Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Instituto Cultural Peruano Alemán
(ICPA; 22-8130;
www.icpa.org.pe
;
Ugarte 207)
The Peruvian-German cultural center
also offers Spanish lessons in the city center at similar rates.
LANGUAGE
YOU'VE TASTED IT, NOW COOK IT
If you recognize the name Gasťón Acurio and concur that Peru is the gastronomical capital of Latin America, you
may be inspired to enroll in an Arequipa
cooking course
. Local guide and qualified chef Miguel Fernández who
runs AI Travel (
Click here
) organizes
Peru Flavors
, a four-hour cooking course (S50) where you will learn to
prepare a trio of appetizers and mains from the three different geographical regions of Peru: Amazonia, the Andes
and the Coast. Dishes include
rocoto relleno
(stuffed spicy red peppers),
lomo saltado
(beef stir-fried with onions
and peppers) and
chupe de camerones
(prawn chowder).
Another popular option is the
Peruvian Cooking Experience
(
www.peruviancookingexperience.com
; San
Martín 116, Vallecito),
based out of the Casa de Avila hotel (
Click here
)
four blocks southwest of Plaza de
Armas. Three-hour courses (11am to 2pm) run Monday, Wednesday and Friday and cost S45 (S35 if you're stay-
ing at the hotel). You can study the art of ceviche preparation or even opt for vegetarian recipes. Courses are avail-
able in Spanish and English. Maximum group size is six.
Tours & Guides
The streets of Santa Catalina and Jerusalén harbor dozens of travel agencies offering ho-
hum city tours and excursions to the canyon country, most with daily departures. While
some agencies are professional, there are also plenty of carpetbaggers muscling in on the
action, so shop carefully. Never accept tours from street touts and, where possible, tours
should be paid for in cash, as occasional credit-card fraud is reported.
The standard two-day tour of the Cañón del Colca costs S65 to S225 per person, de-
pending on the season, group size and the comfort level of the hotel you choose to stay at
in Chivay. All tours leave Arequipa between 7am and 9am. Stops include the Reserva Na-
cional Salinas y Aguada Blanca, Chivay, Calera hot springs, an evening
peña
(bar or club
featuring live folkloric music) plus a visit to the Cruz del Cóndor.
Day Tours
AI Travel Tours
CULTURE
