43 Best Sights in The Southern Andes and Lake Titicaca, Peru

This jam-packed collection of shops sells everything from snacks and local produce to clothing and household goods. It's an excellent place geared more to locals than tourists so you can spot rare types of potatoes, sample queso helado (ice cream), or eat chicharrones (deep-fried pork). It's on Calle San Camilo, between Avenidas Peru and Piérola.

There's a colorful story behind the area's first stone molino (mill), 7 km (4 miles) southeast of Arequipa. Built in 1621 in the gorgeous Paucarpata countryside, the mill fell into ruin over the next century. Famous architect Luis Felipe Calle was restoring the Arequipa mansion that now houses the Central Reserve Bank in 1966 when he was asked to work on the mill project. By 1973, the restoration of the volcanic-stone structure was complete, and Calle liked the new version so much that he bought it, got it working again, and opened it for tours. Bring your swimsuit and walking shoes in good weather—there's a pool and trails amid the lovely countryside. Adjoining the site is the traditional village of Yumina, which has numerous Inca agricultural terraces. If you're not driving, flag a taxi for S/25–S/30 or take a colectivo (shared taxi) from Socabaya in Arequipa to about 2 km (1 mile) past Paucarpata.

With a solid collection of indigenous pottery and textiles, human-sacrificed bones, and gold and silver offerings from Inca times, this archaeology museum at the Universidad Nacional de San Agustín provides insight into local archaeology and ruins.

An exhibit of 501 gold pieces called the "Great Treasure of Sillustani" has helped to make this one of the most important regional archaeological museums in southern Peru. The intimate museum is named for famed Puno painter and antiques collector Carlos Dreyer Spohr, whose oil-on-canvas works you can view here, in addition to exploring exhibits of pre-Hispanic and colonial art, weavings, silver, copper works, delicate Aymara pottery, pre-Inca stone sculptures, and historical Spanish documents on the founding of Puno. Plan to spend about an hour here.

A hidden gem, this museum pays tribute to the infamous coca leaf and Peruvian folklore. The quaint museum includes a folklore exhibit as well as everything you'd ever want to know about the coca leaf. Presented in English and Spanish, displays are well constructed with educational videos and photographs. The mission is not to promote coca but merely to share the plant's history and culture. The folklore exhibit displays elaborately constructed costumes worn during festivals and shares the history behind the dances. Visit the store and purchase some coca-based products or have your future read in the leaves.

This history museum provides an overview of Arequipa's development into a modern city. Highlights include a photo and caricature gallery of local aristocrats, and exhibits of archaeology, natural history, and architecture. Housed in the 1804 building, in the Sala Naval (Naval Room), are extensive displays of old maps, paintings, and war memorabilia. Great for a quick lesson on Arequipa's urbanization.

Several types of South American camelids thrive at this vast nature reserve of desert, grass, and flamingo-filled lakes. Indeed, you might see herds of beige-and-white vicuñas, llamas, and alpacas all grazing together on the sparse plant life of its open fields. Wear good walking shoes for the uneven terrain, and bring binoculars. Also bring a hat, sunscreen, and a warm jacket, as the park sits at a crisp 3,900 meters (12,795 feet). The reserve is 35 km (22 miles) north of Arequipa, just beyond volcano El Misti. If you're headed to Colca Canyon or Puno from Arequipa, you have to pass through the reserve to get there, but tours really just rush through the area, stopping only at the Laguna de Pampa Blanca for a glimpse of wild vicuñas. If you hire private transport, you can visit the cave paintings at Sumbay and spend some time to properly hike across this barren expanse. The Toccra interpretation center, with detailed information in English and Spanish on the area's flora and fauna, is located 2½ hours from Arequipa and is open to the public from 9 to 4.

The main attraction in the small lakeside town of Pomata is this church, built of pink granite in the 18th century and containing paintings from the Cusco School and the Flemish School. Its mestizo baroque carvings and translucent alabaster windows are spectacular and the altars are covered in gold leaf. Pomata is also famous for its fine pottery, especially for its Toritos de Pucará (bull figures).

High on a hauntingly beautiful peninsula in Lake Umayo is the necropolis of Sillustani, where 28 stone burial towers represent a city of the dead that both predated and coincided with the Inca empire. The proper name for a tower is ayawasi (home of the dead), but they're generally referred to as chullpas, which are actually the shrouds used to cover the mummies inside. This was the land of the Aymara-speaking Colla people, and the precision of their masonry rivals that of the Inca. Sillustani's mystique is heightened by the view it provides over Lake Umayo and its mesa-shaped island, El Sombrero, as well as by the utter silence that prevails, broken only by the wind over the water and the cries of lake birds.

Most of the chullpas date from the 14th and 15th centuries, but some were erected as early as AD 900. The tallest, known as the Lizard because of a carving on one of its massive stones, has a circumference of 8.5 meters (28 feet). An unusual architectural aspect of the chullpas is that the circumference is smaller at the bottom than the top. To fully appreciate Sillustani, it's necessary to make the long climb to the top; fortunately, the steps are wide, and it's an easy climb. Some schoolchildren will put on dances. If you take photos of mothers and children and pet alpacas, a donation of a few soles will be appreciated.

Toro Muerto is the world's largest petroglyph field, where hundreds of volcanic rocks are thought to have been painted more than 1,000 years ago by the Huari (or Wari) culture. There are sketches of pumas, llamas, guanacos, and condors, as well as warriors and dancers. Head higher for expansive views of the desert. It's hot and windy, so bring water, a hat, and sunglasses. Toro Muerto is 164 km (102 mi) northwest of Arequipa, and, unless you are driving, guided tours are the most effective way to visit in a day.

The eclectic little suburb of Yanahuara, northwest of the city, is the perfect spot for lunch or a late-afternoon stroll. The neighborhood has amazing views over Arequipa at a lookout constructed of sillar stone arches, complete with a Pisco Museum and a little park for soaking in glorious sunsets. On a clear day, the volcanoes El Misti, Chachani, and Picchu can be seen. Stop in at the 1783 Iglesia Yanahuara. The interior has wrought-iron chandeliers and gilt sanctuaries surrounding the nave. Ask to see the glass coffin that holds a statue of Christ used in parades on holy days. To reach Yanahuara, head across the Avenida Grau bridge, then continue on Avenida Ejército to Avenida Lima, and from there, it's five blocks to the plaza. It's a 15-minute walk or an 8-minute cab ride from the city center.

About a half-hour drive from Arequipa, this serene little town is settled in the western foothills of the Volcán Chachani. Take the road 27 km (17 miles) farther to reach these rustic thermal baths where you can take a dip in naturally heated water that ranges from 70°F to 82°F. You can soak in any weather and enjoy a picnic along the river in summertime. Admission to the hot springs is S/5, and they're open daily from 8 to 3. From the old Arequipa train station, there's bus service to Yura for S/3 which takes close to an hour.