Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas)
Sights
The central square of Lima.
architecture
9/10
entertainments
5/10
nature
7/10
restaurants
9/10
tourist popularity
7/10
Lima Travel Guide
We are in the capital of Peru - Lima. To tell the truth, we did not expect anything from this city, but we were delighted already on the way from the airport to the apartment.
It is worth noting that half of Lima is solid slums and mountains of garbage. But the taxi driver kept telling us that we need to wait a little. Because then a completely different side opens up.
Lima is a city that has been generously doused with paint of all the colors of the rainbow. And it turned out that Lima is located on a steep cliff, so the views of the ocean are simply wow. The capital of Peru can be an excellent transit point on a trip to South America, so do not regret spending 3-4 days of your vacation there.
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Palace of the Archbishop of Lima
Sights
Headquarters of the Archdiocese of Lima.
This building is the most striking embodiment of Lima's architecture. You can get stuck on these baroque facades for a long time. The most eye-catching are the carved balconies. A treasure, in a word!
Government Palace of Peru
Sights
The official residence of the President of Peru.
Every day at exactly noon, a ceremony of changing the guard takes place at the palace walls. The guards wear an unusual uniform: red trousers and pompoms on their hats. They slightly resemble Santa Clauses in summer suits.
Lima Cathedral
Sights
The main cathedral of the capital of Peru.
This cathedral has been rebuilt and reconstructed many times, and all the alterations have been vividly reflected in the appearance of its facade — with the naked eye you can see a mixture of architectural styles of different times.
Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo
Sights
Basilica and convent in the historic center of Lima.
At sunset, the monogrammatic architecture of Lima begins to play with new colors. We recommend climbing the bell tower of the monastery in the evening - a view of the entire central part of Lima will open up.
Park of the Wall
Parks and reserves
Park overlooking Peruvian slums.
A modern pedestrian space that was organized right on top of fragments of the 17th century fortress wall. On the opposite bank of the river from the park are colorful Peruvian favelas (yes, they exist not only in Brazil). In Rio, we had enough experience of walking through slums, so here we just looked at them from afar.
The Jirón de la Unión (Union Street)
Sights
The main pedestrian street in the historic center of Lima.
An authentic pedestrian street, but crowded with shops, restaurants and tourists. You can walk along it, but we recommend exploring the surrounding areas. The center of Lima has many cultural sites that have preserved the colonial style of the Spanish era.
Church of La Recoleta
Sights
Catholic Cathedral on French Square.
The building slightly resembles Notre Dame de Paris in appearance. There are many photos of this cathedral with caustic blue facades on the Internet. We were lucky to find it in natural shades.
Palace of Justice
Sights
Headquarters of the Supreme Court of Peru.
A gigantic building that is a slightly simplified copy of the Palace of Justice in Brussels. The main difference is that the Peruvians failed to copy the beautiful golden dome of the building. But despite this, the architecture is impressive.
St Martin Square
Sights
Independence Square of Peru.
This square is where excursion tours of Lima begin. The monument is dedicated to the main fighter for the independence of Peru, and the square itself was built for the 100th anniversary of the state's independence from Spain.
Where to Stay in Lima
There are several prestigious and safe areas in Lima. We recommend living in Miraflores or Barranco - there are the best restaurants in the world, good housing, quality infrastructure and many green spaces for walking. And most importantly - they are located along the long Pacific coast. Try to book an apartment with a view - you will not regret it!
The historical center of Lima has many times more people and chaos around, so we do not recommend it for living.
Our recommendation
Barranco Hostel Famous hostel in a historical building
Domodossola Park
Parks and reserves
A park on a cliff along the Pacific Ocean, on the border of the two most favorable areas of Lima — Barranco and Miraflores.
Almost every day, clouds from the ocean completely cover the city. Tears of happiness flow in streams at such sunsets. We decided for ourselves that the coast of Lima is the most picturesque in the world. It is absolutely safe to walk here, you can do sports, walk with animals or spend time with friends.
Barranco Malecón Park
Parks and reserves
Park in the residential area of Barranco.
Another park along the waterfront in a residential area. It's usually less crowded, but the views are just as good.
Larcomar
Entertainments
A panoramic shopping center on the Pacific Ocean.
This is not just a shopping mall, the architects took 100% advantage of the landscape feature of the city and perfectly embedded the building directly into the rock. There are many panoramic restaurants with outdoor verandas in the mall. The views are fantastic! And clouds from the ocean creep low every day and smoothly cover the entire building.
Saint Francis of Assisi Parish
Sights
The cathedral is located on a quiet street in the picturesque Barranco district.
The cathedral itself is not remarkable, but the quiet and cozy space around it is worthy of tourists' attention. There are many low-rise recently decorated buildings around, so the place is suitable not only for a safe walk, but also for a photo shoot.
Restaurant Mangos
Restaurant
The Peruvian cuisine restaurant.
Be prepared that Peru does not have the lowest restaurant prices. But you should definitely try the local food! Lima serves seafood in a very unusual and delicious way. A must-have to try is fish ceviche (literally in every establishment you can order local fresh fish marinated in lime juice). We recommend coming to Mangos in the evening to see the sunset on the open veranda.
Heladería Speciale
Restaurant
A gorgeous cafe in the heart of the Barranco district.
The dessert portions are huge! Better just take a coffee or a scoop of ice cream with you to take a short break. The cafe is spacious, there are many seats and a very cozy courtyard with a fountain.
Jorge Chávez Airport
Transport
Lima International Airport.
We recommend choosing accommodation away from the airport. The surrounding residential areas do not look touristy at all. Because of this, the first impressions of Lima may be negative.
We will never stop repeating that Peru is the most vibrant country for tourism. A trip to Lima once again showed that this country is worth going to on vacation (but we definitely recommend combining a visit to the capital with a trip to Cusco). There will be many visual, emotional and taste impressions.
Don't be afraid to travel on your own! If you need help planning, be sure to ask questions in the comments.
Support the author
We are glad if our guides, instructions and tips will be useful to you now and in future trips. To support us, just follow the links below, booking and paying for your trips.
Rate this guide
The center of Lima surprises with its architecture, like many South American cities. If you live on the ocean coast, the most pleasant way to get there is by taxi.
We met tourist volunteers twice in the square - funny old men who ask a few questions about your travels and take selfies as a keepsake.