Historic Centre of Arequipa hosts Hay Festival from 4 November

Historic Centre of Arequipa (Centro Histórico de Arequipa) will host part of Hay Festival Comunitario in Arequipa, Peru, from 4 to 8 November 2026. The public programme brings readings, workshops, performances and a three-kilometre race into the World Heritage setting.

Hay Festival Comunitario brings events into the centre

Hay Festival Comunitario is the community strand of Hay Festival Arequipa. The organiser’s programme places family activities at Plaza San Francisco, alongside events in Santa Catalina Street and the Mario Vargas Llosa Personal Library. The community programme is presented as free programming for local communities.

The festival dates for this strand are 4 to 8 November 2026. Agencia Andina reports that the programme includes literature, art, science, sport and wellbeing, with readings, book presentations, theatre, film screenings, improvisation, concerts and creative workshops. The announced programme also names authors Micaela Chirif, Carlos Garayar and Ana Saavedra, as well as KNM Ensemble Berlin.

Plaza San Francisco connects the festival with Arequipa’s heritage

The programme’s clearest link with the centre is the race organised by Peru Runners. It will run through the historic centre and finish at Plaza San Francisco, where a movement activity is planned. The same square is also a setting for the Book Tent and family reading activities, giving the route a cultural destination as well as a sporting finish.

UNESCO describes the site as a historic urban area built largely from white or pink volcanic sillar. Its architecture combines European and native building traditions through walls, arcades, vaults, courtyards and Baroque facades. UNESCO’s site description records 49 original blocks of the Spanish layout and 24 additional blocks from the colonial and nineteenth-century periods.

Arequipa was founded in 1540, while the centre’s architectural history reflects repeated earthquakes and several periods of development. The Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, La Compañia and the San Francisco complex are among the elements UNESCO identifies within the historic town. The festival’s use of Plaza San Francisco therefore places a contemporary public programme beside buildings and urban spaces formed across several centuries.

What visitors can find in Arequipa from 4 November

• Hay Festival Comunitario runs from 4 to 8 November 2026, with activities at Plaza San Francisco, Santa Catalina Street and the Mario Vargas Llosa Personal Library.
• The programme is free for the community activities, while the three-kilometre Peru Runners race passes through the centre and ends at Plaza San Francisco.
• The historic centre lies in Arequipa, at the foot of three volcanoes, and its main urban core is the Plaza de Armas with its arcades, municipality and cathedral.
• The centre includes sillar-built arcades, vaults, courtyards and Baroque facades, while the listed area covers 166.52 hectares according to UNESCO.
• 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 Comunitario take place at Historic Centre of Arequipa?

The community programme runs from 4 to 8 November 2026 in several Arequipa locations, including Plaza San Francisco and the historic 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 later colonial and nineteenth-century blocks.

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

It is in Arequipa, Peru, with Plaza de Armas forming the core of the historic town. Hay Festival Comunitario also uses Plaza San Francisco and Santa Catalina Street.