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. 054/223-265); 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).
A Note about Safety -- Arequipa -- which on the surface seems to be one of Peru's most placid, easygoing cities -- has earned a reputation for rife pickpocketing, although some locals talk about staged tourist robberies and even "strangle muggings." Based on my experience, I've found some citizens to be quite alarmist. Several people have been 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.
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