Santa Catalina Monastery

This is one of the most impressive religious edifices of all the country: it even appears on the new coins of one sol. With its 20 000 m², this citadel seems to be a town in a town due to its narrow streets, its very small squares, its discrete stairwells… You can visit absolutely everything, until the kitchens and the room-cells. The white stones whit a  cream  tone that barely reach an ochre color on its walls makes a contrast between the flowers with bright colors that are presented in the patios. Some nuns who made the wish of a total withdrawal from the society are still living there. The monastery houses a small archaeological museum, as well as some paintings of religious art from the Cusco school. It is without any doubt one of the unavoidable stops and one of the biggest wonders of Arequipa (which is not in lack).