Arequipa Travel Guide

1) Visit the Santa Catalina Convent with its ochre and blue colours.
'Founded in 1580 under the rule of Viceroy Toledo, the Private Monastery of Nuns of the Order of Santa Catalina of Sena was opened to the world nearly 400 years later, in 1970. Since then, visitors have been able to stroll through the streets and cloisters that during colonial times were the refuge of female nobility who had decided to shut themselves away from the world and dedicate themselves entirely to prayer.'
http://www.perutravels.net/peru-travel-guide/arequipa-santa-catalina-convent.htm

2) Arequipa is the starting point for treks in the Colca Canyon. We booked a trek with 'Pablo tour' which was fine but we met people who were trekking without a guide (so it's possible but you would need a very good map).
http://www.pablotour.com/

When staying in Arequipa and you want to go to canyon colca, it might be better to book a room in Chivay for two nights. Then you can go to see the condors early in the morning (around 7) and afterwards you can continue the road to a next busstop where you can go all the way down into the canyon. Beware also that it takes at least 4 hours to make the way back up so I your still in it, wait for some local people to join then or make your way on a donkey. From chivay you can't take a direct bus to puno but you can take it partways and then jump on the one which comes from arequipa to save you some more hours. When it's full, for a few dollars you can have the place next to the driver which gives you some really marvellous views on the straight roads in front of you on the altiplano.

A visit to Juanita is an absolute MUST when you visit Arequipa! We stayed at Home Sweet Home, the lady who runs it is lovely and breakfast is great, but the atmosphere a bit hectic with people running in and out and the rooms are not really set back from the hecticness (maybe it was just my room.) Anyways, still reccomend Home Sweet Home regardless.