Arequipa: Sillar Culture, Volcanoes and Vast Protected Areas

Arequipa combines impressive architecture with very diverse landscapes: volcanic Sillar shapes the character of the city’s historic centre, while valleys, volcanic cones and protected areas appeal to different travel interests. If you are planning a family trip, it is therefore worth first deciding whether culture and architecture or nature experiences should be the main focus.

Sillar Architecture in the Historic Centre

The historic centre of Arequipa is built from volcanic Sillar stone. The UNESCO World Heritage Site there includes 49 original blocks of the Spanish city plan, as well as 24 blocks dating from the colonial period and the 19th century. The number of historic buildings also illustrates the city’s architectural richness: the centre has 273 mansions recognised as monuments and 433 buildings of heritage interest, most of them built from Sillar.

The Monasterio de Santa Catalina reveals another facet of this architecture. This religious citadel brings together architectural styles from the 16th to the 19th century. For a culture-focused stay, Arequipa offers specific reasons to pay closer attention to façades, building forms and the long development of the centre. The historic buildings and the monastery offer different impressions: a whole urban fabric built from Sillar in one case, and a religious complex spanning several stylistic periods in the other.

Sillar as a Craft and Archaeological Record

At the Canteras de Añashuayco, Sillar is visible as more than just a building material. The craft of Sillar stonecutting is passed down from generation to generation. In areas used for tourism, visitors can see rock-face carvings and Sillar sculptures, and follow the process of extracting and working the stone. This adds a view of the work involved in shaping the material to the sight of the finished façades.

Another record carved in Sillar can be found at the Toro Muerto archaeological complex. It is located in the district of Uraca, in the province of Castilla, in a desert zone on the right-hand side of the Majes Valley in the Department of Arequipa. The Sillar blocks bear zoomorphic, anthropomorphic and geometric petroglyphs. Toro Muerto was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation by Peru’s Instituto Nacional de Cultura, through Resolución Directoral Nacional No. 2037/INC dated 29 January 2002. Those interested in archaeological records will encounter a different use of Sillar here than in the historic centre.

From the Heights of Colca to Volcanic Cones

The Colca Valley lies in the province of Caylloma and extends from 1,800 to 3,660 metres above sea level. The section of the Colca route described here passes through Arequipa, Chivay, Achoma, Maca, Cabanaconde and Tapay.

The Valle de los Volcanes is defined by a different kind of landscape: it includes 23 especially representative volcanic cones and areas covered in solidified lava. Travellers who find striking volcanic formations more appealing than city architecture can make this a focus when choosing their destinations. The region’s varied landscapes show just how different the priorities can be within the Department.

Protected Areas and Activities

The Reserva Nacional de Salinas y Aguada Blanca encompasses shallow salt lagoons, Puna grassland and rocky areas with low shrubs. Its elevation ranges from 3,500 to 6,075 metres. A network of trails provides access to large parts of the protected area and to a circular route featuring its main attractions. Activities in the reserve include mountaineering on the volcanoes, cycling and hiking; trout fishing is permitted during the authorised season. Five shearing sites are known as ecotourism chakus; there, domestic and foreign tourists can take part in the entire shearing process.

The Santuario Nacional Lagunas de Mejía offers a different focus: it encompasses the Mejía, Iberia and Boquerón lagoons, several viewpoints, a beach area and the mouth of the Tambo River. Depending on the activity planned, you can visit the Santuario independently or with an authorised tour operator. If you want to focus your stay mainly on nature and landscape experiences, you can take these differences into account when choosing your destinations.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it is helpful to first consider which of these interests will shape your trip: historic Arequipa, archaeological records, the highland landscapes of the Colca Valley or activities in a protected area. The pages for the smaller destinations offer further guidance: Yanque, Chala, Cabanaconde, Chivay, Arequipa, Mollendo, Coporaque, Cotahuasi, Paucarpata, Pinchollo, Yura District, Cerro Colorado District, Camana and Yanahuara District.

For the overview of the wider region: Peru.