Arequipa Food Tour: Market Walk & Pisco Tasting Experience

Summary

Walk Arequipa’s old streets, sample fruits in San Camilo Market, try pisco and frozen cheese with a guide

You’ll walk Arequipa’s historic center with a local guide, sample fresh fruits at San Camilo Market, sip pisco in a quiet courtyard, and finish with frozen cheese dessert. Expect laughter over new flavors, stories about old buildings, and that feeling you get when you taste something totally new for the first time.

What’s the experience like?

I almost missed the meeting spot at Plaza de Armas because I got distracted by a street vendor selling tiny bags of cancha — those crunchy corn snacks. Our guide, Rosario, found me chewing and grinning like an idiot. She just laughed and waved us over to the group. The square was busy that morning, pigeons everywhere, and the cathedral’s white walls almost glowing in the sun. I didn’t expect to feel so small standing there, but the city kind of hums around you.

We set off through narrow streets — Rosario pointing out how earthquakes had changed some buildings (“that wall used to be twice as high,” she said). We passed Santa Catalina Convent (the blue paint on the walls is wild) and ended up at San Camilo Market. Inside it was noisy and smelled like fruit skins and something sweet I couldn’t place. Rosario handed me a slice of lucuma — creamy, almost like caramel — then a weird spiky fruit I still can’t pronounce. A woman selling chirimoyas smiled when I tried my Spanish; she corrected me gently but I think she appreciated the effort.

The last part was my favorite: pisco tasting in this little courtyard behind La Compañía Church. The glass felt cold in my hand, but it burned going down (in a good way). Someone asked if “frozen cheese” actually has cheese in it — Rosario just grinned and said we’d find out. Turns out it’s more like ice cream than anything cheesy. Sitting there with sticky fingers from fruit juice and that odd mix of church bells and traffic noise… I don’t know, it felt real. Like you’re actually part of Arequipa for a minute.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Walking tour and tasting in Arequipa

• Visit traditional Arequipa neighborhood
• Pass Santa Catalina Convent and artisan center
• Meet at Plaza de Armas and learn history
• Explore La Compañía Church and cloisters
• Visit San Camilo Market
• Tour former Jesuit school cloisters
• Taste Pisco, local fruits, and Frozen Cheese

Top questions

How long does the Arequipa food tour last?

The tour covers several key sites in central Arequipa; exact duration may vary but generally lasts a few hours including tastings.

Is pisco tasting included on this Arequipa tour?

Yes, pisco tasting is included along with local fruits and frozen cheese dessert.

What places do we visit during this walking tour?

You’ll see Plaza de Armas, La Compañía Church, San Camilo Market, Santa Catalina Convent (from outside), and historic neighborhoods.

Is lunch included on this tour?

No full lunch is provided but you’ll have several tastings: fruits, pisco, and frozen cheese dessert.

Can children join this Arequipa tasting tour?

Infants or small children can join if in a stroller; however pisco tasting is for adults only.

Do I need to speak Spanish for this tour?

No; tours are offered in Spanish or English (French possible with advance notice).

Is pickup from my hotel included?

No hotel pickup; meeting point is Plaza de Armas in central Arequipa.

What’s included

Your day includes guided walks through Arequipa’s historic center, fruit tastings inside San Camilo Market, an explanation and tasting of Peru’s national spirit—pisco—and a serving of traditional frozen cheese dessert before finishing up near La Compañía Church.