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Peru🇵🇪 | attractionsMonasterio de Santa Catalina de SienaWalled convent village, cobalt lanes, terracotta cloisters, El Misti views | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena
👍 Recommendedattraction ranked #9
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 19, 2026

Santa Catalina is not a convent you glimpse from outside: it is a walled citadel of about 20,000 square meters, and nuns still live in a separate section today. It sits in Peru’s southern city of Arequipa, a few blocks north of the Plaza de Armas. Go. The cobbled lanes, cobalt and terracotta walls and quiet courtyards beat most museums in the country, and the entry fee is fair. Skip the rushed lunch-hour crowds. A guide at the gate told me, “Take the left lane first, everyone goes right,” and he was correct: I had the blue street to myself. Unlike Cusco’s Santo Domingo, built over an Inca temple, this is a whole village of its own.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #9 attraction in PeruWhat sets this place apart

Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena earns a place on any southern Peru route because it shows colonial life behind a wall that hid it for nearly 400 years. Founded in 1579, it stayed closed to outsiders until 1970, and that sealed history is the reason it feels so intact. You wander streets named after Spanish cities like Toledo, Sevilla and Granada, past private cells, kitchens, a laundry with giant clay jars cut in half and a communal washing channel fed by a stream. The color is the hook for photographers, but the real value is how much daily detail survives. Arequipa works well as a first stop after the coast or before Colca Canyon, and this is the one city sight I would not trade for another. Give it unhurried time rather than a quick pass.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Calle Córdoba and Calle Toledo: the cobalt blue and burnt orange lanes everyone photographs, narrow enough that arches frame each shot.
  2. Main Cloister: a quiet courtyard of arcades and murals where novices once lived under strict silence.
  3. Plaza Zocodover: a small square with a central fountain and arches, the social heart of the convent.
  4. Orange Cloister: a courtyard shaded by a tall tree, with a fountain and walls the color of fired clay.
  5. Washing area (Lavandería): huge halved earthenware jars lined along a channel, where nuns did laundry using spring water.
  6. Cells and kitchens: dark rooms with blackened stone, copper pots and simple beds, showing how daily life really ran.
  7. Art gallery of Cusco school paintings: colonial religious canvases, many from the Cusco School, in former living quarters.
  8. Rooftop
… read more 👉
  1. Calle Córdoba and Calle Toledo: the cobalt blue and burnt orange lanes everyone photographs, narrow enough that arches frame each shot.
  2. Main Cloister: a quiet courtyard of arcades and murals where novices once lived under strict silence.
  3. Plaza Zocodover: a small square with a central fountain and arches, the social heart of the convent.
  4. Orange Cloister: a courtyard shaded by a tall tree, with a fountain and walls the color of fired clay.
  5. Washing area (Lavandería): huge halved earthenware jars lined along a channel, where nuns did laundry using spring water.
  6. Cells and kitchens: dark rooms with blackened stone, copper pots and simple beds, showing how daily life really ran.
  7. Art gallery of Cusco school paintings: colonial religious canvases, many from the Cusco School, in former living quarters.
  8. Rooftop viewpoint and café: a spot for coffee and cake with views toward the El Misti volcano.
Allow two to three hours for everything, a little more if you join a guide, and plan on late afternoon for softer light and fewer people.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do around Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena

gazebos cannon of the coca

gazebos cannon of the coca

5.0(31) 2h
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Colca Canyon One Day Tour Hike Condor Viewpoint Inca Trail

Colca Canyon One Day Tour Hike Condor Viewpoint Inca Trail

5.0(16) 14h 15m
From €54
per personViator
Arequipa Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems

Arequipa Walking Tour: Explore Top Sights & Hidden Gems

5.0(15) 2h
From €27
per personViator
Colca Canyon Tour 2 Days

Colca Canyon Tour 2 Days

5.0(12) 48h
From €41
per personViator
Private Colca Full-Day Tour from Arequipa

Private Colca Full-Day Tour from Arequipa

5.0(12) 13h
From €175
per personViator
Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price

Tour Colca Full Day Promotional Price

5.0(11)
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Salinas Lagoon + Mini Volcano DE Lojen

Salinas Lagoon + Mini Volcano DE Lojen

5.0(10) 24h
From €39
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Airport pick up and City Tour (PRIVATE TOUR)

Airport pick up and City Tour (PRIVATE TOUR)

5.0(10)
From €47
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Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels

Transfer Between Arequipa's Airport and Hotels

5.0(10)
From €32
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Colca Trek - 2 Days Tour

Colca Trek - 2 Days Tour

5.0(10) 48h
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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Weather, crowds, and seasonal trade-offs

  • Dry Season (May to October): Arequipa sits at about 2,330 m (7,640 ft), so days are sunny and dry at roughly 20 to 24°C (68 to 75°F), while nights drop to 5 to 8°C (41 to 46°F). Crowds and hostel prices peak in July and August.
  • Wet Season (December to March): Afternoon showers are common, highs reach 22 to 25°C (72 to 77°F), and the courtyards turn lush and quiet. Rooms are cheapest.
  • Shoulder Months (April and November): Fewer tour groups, mild weather, and easy bargaining on beds.
  • Time of Day: The monastery opens early and again for night visits on set evenings. Daylight runs about 11.5 to 12.5 hours all year, and the walls glow best in morning light.
Book a night visit if you can, since the candlelit alleys are far quieter than the midday rush.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: fair for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: excellent for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: fair for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
peru-attraction-monasterio-de-santa-catalina-de-siena
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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Stay in Arequipa’s historic center, within a 5 to 10 minute walk of the monastery, because that is where the budget hostels, cheap menus and tour agencies cluster. The streets around Plaza de Armas and Calle San Francisco are the social heart, with dorms, rooftop terraces and plenty of solo travelers swapping Colca Canyon and Misti trek plans. Expect dorm beds around US$8 to 15 and private rooms from US$25 to 40. The blocks directly beside the monastery on Calle Santa Catalina are calmer and quieter at night, good if you want sleep over parties. The San Lázaro quarter, a short uphill walk north, … read more 👉
Stay in Arequipa’s historic center, within a 5 to 10 minute walk of the monastery, because that is where the budget hostels, cheap menus and tour agencies cluster. The streets around Plaza de Armas and Calle San Francisco are the social heart, with dorms, rooftop terraces and plenty of solo travelers swapping Colca Canyon and Misti trek plans. Expect dorm beds around US$8 to 15 and private rooms from US$25 to 40. The blocks directly beside the monastery on Calle Santa Catalina are calmer and quieter at night, good if you want sleep over parties. The San Lázaro quarter, a short uphill walk north, has older, narrow lanes and a few small guesthouses with a local feel, though fewer bars. Avoid wandering the outskirts and the area near the bus terminal late at night. Within the center, streets are well patrolled and generally comfortable after dark, but use registered taxis for late arrivals.
Best hostels in Peru


Best quality hotels in Peru

👛 Costs (as of 19 October 2026)Money, prices, and spending tips

Budget about US$38 to 64 per day for a backpacker spending a morning at Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena and the rest of the day in Arequipa.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance TicketUS$12 to 13Foreign adults pay in soles; the ticket covers the whole complex and is cheaper for students with ID.
GuideUS$6 to 10Optional Spanish or English guides wait at the entrance and work for tips.
Night Visit ExtraUS$0 to 3Evening visits on set nights usually cost the same ticket; confirm the day.
Café and SnacksUS$3 to 6The courtyard café serves coffee and cake at slightly higher prices.
Local TransportUS$1 to 3Most sights are walkable; short taxis within the center are cheap.
MealsUS$6 to 12Set lunch menus nearby are the best value.
Accommodation (high season)US$8 to 15Hostel dorm bed in the center.
… read more 👉
Budget about US$38 to 64 per day for a backpacker spending a morning at Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena and the rest of the day in Arequipa.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance TicketUS$12 to 13Foreign adults pay in soles; the ticket covers the whole complex and is cheaper for students with ID.
GuideUS$6 to 10Optional Spanish or English guides wait at the entrance and work for tips.
Night Visit ExtraUS$0 to 3Evening visits on set nights usually cost the same ticket; confirm the day.
Café and SnacksUS$3 to 6The courtyard café serves coffee and cake at slightly higher prices.
Local TransportUS$1 to 3Most sights are walkable; short taxis within the center are cheap.
MealsUS$6 to 12Set lunch menus nearby are the best value.
Accommodation (high season)US$8 to 15Hostel dorm bed in the center.
Total Daily BudgetUS$38 to 64Per person, per day, in high season.


source: peru.travel
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQFrequently asked questions about Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena

Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours at Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena. The complex covers about 20,000 square meters, with colored streets, cloisters and a café, and photographers or history fans often stretch it to 3 hours. A guided tour takes roughly 60 to 90 minutes, and an evening visit adds a second, quieter look.
Yes, Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena is worth the roughly US$12 to 13 ticket. You get a walled citadel of about 20,000 square meters with cobbled lanes, blue and terracotta walls, and nuns’ cells you can enter, which is hard to match in Arequipa. A guide for another US$6 to 10 adds a lot of context.
Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena sits on Calle Santa Catalina, about 400 m (5 minutes’ walk) from Arequipa’s Plaza de Armas. From the airport, a taxi takes 20 to 30 minutes and costs around US$5 to 8. Overnight buses from Lima take 15 to 17 hours, and from Cusco about 10 to 11 hours.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Peruvian attractions near Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena

Explore more nearby:

  • Qorikancha—Inca Sun Temple, curved fitted wall, Santo Domingo cloister, celestial chambers| 323 km away
  • Museo de la Coca—Sacred coca leaf, Andean ritual, cocaine history, drug policy, tea tasting| 324 km away
  • Museo Inka—Kero cups, Inca mummies, tocapu textiles, Admiral’s House| 324 km away

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We 💚 feedbackIs it worth it?

Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena has a small, easily missed kitchen and an old rotating wooden hatch where goods passed in without faces seen. I would read the signs there before you reach the pretty blue lanes. Bring a camera and a little patience, and stay for the late-afternoon quiet.

✈️ When did I visit Peru?
Peru I visited during my half year trip through South and Central America back in 2003

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Peru, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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