Arequipa & Surroundings
Location
The city of Arequipa is located in the far Southwest of Peru at an altitude of 2335 meters above sea level. Arequipa is surrounded by three volcanoes that can be seen from anywhere in the city: Misti (5,821m) Chachani (6075m) and Pichupichu (5425m).Near Arequipa you can find "The Colca", the deepest canyon and beautiful in the world, home of the Condor.
History
Founded by the Spanish Garci Manuel de Carbajal on August 15, 1540. Its name comes from quechua "Ari-who pay", meaning "Yes, stay". Arequipa is located at the point where they divided the central Andean area and central-southern Andes, so that this area was incorporated into the valleys which are south of Rio Sihuas.
For Arequipa, the Incas fell to Yunga region in search of new conquests. At the foot of the volcano Misti Spanish conquistadors led by Manuel de Carbajal founded the city of Arequipa. In the Republican era occurred here as memorable revolutions: Ramón Castilla, Mariano Prado, Nicolas de Pierola, Sanchez Cerro and others by those who have been called "collective warlords."
Arequipa has become the center of economic complex in southern Peru; textile production highlights alpaca wool with export quality. Arequipa also has a varied cuisine, and has been declared as the "Gourmet Capital of Peru". Its architecture is Spanish and Italian Baroque, characterized by beautiful homes and home virreinal Republican. Since colonial times it is known as "The White City" for its numerous temples and houses built with white ashlar (volcanic lava stone) which is very abundant in the region.
In 2000, UNESCO declared the historic centre of the city of Arequipa, as a World Cultural Heritage.
The metropolitan area of Arequipa was established as the second largest and most populous country.
Tourist attractions
Arequipa offers a variety of architecture, including churches, convents, monasteries and the famous Santa Catalina Convent dating from 1580, as well as large number of noble houses.
Its countryside is of great beauty, like the surrounding towns as Cayma, Carmen Alto, Yanahuara and Characato, which offers great views of the beautiful vulcano Misti and her companions Chachani and Pichu Pichu.
In addition, in Arequipa`s surrounding you can find beautiful beach resorts like Mejia, Mollendo and Camana, and thermal baths like Yura, Socosani and Jesus.
The Colca Canyon, located in the Province of Caylloma, is over 100 km long, and its deepening begins several miles after Chivay and its deepest point is at 3400 meters. The Colca area is very appropriate for the adventure sports such as canoeing, kayaking, and trekking.
Climate
Arequipa is predominantly dry in winter, spring and autumn due to atmospheric moisture. Temperatures rise up to 25C° and very rarely drop below 10C°.
The wet season (December to March) is reflected by the presence of clouds in the afternoon and some low rainfall. Winter (June, July) can be a little colder and the temperature drops to an average of 10 ° C but the dry climate helps to feel the cold with less intensity. With a record 4000 hours and more than 300 days of sunshine a year, Arequipa justifies its nickname "city of eternal blue sky".
Solar Radiation
The global solar radiation that is recorded in the city of Arequipa ranges from 850 to 950 W/m2, this index is regarded as one of the highest in South America and is the city with the highest rates of radiation registered in Peru with a IUV (Ultraviolet indicators) that ranges in the range of high values, this phenomenon is due to its proximity to the area affected by the Atacama Desert.
