Lima

No reviews yetCity Lima Province, Peru

Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima, Peru, Lima, Lima Province, Peru

Calle Antonio Polo Pueblo Libre, Lima, Lima Province, Peru

Convento de San Francisco de Asís, Lima, Lima Province, Peru

Huaca Pucllana 20, Lima, Lima Province, Peru

About Lima

Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 as the City of Kings, and for centuries it was the capital of Spain's South American empire. Today the Peruvian capital is a sprawling metropolis of around 10 million people on desert cliffs above the Pacific, with a historic center listed by UNESCO and a food scene that draws travelers from around the world.

In the old center, the Plaza Mayor, the cathedral and carved wooden balconies recall colonial wealth, while the catacombs of San Francisco reveal a darker side. Far older history is everywhere too: adobe pyramids such as Huaca Pucllana rise between apartment blocks, and the Larco Museum holds superb gold and ceramics from ancient Peru. Along the coast, Miraflores and bohemian Barranco line the clifftops with parks, galleries and bars.

Eating is reason enough to come. Ceviche at lunch, anticuchos from street grills and inventive Nikkei and Peruvian cooking fill the day, and a pisco sour is never far away. South of the city, the vast sacred site of Pachacamac makes a rewarding half-day trip.

Best seasonDecember to April for sunny summer days; from June to October the sky is often covered by grey coastal mist.

Ideal stayThree days for the historic center, Miraflores, Barranco, museums and a food tour.

ArrivingJorge Chávez International Airport is in neighboring Callao; allow plenty of time for traffic to Miraflores.

12 Reasons to Visit Lima

Landmarks 2

Plaza Mayor de Lima

The city's founding square is framed by the cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace with its intricate carved wooden balconies, the Mun...

Lima Cathedral

Rebuilt several times after earthquakes, the cathedral on the Plaza Mayor mixes Renaissance, baroque and neoclassical styles. Insi...

History 3

Basilica and Convent of San Francisco

A few blocks from the Plaza Mayor, this yellow baroque church and monastery is famed for its catacombs, where bones of thousands o...

Huaca Pucllana

In the middle of residential Miraflores, this great stepped pyramid was built from millions of handmade adobe bricks by the Lima c...

Pachacamac

About 30 km south of central Lima, this vast archaeological sanctuary was a major pilgrimage site for more than a thousand years b...

Museums 2

Larco Museum

Set in an 18th-century mansion in Pueblo Libre surrounded by flower-draped gardens, this private museum displays thousands of pre-...

Museo de Arte de Lima

Known as MALI, Lima's art museum occupies the grand Palace of the Exposition in Exposition Park and traces Peruvian art across 3,0...

Neighborhoods 1

Barranco

Lima's artistic district grew from a seaside resort of colorful mansions, and today its streets are filled with murals, galleries,...

Viewpoints 1

Miraflores Malecon

A chain of parks and paths runs along the top of the Miraflores cliffs, with sweeping views over the Pacific and the Costa Verde b...

Family 1

Magic Water Circuit

In the Park of the Reserve, this circuit of illuminated fountains entertains families every evening, with tunnels of water to walk...

Food and Drink 1

Mercado de Surquillo

Just across the Paseo de la República from Miraflores, this busy neighborhood market is a great introduction to Peru's ingredients...

Temples and Shrines 1

Convent of Santo Domingo Lima

One of Lima's oldest religious complexes, a block from the Plaza Mayor, this Dominican church and convent holds relics of Saint Ro...

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Photo: Art DiNo from Lima, Perú, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

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