'''Arequipa''' is Peru's second most important city (after Lima), and the third most popular among tourists (after Cusco and Lima). It's located just below the edge of the Peru|Peruvian Altiplano (Peru)|Altiplano.It is nicknamed the 'white city' (la ciudad blanca in Spanish), because many of the buildings in the area are built of ''sillar'', a local white stone. This rock was quarried from the many volcanoes that surround the city, including the towering '''El Misti'''. Ask for local help to identify the three volcanoes surrounding the city. Arequipa also has a large amount of good weather it averages to about 300 days a yearWith 468 years of story since its spanish foundation, its ancient and historical colonial architecture can be found all over the center of the city and many surrounding districts. Reason why UNESCO has declare it Heritage of Humanity. This city shows the cultural richness of the mixing between local natives and spaniard colonials who decided to make their lives and future in this land. Some ancient houses have being refactioned by the local authorities, and they act like living museums, where people leave and develope daily duties. An example of this are the called "Tambos" located at Puente Bolognesi street. http://wikitravel.org/en/Arequipa