Santa Catalina Monastery

This place is one of the most fascinating monasteries or religious sites we’ve visited. During the colonial era, the monastery housed nuns dedicated to the Catholic faith, many of whom came from wealthy and powerful Spanish or Creole families. There are remnants of the extravagant lifestyles the nuns once had, such as high-end tapestries, silver tableware, fine European ceramics, and even a room filled with elegant furniture where they entertained guests. For me, the highlight of the monastery was the vibrant colors—rust-red and deep blue—on its walls and windows, which let in beautiful natural light across the small village-like complex. The monastery is also very picturesque, with charming gardens and flowers throughout. I found it amusing how many kitchens there were within the grounds. Towards the exit, there is a small street that leads to a café, set against the stunning backdrop of glacier-capped mountain peaks. Although we didn’t hire a guide, we took time to read about the history and significance of this UNESCO World Heritage site. It took us about an hour and a half to fully enjoy the experience.

45 soles per person to enter. Although I found this to be quite pricey the Convent had plenty of information and we actually spent a few hours here as there was so much to learn about. You can pay 10 soles for a tour guide per person or download their app for free which explains each room. It really was fascinating and worth the visit here.

Ticket price was reasonable. Santa Catalina Monastery was quite a unique place and well worth a visit. There was a fair bit to see, with lots of different sections to walk through. The colours were striking and very contrasting, made the place feel lively despite its quiet nature. It gave a good sense of how the nuns used to live. I especially liked the old kitchens, simple but very interesting. Highly recommend it if you are in Arequipa.

This is an amazing place to visit, especially as we were not expecting anything going in. We were not expecting the monastery to encompass a big area and it was almost like a small village. The rooms are well preserved and we spend the visit trying to imagine how the nuns would go about their day in silence around the large spaces. You can see the individual rooms of the nuns each with their own kitchen and try to imagine how it would smell like when food was freshly prepared. There is a roof observation platform with great views of the mountains and volcano. This is a must do visit in Arequipa.

A must-see place if you are in Arequipa. The monastery is open to tourists but they still have cloistered nun that live inside. I definitely suggest having a guide, they have some available at the entrance right after the ticket office. The guide will take you for a walking tour of the various areas explaining in detail how the convent was used throughout the years.

One of the world's largest monasteries. Beautiful colours all around. Free moving around the rooms where the nuns lived, and in their religious spaces. One can hire a local guide (and get an entrance ticket) in many world languages at the entrance and get a guided tour. Beautiful scenes to take a picture within the monastery, and with the city's surrounding mountains. Account for at least an hour and a half here and get some good sun protection

It’s amazing how big the whole convent is, we were definitely amazed by the sheer size. It’s really well looked after and really colorful. The entry fee of 45 Soles/Adult seemed a bit steep and it is but it makes sense once you walked through the whole area. There are 2 cafes one of them in a really nice garden just of Calle Sevilla (I think it was) where we had a snack which was good & cheap. If you want to know more about the convent history and aren’t willing to read all the boards there are tours available for 10 soles. They also know more than the signs obviously ;).

Good place to start leaning about lokal post colonial history. History about great sacrifices Arequipa families did, in the name of the God. Would recommend dedicating at least 2 hours for visiting this place with eventual affordable guided tour (10 SOL). From which, I got the lokal and skilled guide called Gloria.