Arequipa City Tour: Santa Catalina Monastery & Plaza de Armas

Monastery cloisters, a baroque cathedral, and the Plaza de Armas in one morning

This guided city tour of Arequipa covers the Santa Catalina Monastery, the Plaza de Armas cathedral, and the city's colonial architecture in three hours, with hotel pickup and entrance tickets included. The route moves on foot through the historic center, led by a professional guide in English or Spanish. Suitable for all fitness levels. Minimum age 12.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Santa Catalina Monastery1h 30m · entry included
2. Plaza de Armas20m · entry included

Explore Arequipa's historic landmarks

• Pick up from hotel in city center
• Visit Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena
• Walk to the Main Square and admire cathedral
• See historic church with mestizo facade
• Visit baroque mansion showcasing architecture
• Return to main plaza to conclude tour

The experience

Hotel pickup in central Arequipa starts the tour, and from there the guide leads you into the Santa Catalina Monastery: a 16th-century complex of narrow streets, flower-filled cloisters, and fresco-painted walls that shift between deep reds, blues, and yellows. The cells and courtyards open onto each other in a way that makes the colonial era feel close and immediate, not distant. Entrance is included, so there's no separate ticket line to navigate.

After the monastery, the route moves to the Plaza de Armas, where the cathedral dominates the square with its baroque facade: a blend of Spanish and indigenous artistic elements that the guide will point out. The plaza itself carries the energy of the city: it's where locals and travelers mix, and where you can sit and take in the scale of what Arequipa built. The tour also includes a stop at San Ignacio de Loyola, a historic church known for its exquisite mestizo architecture, and ends back at the main plaza so you can linger if the light is good or the crowd thins.

The whole day runs three hours on foot through the historic center. A professional guide in English or Spanish walks the route with you, explaining the architecture and the history as you move between stops. The pace is steady but not rushed. It's built for people who want to understand what they're looking at, not just pass through.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English or Spanish.
• entrance tickets to Santa Catalina Monastery and San Ignacio de Loyola.
• hotel pickup from central Arequipa.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

AgesAdult (12 to 60 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Intiperu Travel

Is this one for you?The three-hour pace on foot through the historic center works best if you want to move steadily through the main sites without a rushed schedule. The guide has time to explain the architecture and history at each stop, and you're not racing between monuments. If you prefer a slower, more leisurely exploration or a longer deep dive into fewer places, a private guide or a half-day option might suit you better.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is inside the Santa Catalina Monastery that makes it worth the visit?

The Santa Catalina Monastery holds intricate cells, narrow streets, and cloisters decorated with flowers and colorful fresco-painted walls in deep reds, blues, and yellows. The complex was built in the 16th century and the painted surfaces and layout of the courtyards give a direct sense of colonial-era life and artistic skill. Entrance is included in the tour.

How much walking is involved in this Arequipa city tour?

The tour covers the historic center on foot over three hours, moving between the monastery, the Plaza de Armas, and colonial churches. The pace is steady and the route stays in the city center, so the walking is continuous but not strenuous. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels.

Does the tour include entry to the monuments, or do I pay separately?

Entrance tickets to the Santa Catalina Monastery and San Ignacio de Loyola are included in the tour price. Hotel pickup from central Arequipa is also included, so you don't arrange transport to the starting point.

Can children join this tour?

The tour is open to children and adults. The minimum age is 12. The route is on foot through the historic center and is suitable for all fitness levels.