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Lima
Lima is home to Peru's best museums, notably the Museo de Oro del Peru (Peruvian Gold Museum) and the Museo de la Nación (The National Museum), which is one of the largest museums in South America. Other highlights include colonial architecture at Iglesia de San Francisco, pre-Inca pyramids at Pachacámac, and catacombs in Central Lima.
The recently renovated Plaza de Armas (or Plaza Mayor) has been Peru's governmental center since 1535, with the Palacio de Goberno (Presidential Palace) and the Archbishop's Palace at its center. Recently, upscale restaurants and cafés have sprung up in the area right around the plaza.
The coastal suburbs of Miraflores, San Isidro and Barranco are popular places to stay to avoid Central Lima's smog and chaos. Barranco is especially popular for its nightlife and performing arts center.
Winter in Lima is from April to December when a coastal fog or garúa blankets the city's skyline. From January to March (the summer months), the sun comes out and the beaches are packed.
There are a variety of hotels in Lima for every taste and budget. The Central Lima Hotels are mainly in the budget to mid-range, with a couple of more luxurious exceptions. These downtown hotels are often charming converted mansions. The Miraflores hotels are a mixed bag, with everything from youth hostels to five-star palaces. If high-end is your thing, you'll probably want to check out the San Isidro hotels, which include a variety of luxury options. Backpackers looking for hip, inexpensive youth hostels should check out the Barranco hotels, which are popular with young international travelers.
If you are just using Lima as a portal to Cusco, your flight will most likely arrive late at night and leave for Cusco early in the morning. You can either tough out the layover in the airport or go to a hotel for a few hours until your flight leaves. The Miraflores district is your best bet for a reasonable rate on a room and you won't have to travel too far. Central Lima is about a half 30-45 minutes from the airport. Be sure to be at the airport early, as the flights to Cusco are often packed and often delayed due to this cloudy, mountainous city.
Beaches and Surfing in Lima
Surfing Lima's Waves
Surfers come from around the world to board the waves of Peru, and Lima’s coast is no different. For the beaches near Lima you will need a 3-mm full wetsuit pretty much year round, but come
...Lima, Peru
Punta Hermosa Beaches
The area around the coastal town of Punta Hermosa is lined with numerous world-class breaks. It is no coincidence that Peruvian champ Sofía Milanovich owns a prime location beach house here. Heading
...Lima, Peru
Punta Hermosa--Playa Norte & La Isla
At the town of Punta Hermosa, not only will you find larger resorts and good restaurants along the beach, but you’ll have two great surf beaches to choose between. The board-breaking shore-break of
...Lima, Peru
Señoritas
Just south of Caballeros, Señoritas beach is just around the headland south. It’s is a nice left point break. The reef here can be fairly well-exposed in low tides, and can handle a swell of up to
...Lima, Peru
Cerro Azul
Famously listed, just after “Laguna” in the Beach Boy’s song “Surfin’ Safari,” Cerro Azul is a consistent left point break located about 130 kilometers south of Lima. It sees the best
...Lima, Peru
Redondo
Picturesque Redondo is the only Costa Verde beach located south of the pier at Rosa Náutica Restaurant. The waves here break closer to the beach, providing an easier paddle. It is also less damning
...Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Makaha
Makaha is the most popular for beginner surfers, with both good inside and outside left and right breaks from an exposed reef. Schools and newbies occupy the inner break, and be warned, it can get
...Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Costa Verde Beaches
There are four main surfable beaches along the Costa Verde beach road in Miraflores, Lima, and all are within a 15-minute walk of each other. South of the pier at Rosa Náutica Restaurant’s is
...Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Punta Negra & Punta Rocas
Three kilometers south of Punta Hermosa you’ll find Punta Negra, home of the world-famous Punta Rocas break. Located in the northern part beach, this area is usually full of families and is lined
...Lima, Peru
La Pampilla
Of all the Costa Verde beaches, La Pampilla is by far the most popular break for intermediate and advanced surfers—and it should only be surfed by those who are skilled and know what they are ...Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Caballeros
Caballeros is a right point break and one of the few tubing options in Peru, as the wave becomes perfectly hollow at about a head-high swell. It can hold up to about a meter overhead. This place is ...Lima, Peru
Lima's Museums
Gold Museum / Museo de Oro
The Gold Museum is considered one of Lima’s premier attractions. It houses the private collection of Miguel Mujica Gallo, who spent years amassing it, often by purchasing relics from grave robbers. ...Lima, Peru
National Archaeology Museum / Museo Nacional de Arqueología
This museum, whose full name is El Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología, e Historia, is a must-see for history buffs visiting Lima. Like the National Museum, it provides an overview of the ...Lima, Peru
Larco Museum / Museo Larco
The Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera, commonly known as the Museo Larco or Larco Museum, is one of the most popular in Lima. Set in a gorgeous old hacienda, the museum is the private ...Lima, Peru
Galería Lucía de la Puente
This famous commercial gallery is known as “the” art center in Lima. It is located in an old, fully refurbished Barranco mansion. Huge rooms with tall walls that reflect natural light onto the
...Barranco, Lima, Peru
Museum of the Inquisition / Museo de la Inquisición
Located on the Plaza Bolívar, which is also home to the Peruvian Congress building, the Inquisition Museum is one of Lima’s most popular and often visited museums. Housed in the building that was ...Lima, Peru
San Francisco
San Francisco is a sixteenth-century church and convent located in central Lima. Visitors can stroll around the gorgeous courtyards and marvel at the woodwork, tiles and paintings that adorn the ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
The San Francisco Catacombs
This Franciscan church and monastery is one of the most haunting (almost literally) and memorable sites in all of Lima. Originally constructed in 1546, it is one of the oldest churches in South
...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Casa de Aliaga
Casa de Aliaga, or the Aliaga Home, is a fascinating home and museum. Jerónimo de Aliaga was one of Francisco Pizarro’s most trusted lieutenants during the exploration and conquest of Peru, and he ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Lima Cathedral / Catedral de Lima
The Lima Cathedral, known simply as La Catedral in the city, is a highlight of any visit. The first stone of the cathedral was laid by Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who defeated the ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
National Museum / Museo de la Nación
The largest museum in Peru, the National Museum features four floors of history and exhibits in a large, sprawling building in the San Borja neighborhood of Lima. Of particular interest are the ...Lima, Peru
Lima Art Museum / Museo de Arte de Lima
The Lima Art Museum has the best collection of Peruvian art in the country. The paintings cover the colonial era to the present, and there is also a selection of woodcarvings, furniture, etc. There ...Lima, Peru
Lima's Hottest Nightlife
La Posada del Ángel
If you like angels you'll find them here, hanging from the roof, peeking at you around corners, staring from the walls. This dark, cozy, rustic setting is blessed. Another enchanting, old ...Barranco, Lima, Peru
Bar Mochileros
Near the main square park of Barranco, Bar Mochileros is a former backpacker hostel now transformed into a series of bars and a cultural center where you can enjoy live circus-like performances, ...Barranco, Lima, Peru
Rusti Bar
You walk up a flight of stairs that features logs as banisters. Then you step inside and you see. . . a pile of logs bound together to form a bar, logs and sticks forming chairs, and a general jungle ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Kitsch
For travelers who packed their dancing shoes, the main dancing drag in Barranco is Av. Grau with a variety of discos and raucous clubs. One of Lima’s hottest bars is Kitsch, boasting flamboyant ...Barranco, Lima, Peru
El Ekeko Café Bar
Not quite as wild as other popular joints in Barranco, this artsy locale boasts two levels with live music Wednesday through Saturday. Most acts tend to be Latin, including Cuban, tango, musica ...Barranco, Lima, Peru
Bodega Bar Juanito’s
Popular and well-established, this bar has called Barranco home for more than 70 years. Founded by Juan Casual Villacorta and still run by Juan and his family, Juanito’s is loved by locals and its ...Barranco, Lima, Peru
Los Delfines
Join the posh clientele for pricey (and refreshing!) cocktails at this upper class hotel and casino. The Oceanus Lounge is the perfect place to relax and enjoy good company in a marvelous setting. ...San Isidro, Lima, Peru
Tai Lounge
This exclusive restaurant and bar tends to attract the swankiest of Limeños who don’t mind paying the elevated prices for drinks. Enjoy the lavish surroundings and lush lounging areas, watch the ...San Isidro, Lima, Peru
El Dragón
A typical barranquino-styled house is the home of this well-established cultural bar, one of the first to promote bands with a special kick on fusing funk and Latin rhythms with local jazz elements. ...Barranco, Lima, Peru
The Old Pub
Oddly enough, the most authentic English pub in Lima, The Old Pub, is centrally located in Lima’s “Little Italy,” or as some call it, “Pizza Street,” Ca. San Ramón, a short road near ...Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Jazz Zone
Located in the heart of Miraflores in a garden walk-through passageway, this cozy jazz bar also hosts art exhibitions from local artists. Their musical variations range from Latin jazz fusions to ...Miraflores, Lima, Peru
Colonial Lima
Iglesia de San Pedro
A stunning church built by the Jesuits starting in the 16th century, St. Peter’s Church is one of Lima’s best-known landmarks. It is now a major visitor destination, as it features an impressive ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Palacio de Gobierno
On the northeast side of the Plaza de Armas, the Government Palace is one of the city’s architectural delights. The home of the president was built in the 1920s and 30s in several phases by several ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Correo Central de Lima
Not just a post office, this very big and ornate edifice behind the Palace of the Governor in the historical center is worth visiting simply for its architecture. The building also serves as a
...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Iglesia de La Merced
One of the oldest churches in all of South America, founded in 1535 by Fray Miguel de Orenes, who was reputed to be 110 years old at the time, the Iglesia de la Merced features a very elaborate, ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Convento de Santo Domingo
Two saints for the price of one! The remains of Lima’s two saints, Santa Rosa de Lima and San Martín de Porres, rest forever at the Convento de Santo Domingo. Like other religious buildings in ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Cerro de San Cristóbal
A large cross at the summit of a 409-meter (1,342 feet) high hill, this attraction provides visitors a great view of Lima extending out to the sea. The cross itself, erected in 1928, supplanted
...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
El Planetario
This astronomical observatory was erected on the historical Morro Solar, a landmark location of important events during the war with Chile (1879-1883). From this spot, spectacular views of the Lima ...Chorrillos, Lima, Peru
Iglesia de Jesús, Maria y José
This smallish church doesn’t look like much from the outside, but the baroque interior—considered the best baroque church interior in Lima—is worth a look if you’re ...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Lima Highlights
Parque de la Exposición
Featuring some of the most exquisite architecture in Lima, the Parque de la Cultura downtown is a tribute to Lima’s urban planners in the 19th century. It was conceived and built in 1868 as the
...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Parque de la Muralla
This new park, complete with a track for children to cycle and a pedestrian walkway, sits on the banks of the Río Rímac. During its construction diggers unearthed the remains of 500-year-old city
...Central Lima, Lima, Peru
Gold Museum / Museo de Oro
The Gold Museum is considered one of Lima’s premier attractions. It houses the private collection of Miguel Mujica Gallo, who spent years amassing it, often by purchasing relics from grave robbers. ...Lima, Peru
Plaza de Armas
A wander around the Plaza de Armas is one of the highlights of a visit to Tacna. Opposite the civic center, the Catedral de Tacna is a simple but stunning cathedral, designed by Gustave Eiffel and ...Tacna, Peru
Reviews
Amazing vacations
Lima is the best place ever, a must !
Lima, give it a chance!
As any other capital city in the world, yes, Lima is huge, a little bit chaotic, loud, but still complete worth a visit for a day or two. You are going to stop there anyway on your way to Cusco and Machu Picchu, so why not understand what´s going on with modern Peru. The best restaurants are here, an important part of their culture, and the best overall experiences are at the museums. The best museums are waiting for you in Lima. Don´t miss Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre, or Huaca Huallamarca in Miraflores, to really understand ancient Peru. You probably are going to be lost without this visits!Lima is the safest place to get to know peruvian food, so don´t miss cebiche, lomo saltado, or aji de gallina. Don´t leave Peru without trying pisco!!!
Just Amazing
I love the people, the abundance of things to do and enjoy, the food, the women, the landscapes, the simplicity in getting exactly what you want, the relaxed atmosphere, the weather, the beaches, the service, I could go on and on.
Great
Everything was great.
Dangerous.
Terribly dangerous, even touristic places are dangerous. Thieves everywhere, a dirty city, dangerous zones.
Nice, friendly people
The people were very nice and friendly, and always willing to help. The food is outstanding. I tried quite few restaurants advised in V!VA Travel Guides Peru, but I the one I liked best was "Manos Morenas" in Barranco, which was not included in the book. The food was amazing, the service incredibly good (ask for Johnny Palacios, he is great!) and on Wednesday through Saturday they have live Peruvian music - what I would say was more an Afro-Peruvian type, as it was very lively and had lots of hip-shaking. There were excellent costumes. The US $10 cover charge was well spent. Lima per se was a bit disappointing, as I visited in July and the lack of sun really affected me. Colonial Lima was beautiful, and the Plaza Mayor was astounding, but besides that, and the few Colonial houses around (ie. Casa de Osambela Oquendo), there was nothing much. It was very polluted and cold. Perhaps I will try to visit Lima in the summer...
Lima, Peru
I liked Peru because the people were nice and friendly! What I did not like was the poverty and sickness I saw in Peru.
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