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.

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.

Arequipa es una ciudad hermosa ! no pueden dejar de ir si están en Perú !! ... su plaza, el convento de Santa Catarina !! todo tienen que verlo, además la gente te trata super bien y te sientes como en casa.

I have to recommend a really good hostel in Arequipa, Peru.
it has got friendly staff (family) boiled water, a kitchen , a terrace and nice bedrooms.
And the price is good too.
It is near the center in the street puente grau 105
Tel : + 223910