Historic Centre of Arequipa features Hay Festival from 5 to 8 November

The Historic Centre of Arequipa (Centro Histórico de Arequipa) will feature Hay Festival Arequipa from 5 to 8 November 2026. The programme places talks, readings and public activities in named venues around Arequipa, including a three-kilometre route through the centre on 8 November.

Hay Festival Arequipa brings events to the centre

The twelfth Hay Festival Arequipa runs from Thursday 5 November to Sunday 8 November 2026. The organiser lists a programme of conversations, book presentations, workshops, live podcast recordings, performances and concerts across the city.

Several listed activities are in or directly connected with the old centre. On 8 November, Peru Runners will organise a three-kilometre run through the historic centre, finishing at Plaza San Francisco. The same square also hosts book presentations, a book tent, workshops and a choral concert during the festival.

The organiser also lists the Teatro Municipal, Casa Tristán del Pozo, Casa del Moral and the Biblioteca Personal de Mario Vargas Llosa among the programme venues. The 2026 programme gives the dates, venues and descriptions for individual events.

Why the festival fits Arequipa’s protected urban fabric

UNESCO describes the historic centre as an urban area built largely from white or pink volcanic sillar. Its architecture combines European and native building techniques in walls, arcades, vaults, courtyards and Baroque facades.

The site was founded in 1540 and its World Heritage property contains 49 original blocks from the Spanish layout, alongside 24 blocks from the colonial period and the nineteenth century. The Plaza de Armas forms the core of the historic town, while Santa Catalina and the San Francisco complex are among its named religious and architectural ensembles.

That setting gives the festival a specific spatial character: the programme is not confined to a single auditorium, but links literary events with squares, casonas and cultural institutions within the protected city. UNESCO’s description of the site records its urban structure, materials and heritage status.

Plaza San Francisco connects running and reading

The clearest link between the festival and the protected centre comes on Sunday 8 November 2026. The Peru Runners event begins at Plaza San Francisco, follows a three-kilometre route through the centre and returns to the square for a book presentation and movement session.

Other activities at the same square include children’s book events, a reading tent, a workshop on pre-Hispanic cultures, a presentation with chess grandmaster Julio Granda and a concert by a school choir. The programme therefore uses the square as both a festival venue and the finishing point for a route through the city.

Visiting Historic Centre of Arequipa: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Hay Festival Arequipa runs from 5 to 8 November 2026, with Plaza San Francisco, the Teatro Municipal and other Arequipa venues named in the programme.
• Access varies by event: the organiser lists some Plaza San Francisco activities as free admission, while other programme items require registration or tickets.
• The Peru Runners activity on 8 November 2026 is a three-kilometre route through the historic centre, finishing at Plaza San Francisco.
• The centre lies in Arequipa, Peru, and its protected urban fabric includes the Plaza de Armas, the San Francisco complex and Santa Catalina.
• Spanish is the official language of Peru, and the national currency is the sol.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Historic Centre of Arequipa

When does Hay Festival Arequipa take place at Historic Centre of Arequipa?

Hay Festival Arequipa runs from 5 to 8 November 2026, with activities listed at Plaza San Francisco and other venues in and around the centre.

What is Historic Centre of Arequipa?

It is a World Heritage urban area built largely from volcanic sillar, with 49 original Spanish-layout blocks and 24 colonial and nineteenth-century blocks.

Where is Historic Centre of Arequipa and how do you get there?

The centre is in Arequipa, Peru, with the Plaza de Armas at its core and Plaza San Francisco among the named Hay Festival venues.