Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- There are daily flights to Arequipa from Lima, Juliaca, and Cusco on LanPeru (tel. 01/213-8200; www.lanperu.com) and TANS (tel. 01/213-6000; www.tansperu.com.pe). Flights from Lima and Cusco range from $79 to $199, one-way.

Aeropuerto Rodríquez Ballón (tel. 054/443-464 or 054/443-458), Av. Aviación s/n, Zamácola, Cerro Colorado, is about 7km (4 1/3 miles) northwest of the city. From the airport to downtown hotels, transportation is by taxi ($5) or shared colectivo service (about $2 per person).

By Bus -- The main Terminal Terrestre (tel. 054/427-798), Av. Andrés Avelino Cáceres at Av. Arturo Ibáñez s/n, is about 4km (2 1/2 miles) south of downtown Arequipa. Nearby is a newer station, Nuevo Terrapuerto (tel. 054/348-810), Av. Arturo Ibáñez s/n. A huge number of bus companies travel in and out of Peru's second city from across the country, and you'll need to ask if your bus departs from Terminal or Terrapuerto.

From Lima (a 16-hr. ride), recommended companies include Ormeño (tel. 01/472-5000), Cruz del Sur (tel. 01/424-1005), Civa (tel. 01/332-5236), and Oltursa (tel. 01/475-8559). For service from Puno (5 hr.) and Juliaca, contact Cruz del Sur (tel. 051/216-625), Civa (tel. 051/426-563), and Julsa (tel. 051/331-952). Ormeño travels to Arequipa from Puno (Av. Titicaca 318; tel. 051/352-321) as well as Cusco (Plaza Tupac Amaru 114; tel. 084/228-712). Other options from Cusco (10-12 hr.) are Civa (tel. 084/812-813) and Cruz del Sur (tel. 084/233-383). From Chivay/Colca Canyon (3-4 hr.), call Reyna (tel. 054/426-549) or Cristo Rey (tel. 054/213-094).

Note: Arequipa's bus stations -- and especially the buses themselves -- are notorious for attracting thieves. Travelers are advised to pay very close attention to their belongings, even going so far as to lock them to luggage racks. The route between Arequipa and Puno especially has earned a bad reputation. It's best to opt for more exclusive and safer bus companies recommended above.

By Train -- Puno-to-Arequipa trains are now available only by private charter for groups of 40 or more, and there are no trains to or from Lima. However, the former trajectory might be reinstated at some point in the future (for updates or charters, visit www.perurail.com). The Arequipa rail station is 8 blocks south of the city center, at Av. Tacna y Arica 201 (tel. 054/215-640). The PeruRail ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 10:30am and 2 to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8am to noon and 3 to 6pm.

Visitor Information

There's a tourist information booth at the Aeropuerto Rodríquez Ballón (tel. 054/444-564), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. The best information office in town is in Casona de Santa Catalina, Santa Catalina 210 (across from the convent; tel. 054/221-227); it's open daily from 9am to 9pm. There's also an office on the Plaza de Armas across from the cathedral at Portal de la Municipalidad 112 (tel. 054/211-021); it's open daily from 8am to 6pm. You can also get information and free maps from the tourist police, Jerusalén 315 at the corner of Ugarte (tel. 054/201-258).

Fast Facts -- You'll find ATMs located in the courtyards of the historic Casa Ricketts at San Francisco 108, now the offices of Banco Continental. Other banks in the historic center include Banco Latino, at San Juan de Dios 112, and Banco de Crédito, at General Morán 101. Money-changers can generally be found waving calculators and stacks of dollars on the Plaza de Armas and major streets leading off the main square. There are several casas de cambio near the Plaza de Armas and Global Net ATMs in several shops around the Plaza; one is Arequipa Inversiones, Jerusalén 109.

The general emergency number in Arequipa is tel. 105. If you need the police, call the Policía Nacional (national police) at tel. 054/254-020, or Policía de Turismo (tourist police), Jerusalén 315 at the corner of Ugarte, at tel. 054/201-258. For fire emergencies, call tel. 116. If you need medical attention, go to Clínica Arequipa, Avenida Bolognesi at Puente Grau (tel. 054/253-416), which has good service and English-speaking doctors. You can also try Hospital General, Peral s/n (tel. 054/231-818) and Hospital Regional, Av. Daniel Alcides Carrión s/n (tel. 054/231-818).

Arequipa has plenty of Internet cabinas. Most are open daily from 8am to 10pm, charge S/1.5 (40¢) per hour, and have Net2Phone or other programs that allow very cheap Web-based international phone calls. Two of the cheapest and fastest cabinas are La Red, Jerusalén 306B (tel. 054/286-700), and TravelNet, Jerusalén 218 (tel. 054/205-548). Another good spot is Catedral Internet, in the small passageway behind the cathedral. An only slightly more expensive option that's open a bit later is Catedral Internet, Pasaje Catedral 101 (tel. 054/282-074), on the pedestrian mall just behind the cathedral.

The main post office is located at Moral 118 (tel. 054/215-247); it's open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 8pm, and Sunday from 9am to 2pm. A DHL office is located at Santa Catalina 115 (tel. 054/220-045); it's open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 7:30pm, and Saturday from 9am to noon. Telefónica del Perú offices are located at Alvarez Thomas 209 (tel. 054/281-112) and Av. Los Arces 200B, in the Cayma district (tel. 054/252-020). They're open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 6pm, and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.

A Note about Safety -- Arequipa has earned a reputation as one of Peru's more unsafe cities, mostly in terms of pickpocketing, although some locals talk about tourist robberies and even "strangle muggings." I found some citizens to be quite alarmist. Several people were outspoken about what you should carry on your person (nothing of value, including a camera) and how to conduct yourself (be on guard at all times), even in the daytime, when plenty of police patrol the streets in the old quarter. I've never had a problem in Arequipa, but I do think that late at night you should be especially cautious when exiting bars and restaurants in the historic center; as always, leave your daypack and other unnecessary belongings in your hotel. Some taxi drivers in Arequipa also warn about their colleagues who set tourists up for ambushes. They suggest either calling for a cab or getting into taxis with older drivers because most of the crimes have been perpetrated by younger drivers.

Getting Around

Arequipa is compact, and most of its top attractions can easily be seen on foot and with an occasional taxi. The historic center is built around the stately Plaza de Armas, marked by the cathedral on the north flank and porticoed buildings on the other three sides. Most sites of visitor interest, including most hotels and restaurants, are found in the blocks immediately north of the plaza. A few blocks west of the main square is the Río Chili and, beyond it, the residential neighborhood Yanahuara and La Recoleta monastery. Two bridges, Puente Grau and Puente Bolognesi, lead from the center to these areas.

By Taxi -- Taxis are inexpensive and plentiful, easily hailed on the street, and best used at night. Most trips in town cost no more than S/3 (85¢). To call a taxi at night, try Taxi Seguro (tel. 054/450-250), Taxi Sur (tel. 054/465-656), Master Taxi (tel. 054/220-505), or Ideal Taxi (tel. 054/288-888). An excellent private driver for trips to Colca and elsewhere is Manuel Pino Torres of Privatour (tel. 054/952-6495).

By Car -- A car isn't necessary in Arequipa unless you want to explore the countryside, especially Colca and/or Cotahuasi canyons, independently. Try Lucava Rent-a-Car, Aeropuerto Rodríquez Ballón (tel. 054/650-565) and Centro Comercial Cayma no. 10 (tel. 054/663-378); and Avis, Aeropuerto Rodríquez Ballón (tel. 054/443-576) and Palacio Viejo 214 (tel. 054/282-519).