Colca Canyon, but a wonderful place to have a holiday within your travels!