Arequipa city tour: Santa Catalina Monastery and viewpoints

Walk colonial plazas and a centuries-old monastery, then stand at a viewpoint over the city and volcanoes

This city tour of Arequipa covers the historic center, the Santa Catalina Monastery, and two viewpoints overlooking the city and its volcanoes, with a professional guide in English or Spanish, all entry tickets, and private transport to each stop. The tour runs three to four hours and includes no extra charges—guide, entry and transport are settled before you start.

Step-by-step itinerary

City tour and viewpoints visit

• Visit Plaza de Armas and Cathedral facade
• Explore La Compañía Church and its carvings
• See colonial art in historic bank building
• Tour Santa Catalina Monastery and landscapes
• Visit Yanahuara viewpoint and district
• Go to distant viewpoint with terraces and volcano views

The Experience

The day starts at the Plaza de Armas, where the Cathedral's facade and the square itself anchor Arequipa's colonial past. From there you move to La Compañía Church, a religious landmark with carved details and colonial-era artwork; if time allows, the dome opens up—a space the guide compares to the Sistine Chapel. A colonial house now used as a bank holds more artistic works and paintings from the same period, giving a sense of how the city's wealthy lived centuries ago.

The Santa Catalina Monastery is the centerpiece. It's a sprawling complex where religious orders lived in colonial times, full of small courtyards, passages and rooms that show how the monastery functioned as a self-contained world. The architecture and carved details throughout the grounds illustrate the art and craft of that era. After the monastery, the tour climbs to Yanahuara, a viewpoint district that keeps its original buildings and sits quiet above the city noise. From there you see the city spread out below and the volcanoes that ring Arequipa. A second viewpoint, about 30 minutes from the city center, sits higher still—surrounded by terraces and green fields, it's the place to see the volcanoes in full view and learn a bit about local crops and products.

A guide in English or Spanish walks you through each stop and explains what you're standing in front of. Private transport moves you between the sites, so there's no waiting for a shared van or figuring out how to reach the viewpoints on your own. Entry to every site is covered, and the operator states there are no extra fees once you've booked.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Spanish.
• entry tickets to all sites including the Santa Catalina Monastery, La Compañía Church and viewpoints.
• private transport between each stop in the city and to the outlying viewpoints.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by phaway viajes peru

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want a guide explaining colonial architecture and the monastery as you walk, with both viewpoints and the historic center covered in one morning or afternoon session.

Top questions

What is the Santa Catalina Monastery like inside?

The Santa Catalina Monastery is a large colonial complex where religious orders lived, with many small courtyards, passages and rooms showing how the community organized itself. Carved details and artistic works throughout the buildings illustrate colonial-era craftsmanship and religious art.

Can I see the volcanoes on this tour?

Yes. The tour includes two viewpoints where you see the volcanoes that surround Arequipa. Yanahuara is a district viewpoint above the city, and a second viewpoint about 30 minutes away sits higher, surrounded by terraces and green fields, giving a fuller view of the volcanoes.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs three to four hours and covers the Plaza de Armas, La Compañía Church, a colonial house, the Santa Catalina Monastery, and two viewpoints of the city and volcanoes.

Is transport between stops included?

Yes. Private transportation to each site is included, so you don't arrange your own way to the viewpoints or between the colonial center and the monastery.

Are entry tickets to the sites included in the price?

Yes. All entry tickets to every site on the tour are included, and the operator states there are no extra charges once you book.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English or Spanish, and you choose which when you book.