Arequipa is Peru's second largest city in Peru; the major city of the southern part of the country; and in the minds of its proud residents, virtually an independent city-state. It is known as the white city, since much of its building are constructed of sillar, a very light-colored volcanic rock. Arequipa lies in a scenic valley bordered by magnificent mountains that include the snowcapped volcanic cone of El Misti (5,825 m), Chachani (6,075 m) and Pichu Pichu (5,664 m). More than 800,000 people live in the city.

Arequipa enjoys a wealth of very fine 17th and 18th century buildings. Undoubtedly, the most famous of these is the Convent of Santa Catalina, which when it became open to the public in 1970 revealed a world of luxurious seclusion that was sealed off from the rest of the world for almost four centuries.

The climate in Arequipa is mild and dry year-round. Temperatures vary between 20-25 degrees Celsius (70-80 F) in the summer and 10-15 degrees Celsius (50-60 F) in the winter.