Santa Catalina Monastery — Attraction in Arequipa

A convent so massive and self contained, it basically gave the finger to the outside world for centuries. Founded in 1579, this 20,000 square meter walled city housed up to 450 women, nuns and their servants.. living in isolation from Arequipa’s chaos while creating their own colonial Pinterest board in stone.

The volcanic ashlar from nearby Misti and Chachani gave it that photogenic white red orange pop that Instagram loves but the original nuns were probably too cloistered to enjoy.

Inside, it’s a maze of cobbled alleys, serene cloisters, and rooms so austere they make IKEA look baroque. One cloister even forced novices into four years of silence, which honestly sounds like a wellness retreat for introverts today.

Don’t miss the communal laundry (stone tubs because nuns also needed biceps), the art gallery with 400+ Cusco school paintings, and the oddly peaceful cemetery, quiet since forever.

Best visited in the late afternoon when the light softens the guilt of centuries. Or go Tuesday and Thursday nights when they light it with candles, like a religious fever dream meets ghost tour.

If Vatican City had a Peruvian cousin with better lighting and fewer tourists, this would be it. Come for the history, stay for the vibes, and thank the heavens you didn’t have to take a vow of silence...

Infos/Tips: Entrance is 45 SOL, but it’s worth it There are audio guides through the iOS and Android applications "Monasterio de Santa Catalina" (Note that it supports Spanish, English and French, and will take the phone’s configured language) It takes at least 2 hours to do the full tour of it (we took 2 hours and 15 minutes) I would recommend to do it when it’s sunny/hot in the day, as it’s quite "cooler" in the museum They accept VISA

Founded in 1579 by Maria de Guzman, the Monastery of Santa Catalina is a sprawling complex that covers over 20,000 square meters. It served as a cloister for nuns of the Dominican Second Order and is renowned for its vibrant architecture and well-preserved colonial-era buildings.

The monastery features a unique blend of Spanish colonial and native architectural styles, prominently using sillar, the white volcanic stone typical of Arequipa.

The buildings are characterized by brightly colored walls in shades of blue, orange, and red, which create a striking visual impact and are complemented by beautiful arches, courtyards, and fountains.

The monastery is organized into different sectors, including living quarters, chapels, plazas, streets, and gardens. Each sector served a specific purpose, reflecting the monastic life of prayer, work,...

We loved our experience of the Monastery. A fascinating history and indeed the most beautiful and well preserved place you will visit in Peru. 40 soles entrance plus 10 soles each for an English speaking guide who was ok but not overly enthusiastic (think she’s bored of regurgitating the facts), still worth hearing however. The entrance fees are high for Peru and I believe some of the money goes to the upkeep of the monastery and some goes to the 18 active nuns still living in a separate section of the convent. If you’ve been to southern Spain this will be a particularly wowing experience for you as the architecture and colour-scheme are just of that in Córdoba and Granada. We spent almost 2 hours including the 45minute-1hr guided tour. We went at 10:30am and it was already a little busy, quite hot by the time we wanted to leave too. I would go earlier as the light might be a little softer for pictures, less busy and less hot. My boyfriend was a little irritated taking film photos because a few times someone stepped right into the otherwise clear frame just as he clicked the button. Haha Afterwards we went for coffee to La Dispenserie which was fantastic, buy a loaf of their ciabatta for 8 soles! It’s incredible. Love love loved it, could not recommend it...