Mercado San Camilo

San Camilo is not a tourist market. It's where Arequipa buys its food. The vendors have been here for generations. The rocoto peppers are from farms 30 minutes from the city. The shrimp arrived this morning from Camaná, 170km away on the Pacific coast. Go early, go hungry, and don't bring a large bag.

What San Camilo Is

The central covered market of Arequipa, operating since the early 20th century. About 400 stalls covering one city block, 2 blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Open daily from 6am to 8pm, busiest 7–10am and 12–2pm (lunch rush).

The Zones

Produce section (enter from Calle Piérola) — rocoto peppers by the kilo, ají panca paste, quinoa in five varieties, dried herbs, chuno (freeze-dried potato, an Andean staple). Cheese section — aged fresh cheeses from highland farms in Cayma and Characato. Seafood section — fresh camarones (shrimp) from Camaná coast, trucha (trout) from Lake Titicaca area, sometimes cuy (guinea pig, a regional delicacy). Cooked food stalls in the center of the market — this is where to eat.

What to Eat at the Stalls

The cooked food women (the 'mamás del mercado') start at 6:30am. Breakfast offerings: tamales (corn dough, stuffed with pork and chili, steamed in corn husk), chicharrón sandwiches (pork cracklings on a crusty bread roll with salsa criolla — a Peruvian relish), and queso helado (a misleadingly named local dessert — sweet iced coconut milk, not cheese). By 10am the best stalls have queues of regulars.

What to Buy

Rocoto peppers to take home (they travel well dried), ají panca paste (smoky red chili paste used in marinades), chuno (for cooking), local hot sauce bottles, dried herbs.

Etiquette

Say "a cuánto?" (how much?) before assuming a price. Bargaining is normal for produce in the main aisles. Cooked food is fixed price. Be decisive — vendors are busy.