After crossing the border into Peru in Puno, we had a first delicious Peruvian „menu del dia“ at the bus station, before going on the next bus to Arequipa: our first destination in Peru. It is the second biggest city in Peru with close to 1 million citizens. The historic center of Arequipa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its historic importance, natural scenery and cultural sites with its colonial and republican architectural styles make the city a famous destination. Even more so, as it suffered several earthquakes in the past, but managed to preserve a lot of their old buildings despite it. For us it became one of our most favourite South American cities so far, next to Salta in Argentina. We had 2 1/2 days there before heading to Cusco to do the Inca Trail. So we decided to indulge into the Peruvian cuisine and explore the city. We did a fabulous cooking class and tasted other local dishes on the market to build up some strength for the hiking trip to Machu Picchu. We loved the city! There is still so much more to explore in the area around Arequipa that we will definitely come back here again.
