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Peru Holidays In Arequipa The White City
estling in the shadow of mestizo style.
El Misti – a snow-capped
volcano which towers above As well as the kind of facilities
it – lies the city of Arequipa. and culture you'd expect from a
Known as La Ciudad Blanca (‘the major city, Arequipeños are
White City’) because of the local justly proud of the amazing sites
white volcanic rock, it is one of the city offers for tourists.
the jewels of Peru. Combining Probably the main attraction in
modern amenities with a laid-back Arequipa is the convent-city of
lifestyle, stunning scenery and Santa Catalina (7 on the map), 2
beautiful colonial archictecture, blocks from the Plaza. It really
it is somewhere everyone should is a city in miniature and housed
try and visit while on holiday in over 200 nuns and 300 servants
Peru. until it opened its doors to the
public in 1970. It was a closed
The Plaza de Armas is the heart convent and today the nuns live
of the city and is a peaceful, in a small closed area while the
beautiful square - the perfect miniature streets and houses
place to sit and wonder where to which were previously the nuns’
visit next on your Peru holiday! cells are open from 9am-4pm. It’s
It is surrounded on three sides an amazing place and you can
by colonial arcades and on the really feel the history as you
fourth by the beautiful white walk around.
cathedral. The cathedral itself
is open to the public in the If the sun is shining (which it
morning and the evening and is always is here!) then there are
well worth a visit. There are some nice bars and restaurants in
also several other colonial-era the Pasaje de la Catedral – a
churches close to the Plaza that pedestrianised street which lies
are fine examples of the elegant just behind the cathedral from
the Plaza. It’s a lovely,
tranquil place during the day and And when you think that Colca
at night, and is a great place to Canyon was only 163m shallower
unwind and send home those than the deepest canyon in the
postcards making everyone feel world... it's because a few miles
jealous of your Peru holiday! away is Cotahuasi Canyon!
Similarly an area of more than
Outside the city itself, Colca outstanding natural beauty,
Canyon is one of the undoubted Cotahuasi canyon is slightly more
highlights of many peoples' Peru remote and harder to get to but
holidays. It is twice as deep as is all the more breathtaking
the Grand Canyon and is 163m because of it. It was declared a
short of being the deepest in the Zona Reserva Turistica in 1988
world - all this at 3,500m above and is only slowly opening up to
sea-level! It offers almost tourists.
unparalleled views and is also
probably the best place to see There's so much to see and do in
the famous giant Andean Condor. Arequipa and the surrounding
The sides of the canyon are lined areas as part of your Peru
with pre-Inca terraces, lying holidays that your only problem
inbetween tiny villages clinging is likely to be wanting to spend
to the precipitous sides. You've too long here!
got to see it to believe it!
About the Author:
Dan Clarke is a founder of the Real Peru Holiday Company - the UK specialist in organising tailormade holidays in Peru. He writes regularly with hints and tips on how to enjoy your Peru holidays and where to visit during your holiday in Peru. Find out more at http://www.therealperu.co.uk/
Read more articles by: Dan Clarke
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