About Lima
"The City of Kings", as Lima is known, was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro and became the center of Spanish power in Peru, during the colonial period.The urban planning of Lima is one of the colonial models in South America. Lima is known for its social, economical and cultural growth and stands out as the cultural center of Latin America; besides that, Lima is the home of San Marcos National University, the most ancient from America, founded in 1551.Lima is famous for being the viceroyalty capital of Peru and one of the cities most important of South America in the spanish regime period; after its independance in 1821 the city became the republic's capital. Before this period, the Baroque and Neoclassical style took the power on the streets, impregnating those architectural styles in the main constructions. The capital counts a high variety of tourist attractions that combine history and modernity, as you can see on the Historical Center. Another strong point of Lima is the food, there are many restaurants from the 3 Peruvian regions where you can live a complete gastronomical experience, given that the population is multicultural and mostly migrant. Live Peru from one of its corners, and enjoy tasting the culture that Peru offers you!
-In Lima you can mobilize without added difficulty; you will find a large variety of means of transportation as taxis, buses, train, colectivos (shared taxis) and even mototaxis (motorcycle of 3 wheels that go all over little trajects in some places of the city).
-If you take a taxi, don't you forget haggling, because the first price said is never the last one. If you bargain enough, you will travel for low cost.
-In public transportation buses it's always recommended to have change (coins), to avoid problems in the moment of payment. If you see a bus crowded, try to wait to the next one, because a lot of people travel inside the buses and you could feel uncomfortable.
-In Lima's traffic you should consider the peak hours (from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. / from 5:00 pm to 8:00 p.m.). Try to avoid to mobilize in those hours, because traffic can be an unpleasant experience, you can loose an hour in a traffic jam.
-If you like healthy alternatives, you can mobilize by bike in Miraflores and Barranco; these neighborhoods have great cycle lane for cyclists. Pay attention to the other drivers, because some of them does not respect the traffic rules, don't you trust them. In Lima, as in most of the big metropolis, thefts are frequent. It's highly recommended to avoid neighborhoods not secure at night (during the day you are safer). Try not to bring with you value objects, and still less if they are visible (cameras, jewellery, cell phones). You must be watchful in the public transportation, even there you could find thieves. We recommend to take secure taxis, because there are unreliable taxis that take advantage of tourists (sometimes they make them expensive prices or take them to danger places). Miraflores, San Isidro and Barranco are very calm neighborhoods, even at night, but it is always good to be cautious.
Lima is the capital of Peru and is where the majority of tourists start and end their trip, as it's necessary to pass through Lima to take international flights. It is an urban and modern city with many tourist attractions to see and do, like the Plaza de Armas, the government palace, the Saint Inquisition Museum, the cathedral of Lima and many other churches of the colonial period. You can also visit the Parque de las Aguas, a park full of fountains with an impressive show of images projected in the water. In addition, there are various museums to visit where you can learn about the city's and country's history (Larco Museum, Art of Lima Museum, Gold Museum, between others). You can as well find a huge variety of restaurants: peruvian food, japanese food, chinese food and different countries, that reflects the cultural fusion and gastronomy that means the essence of Peru. The beaches are not an exception, because there are beaches inside the urban area and outside, very crowded by local and foreigner bathers. The ones that you can't miss are: Ancón, San Pedro, La Herradura, Waikiki, El Silencio, Punta Hermosa, Punta Roquitas and many others!
El Bolivarcito
Location: 926 Jr. de la Union - Hotel Bolivar (Center of Lima) / 619-7171
You can go by taxi, combi or bus to San Martín Square. At this bar you will taste one of the best pisco sours of the city.
Art Déco Lounge
Location: 227 Rue Manuel Bonilla (Miraflores) / 242-3969
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday from 7:00 p.m.
You can try a variety of pisco sours and other Spanish cocktails.
La Esquina Wine Bar
Location: 920 Calle Berlin / 652-7255
If you are a wine lover you'll feel right at home at this wine bar in Miraflores.
Santos Cafe & Espirituosos
Location: 203 Jr. Zepita (Barranco)
Hours: Monday - Saturday from 5:00 p.m. / 247-4609
You have to try the house specialty, the Suspiro de Santos, a delicious mix of pisco, vanilla, cacao cream and milk over ice, an ethylic luxury.
Discoteca Etheria
Location: 220 Calle Ucello (San Borja) / 475-2314 | Price: $5 - 7
You can dance live music at the Etheria nighclub in San Borja.
Stragos Karaoke Bar Boxes
Location: 346 Av. Diagonal (Miraflores) and 280 Calle Ucello (San Borja) / 475-2314
Hours: Monday - Sunday, from 8:00 p.m.
Karaoke is in style in Lima and this is the place where you'll have a lot of fun.
Gotica nightclub
Location: Larcomar shopping center, Miraflores
Hours: Thursday - Saturday, 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
This European-style nightclub attracts upper class young people and high budget turists.
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La Rosa Náutica
Location: Espigon 4, Circuito de las Playas (Miraflores)
Price: from s/. 70 and up
You can see this converted pier in a beautiful restaurant from the Malecón Balta in Miraflores, and while you eat you can enjoy the sights and smells of the sea.
La Tiendecita Blanca
Location: 111 Av. Larco
Price: from s/. 50 and up
La Tiendecita Blanca has been around for more than 50 years. It's a Swiss-style restaurant near the Parque Kennedy.
Mirasol
Location: Jr. Choquehuanca 209 (Chorrillos)
Seafood and Peruvian cuisine restaurant. Highly recommended by many, you won't be disappointed.
Ronald Abad
Location: Av. Ignacio Merino 2429
Price: s/. 15 soles
This restaurant has ceviche at a good price. Ronald won the TV game show Ceviche with Feeling directed by the chef Gaston Acurio. We recommend going before noon because it fills up.
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The Historical Center
Located in the center of the city, it's the area where are the main government institutions and buildings of colonial architecture.
Acess: by bus, combi, taxi, colectivo(shared taxi) and the metropolitano bus. < br > You can walk freely through all the streets(the principal is Jirón de la Unión) and discover any of your attraction's preference (prices depend on the establishment). Those places are Museums, Institutions, Bars, Restaurants, Churches, Convents, and a long list of mansions and many stores.
La Punta, in Callao
Hours: Every day
Access: You can get around in combi (mini bus) or bus < br > Restaurant prices: s / .20 - 40 < br > The Point of Callao is a port full of history and tradition, and has recently been renovated for the public access. You can enjoy beautiful views from the port of La Punta, looking at the ships and birds surrounded by the immensity of the sea.
El Cerro San Cristobal
Access: Take a bus that leaves from the Plaza de Armas, in the historical center of Lima
Price: Changeable, so bargain it < br > From the San Cristobal hill you can take some great photos, because you have a wonderful panoramic sight of Lima;take advantage to make some pictures as if they were postcards. < br > The visit includes a guided tour through the city where you can learn about the origin and the history of each monument, construction and street visited during the tour.
Chocolate Museum
Location: Calle Berlin 375 (Miraflores)
Hours: 11: 00 a.m.to 7: 30 p.m.daily / (+51) 983 361 342 / Price: free < br > Enjoy a very sweet visit that will wake up your desire of buying some chocolate! < br > Helpful tip: sign up for one of the workshops offered to learn how to make chocolate and some other desserts.
El Circuito Mágico del Agua
Location: Estadio Nacional stop (on the Metropolitano bus)
Hours: Monday - Sunday, from 7: 00 a.m.to 1: 00 p.m.for FREE, and Wednesday to Sunday from 2: 30 p.m.to 10: 30 p.m., s / .4 the entrance fee < br > In the water park you can see many amazing back projections on the steams of the water. < br > We recommend you to go at night to be able to fully enjoy the light and water show(much better if you do it in great company).
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Walks
Some parts of Lima are perfect for those who like to walk through green areas, and the capital has lots of nice parks like El Parque del Amistad (Surco), Parque Kennedy (Miraflores), Parque de las Leyendas (a zoo in San Miguel district) and Barranco's Boulevard (in Barranco district), between many others.
Bohemian suggestion
Barranco is the bohemian district par excellence, because of its variety of cultural activities and the free time in a traditional environment, as the Born neighborhood in Barcelona or Le Marais in Paris. In the center of Lima you can taste a delicious Pisco, main peruvian drink, and eat a flavorful ceviche (you should eat it always in reliable places, where the fish is fresh).
Paragliding
Location: The Costa Verde in MirafloresParque Raimondi near the Parque del Amor (Miraflores)
Price: 150 soles (base fare) to 240 soles (full service)
This service is always available, though depending on the weather and wind, it is usually after 2:00 p.m. You'll soar above Larcomar (luxury shopping center in Miraflores), the beach, and part of the urban area of the city (buildings and houses) and the seaHelpful advice: don't forget to put on sunscreen, wear sunglasses and comfortable clothes (we don't want you to get sunburnt).
Surfing
La Herradura beach (Chorrillos)
Location: you can go through the beaches along the Costa Verde
Don't forget your wetsuit and surfboard and you'll be able to ride Lima's waves, but keep in mind the beaches are rocky. You can rent a wetsuit if you forgot yours. And you can take courses if you are a new surferSomething important: some beaches are reserved for professionals.
Costa Verde: Barranco - Miraflores - Chorrillos
Along the Costa Verde you'll find decent beaches
In Barranco you can cross the Puente de los Suspiros (Sighing Bridge) and hold your breath as you cross the bridge and make a wish, looking at the wonderful sight of the sea that is offered to your eyes. If you descent you'll find beautiful beaches. Choose one and enjoy it!
We recommend taking a long stroll from Barranco to Miraflores along the shore.
Tour buses also pass through this area, in case you prefer.
In Chorrillos beaches (after the Barranco beaches), you'll find a more natural environment than the one of the beaches above; in addition, you will find restaurants that offer a delicius variety of sea food, so typical of the coastal cities of Peru.
The Chinese neighborhood
Location: Calle Paruro (Close to Lima district)
Hours: Always open, best to avoid Saturdays because it's crowded of visitors
You'll see lots of shops and chifas (Chinese restaurants), and its worthwhile and very interesting to check out the fusion of cultures chinese and peruvian in this part of the city.
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Typical dishes and drinks
Lima is also a gastronomic capital because it combines flavors from the 3 regions. It has gained a worldwide prestige because it captivated palates of diner guest on the international panorama. Chefs like Gaston Acurio are elevating Peruvian cuisine, they are national heros in local gastronomy and they raise the name of Peruvian dishes around the world.
Dishes
There is a huge variety, but there are some plates you must absolutelly taste in Peru:Ceviche, anticuchos (cow heart in a brochette), ají de gallina, papa a la huacaina (boiled potatoes with a nice sauce), causa (a kind of potato pie), lomo saltado, between many others you will discover during your stay in Lima.
Deserts
You will also find an assortment of deserts from Lima, of sweet tradition. The most popular are: ?the picarones, suspiro a la limeña, turrón de doña pepa, and the mazamorra morada.
Drinks
Mature drinks and fresh flavors are waiting for you in the nightlife of Lima. Don't you miss: pisco sour, chilcano and algarrobina.
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There isn't a train that communicates Lima with the main cities of Peru. However, there is a metro in Lima which has one line that covers the traject from Villa El Salvador to Bayovar (San Juan de Lurigancho). The price is s/ 5 for the card that you recharge and pay s/ 1,50 per journey.
As main international airport of Peru, the Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chavez, located in Lima welcomes flights from diverse airports worldwide. You can get to Lima from different cities; for example from several airports in Spain you can get to Lima just for approximately 500euros round trip ticket (depending on the season). Air France, KLM, Iberia, British Airways and America Airlines are some of the main airlines that operate in the airport. There are also peruvian airlines as Atsa, Avianca, Latam, LAN, LCPeru that operate in the airport from several cities in Peru as are Arequipa, Huanuco, Chiclayo or Cusco.
The bus is a very common mean of transportation in the country. In Lima there are numerous bus companies and various terminals from where you can leave to many destinations around the country. Inside the city there are several types of buses to get to all the districts in Lima. The prices go from s/ 0,50 to approximately s/ 3 depending on the length of your route. And you may also use the Metropolitano, which are buses that have their own lane to run, so they run much faster than other buses.