Arequipean culture is marked by the regional nature of its inhabitants, Arequipa, unlike other big Peruvian mestizo and indigenous cities features as "a Spanish island in an indigenous sea" is the wellspring of juxtaposed positions, as a result of Arequipa regional patterns are more clearly defined than in the rest of Peru, while both culturally and geographically is described by Thomas Love as a cultural oasis and natural.

Gastronomy
Arequipan cuisine has remained more heavily influenced by Spanish colonial cuisine than that in Lima and it has remained relatively free from the later influence of immigrants that migrated to Lima, such as the Chinese and Japanese. For example, a Spanish rabbit stew continues to be popular in Arequipa while in Lima it has now become a rare dish. The area's peppers and chili peppers, various fruits and vegetables, beef, sheep, guinea pig, pig, alpaca, ostrich, variety of fish and shrimp, milk and high quality cheeses, wines and pisco, corn, all provide great flavors. The places where traditional food is sold are called picanterías.

Traditionally, set lists of dishes are served on each day of the week (that seldom changes) as was common during the Spanish colonial period: Monday: Chaque, Tuesday: Chair, Wednesday: chochoca, Thursday: red stew or potato flour, Friday: Stew, Saturday: Stew or Timpusca and Sunday: white broth Pebre loins and Adobo.

Arequipa is known for its Spanish colonial style stews and casseroles cooked in firewood and clay pots of picantería. Among the best known are the Chupe de Camarones (shrimp), Ocopa Arequipeña, Rocoto Relleno (stuffed chili), Adobo, Solterito de Queso, Potato Cake, Costillar Frito, Cuy Chactado (Guinea Pig), Cauche de Queso, Locro, Chaque de Pecho, etc. Common items for desert include: Queso Helado, donuts, Spanish style convent candy, chocolates and Chicha de Jora (made of black corn, beer and anise liqueur).

Literature
The identity of the Arequipean literature is well defined. Mariano Melgar is one of the most important writers, then we have poetic voices from Benito Bonifaz, Manuel Castillo, José Mariano Llosa, Ignacio Gamio, among others. Writers like Manuel Gonzales Prada would say "No se nace en vano al pie de un volcán (In English: "not in vain were we born at the foot of a volcano)", showing the proud and the loftiness that have always been notorious among the older people.

The climate of Arequipa is one that is especially warm and rather dry, all through the year. Arequipa lies alongside the southernmost tip of Peru's Desert Coast and enjoys plenty of sunny weather, with daytime temperatures rarely dipping much below 20°C / 68°F or thereabouts.

However, by night, temperatures in Arequipa can drop sharply, particularly in June, July and August, when evening temperatures hover around 10°C / 50°F and can feel quite chilly. Therefore, you will need to consider the climate, seasonal weather and temperature fluctuations carefully when filling your suitcase, and pack accordingly.

The best time to visit Arequipa is through the months of June through September, during the dry season.  That said, Arequipa averages over 300 days of sunshine every year so visiting during the so-called rainy season probably won't spoil your trip.

Each year on August 15th there is a city-wide party celebrating the day Garcí Manuel de Carbajal settled the city in 1540. On this day and those surrounding it the city is packed and last-minute accommodations are hard to come by.  It is a great time to see Arequipa if you want to mix with lots of locals and see how they kick-back, however if you are planning on being in Arequipa in mid-August be sure to arrange accommodations well in advance.

The city of Arequipa has Alfredo Rodriguez Ballon International Airport. It is located in the district of Cerro Colorado, about 12 km Northwest of downtown at an altitude of 2561 meters and has an asphalt runway 2.980 m by 45 m. Due to its characteristics and equipment, is one of the best in Peru, holds daily air connections with the cities of Lima, Cusco, Tacna and Juliaca and international destinations such as Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta and Santiago de Chile, along with regular flights to Santa Cruz and La Paz in Bolivia.

In 2007 it had a flow of passengers equal to 575,587 passengers and a load flow of 2,083,196.28 kg in the same year, becoming as second in the southern region of the passenger traffic flow after Alexander International Airport Velasco Astete in Cuzco city and third in the country.

In 2008 the airport became the second largest airport in international passenger flow, behind Jorge Chavez International Airport.

Getting Around:
Rail Transport

The railway transport enables communication between the coast and the mountains and different levels of progress and expansion of population centers in the region. The system is formed by the lines: Cusco-Puno-Arequipa-Mollendo. Is strategically important in a multimodal communication system in the southern macro region, because it is the most efficient and economical way to transport heavy loads over long distances.

Land Transport

 “Juanita” at Museo Santuario Andino
One of Arequipa's more unusual attractions is "Juanita" the so-called Ice Princess. "Juanita" is kept inside the Museo Santuarios Andinos (UCSM).

"Juanita" was discovered in 1995 by anthropologist Dr Johan Reinhard on the slopes of the Amapato volcano. It is said that she was sacrificed on the mountain in an ancient Incan ritual to appease the gods. She was "put to sleep" with a blow to her right eyebrow causing her death.

"Juanita's" remains have been preserved and are being studied by scientists in the laboratories of the Catholic University.

Admission to the museum is 20 Soles for foreign tourists and we also had to have a compulsory guided tour whom we tipped a further 5 soles. There are cheaper rates for foreign students and Peruvians). The museum is open Monday - Saturday 9:00am to 6:00pm and Sunday 9:00am to 3:00pm.

We were shown a 20 minute National Geographic clip about the Amapato mummies (there were several found). During the tour of archeological artefacts I was beginning to wonder if we were going to actually see the mummy and then finally at the end of the tour, there she was. She was surprisingly small and was enclosed inside a cool temperature controlled glass box. She was in the fetal position and was still wrapped up although her face was visible.

Attraction 2:
Casa del Moral
Moral House is another spectacular 18th Century mansion made of the typical Arequipan volcanic stone, "sillar". The front entrance has an amazing stone carving over the doorway. Inside there are displays of furniture of Peru's colonial period. A visit to Moral house is worth it to just see the interior patio and gardens which are just beautiful. The house gets its name from an ancient blackberry tree (called a Moral in Spanish) that grows in the main courtyard.

In 2000 the Casa del Moral was named a UNESCO world heritage site.