Official GroupThe capital city of Lima, now home to over 8 million, was founded by the Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro in 1535, as la Ciudad de los Reyes, or “the City of Kings”. Although once considered the most important and prosperous city in the region, over the past few decades it had fallen on hard times. Until a few years ago, it was mainly considered a pass-through city enroute to Machu Picchu.
Thanks to a recent influx of investment money and civic pride, Lima’s crown once again sparkles like new. The historic center’s churches, palaces, classic colonial mansions, many outstanding museums and miles of waterfront property, have all been painstakingly restored to their former luster. New luxury hotels are springing up everywhere. And the culinary scene is red-hot, with dozens of talented chefs opening restaurants, featuring everything from farm-to-table dining, to molecular gastronomy, to all sorts of exciting new Peruvian-fusion cuisines. It’s no wonder that Lima is now considered the gastronomic capital of the continent.
So, if you are planning a trip to Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, or to explore the Amazon jungle, I’d suggest adding extra days in Lima for some mind-blowing food and big city culture.
Eight great things to see and do in Lima:
1. Explore Lima’s heart and soul
Lima – downtown square
The most important historical center is the Plaza de Armas, also called Plaza Mayor. This is the exact spot where Pizarro founded the city. Many walking tours take guests from this picturesque, park-like square, which once hosted bullfights, and now is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, through charming neighborhoods to important buildings such as the Archbishop’s Palace and the Cathedral of Lima.
At noon, be sure to join the throngs gathered across the street from the Governor’s Palace for a quirky, local version of London’s changing of the guard, complete with armed guards, drum majors, plumed hats and lots of goose-step marching.
The well preserved, 17th Century Church of San Francisco is just a few blocks away. Here, the hearty can descend into tunnels to investigate the spooky network of catacombs, home to over 75,000 skeletons, many of which are artistically arranged in circular stone pits for a rather macabre viewing.
2. Visit a non-museum museum
A short walk from the square brings you to Casa de Aliaga, one of the oldest houses in South America, which been occupied by the Aliaga family since 1535. Eighteen generations of Aliagas have each added their own touch to this historic home, which is filled with colonial style furniture and an impressive collection of Peruvian artifacts from past centuries. Ask to see the sword Jerónimo de Aliaga used in the conquest of Peru.
Tours must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.
3. Catch panoramic views, but avoid for the paragliders
Lima – photographing the wonderful architecture of Lima
Miraflores, a popular upscale seaside nabe, is loaded with luxury hotels and apartments, trendy restaurants, stylish boutiques, and statue-filled gardens. It is bordered by the newly improved El Malecón, a six mile esplanade which meanders along the cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean. Day or night, El Malecón is filled with joggers, power-walkers. Newlyweds regularly visit “El Beso” (The Kiss), a large sculpture of a couple in a loving embrace, by famed Peruvian artist, Victor Delfin. The statue is located in section of the Malecón known as Parque del Amor, or Love Park.
4. Enjoy Andean cuisine, with 1,500-year-old views
A surprisingly tasty introduction to new Andean cuisine awaits you at a most unlikely venue. Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Incan temple complete with a glamorous, nightclubby/chic restaurant, is located in the middle of Miraflores. Millions of handmade bricks (you can even see handprints on some of them) were used to build this monumental ceremonial and administrative center, dedicated to the god Pachacamac. The ruins are dramatically illuminated at night, offering awe-inspiring views and food, either on the veranda or in the minimalist dining room, with a fireside bar.
The chef’s sophisticated renderings of regional fare include causitas pucllana, yellow potatoes topped with pacific king crab in a ceviche mayonnaise, grilled sea bass in a red quinoa crust, and roasted kid goat with lima beans and tacu-tacu, a traditional dish of rice and lentils, and chocolate crème caramel with chirimoya foam and orange croquant
http://www.resthuacapucllana.com/
http://pucllana.perucultural.org.pe
5. Shop for artisanal crafts, priced from pennies to big bucks
Fun souvenirs and bric-a-brac can be found at The Mercado Indio, located on Petit Thouars, an avenue filled with hundreds of craft stalls offering a treasure-trove of items ranging from incredible deals to utter junk. If you’ve been dying for a fossilized shark tooth, this would be the place to find it. Ditto for Inca-style pottery, alpaca shawls, and designer knock-off items. My best find were huge cuff bracelets made from bulls’ horns, nearly the same as ones I’d recently seen on the cover of Vogue.
If you’re not a fan of bargaining at outdoor markets, then two well-curated, gallery-like boutiques offer a wonderful selection of gift choices, ranging from traditional folk art to pricy objects d’arte. Both shops are located in the artsy Barranco area.
Dédalo Arte y Artesanía you can easily spend an hour or two discovering all the goodies available in this gorgeous converted mansion. Over a dozen rooms, organized by theme and grouped by local artists, are filled with unique hand-made toys, contemporary jewelry, colorful leather handbags, textiles, wood carvings, ceramics, blown glass, and endless etceteras. If you start feeling overwhelmed, head out to the patio café for a refreshing coffee break or glass of wine before continuing your quest.
Artesanias Las Pallas offers more traditional handicrafts. Scottish owner, Mari Solari, has been promoting and selling Peruvian folk art from her home for the past 30 years. If you search through her vast collection, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect prezzie for your friend who has everything – up to now. Choices include incredible weavings from all over Peru, jewelry from the highlands, a sizeable selection of magic amulets (very Indiana Jones-like) ceremonial gourds, colorful candles from Cuzco, and intricately-carved Andean retablos (altars).
6. Visit outdoor food markets frequented by Lima’s top chefs
Lima – fruit and veggie stand
If you’re a foodie, photographer, chef groupie (world-famous Peruvian chef, Gaston Acurio, often shops here) or just want to buy some incredibly fresh produce, head to the city’s largest public market, Mercado de Surquillo for some primo food shopping. Goods are offered from all over the country, an amazing array of Amazonian fruit, potatoes and corn from the Andes, as well as a wide assortment of coastal seafood. Head upstairs to try some freshly prepared ceviche, which costs just a few dollars.
Lima – preparing cerviche
Tip: Absolutely the best way to visit this market (as well as other culinary hot-spots) is to book a tour with Capital Culinaria Lima Gourmet Tours, owned by a dynamic foodie couple, Samantha and her husband, Lucas. They will take you on a fantastic, behind-the-scenes, gastronomical/cultural tour of Lima. You’ll taste your way through local markets, sampling endless varieties of exotic produce such as an amazing, buttery little avocado that doesn’t have a pit, off-the-beaten track cafes, and restaurants. On the tour, there’s time for shopping in the boutiques scattered throughout Lima’s most exciting nabes. You’ll learn all the secrets for making the world’s best ceviche and pisco sours from a top chef, so you can really impress the folks back home.
Lunch was at a hidden (there isn’t even a name on the outside) seafood restaurant that was opened over 30 years ago by a local fisherman who caught the fish, and his wife, who did the cooking. This lunch has set the bar for all my seafood meals in the future. Their chicharron de calamares (fried calamari), served with a simple squirt of lemon, was sheer perfection. You’d never find it on your own so this alone should entice to check out CCLGT. Whether you sign up for a day or evening tour, I can’t imagine a more fun, insightful way to explore the real Lima.
http://www.limaculinarytour.com
7. Be inspired by pre-Columbian X-rated artifacts
The Larco Musuem, formerly an eighteenth-century mansion built on the site of a pre-Columbian temple, offers one of the world’s largest private collections of pre-Columbian Peruvian artifacts. The gold and silver pieces, textiles and ceramics are arranged chronologically for an artistic overview of Peru’s history. Fascinating stuff, but without a doubt the most popular gallery is the adults-only, “Sala Erótica”, or “Erotic Hall”. To see the Inca version of the Kama Sutra, visit this hall filled with erotic ceramic pots portraying every conceivable sexual act and position, often with great humor.
8. Go bohemian
Often referred to as the Peruvian Greenwich Village, the hipster Barranco area is a beguiling mix of art galleries and co-ops, great restaurants and the best nightlife in Lima. Barranco was a popular beach resort in the 19th century and many of the old mansions lining the cobbled alleyways have recently been restored to their past glamour.
Enter the hood by walking over the well-trodden, wooden Bridge of Sighs, which overlooks a bougainvillea-lined walkway leading to some great surfing beaches. Locals believe that if you make a wish and cross the bridge for the first time without taking a breath, your wish will come true. Then spend an idyllic afternoon strolling around the square, catching the views from the pier, shopping at the artsy boutiques, and perhaps staying on for some live music and dancing at one of the lively bars.
The weather can be classified as good news/ bad news. Lima is halfway down Peru’s coastal desert so it has mild temperatures year round. However, the sun-worshipping Inca’s really blew this one because during the winter months, June- December, this is one grey city. You can go months without seeing a ray of sun…but it almost never rains.
Money: Almost every shop and restaurant accepts either Peruvian (soles) or U.S. currency. However, they are very particular about the bills they take. If there is even the slightest tear on a worn bill, it will be rejected, so make sure to bring pristine money.
Best Sleeps: The JW Marriott Lima Hotel, a dramatic 25-story, sea-green glass tower hotel, was built as an optical illusion to resemble an arch. It has the perfect location, as it is perched high on oceanside cliffs above the Malecón in Miraflores, and a mere three minute walk from Lima’s most popular mall, Larcomar, a huge complex of shops, restaurants, a movie theater, pool hall, and bowling alley. All 300 rooms, with mesmerizing views of the Pacific, were recently updated with LCD TVs, lux bedding, and ergonomic desk chairs. Fitness buffs can choose between the gym which offers a good selection of weight and aerobics machines plus complimentary trainer services and classes, and an outdoor swimming pool; or you can just step outside for a run on the Malecón.
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/limdt-jw-marriott-hotel-lima/
For help in arranging an unforgettable trip to Peru, I recommend Only Latin America Tours, which offers over a dozen specialty group tours. They also design private tours, customized to fit your particular interests be it a food, culture, history or adventure trip – all impeccably organized and offering authentic experiences in high style.
