Peru
Lima is a desert capital on the Pacific, where cliff-top parks in Miraflores look out over surfers, a bohemian Barranco of galleries and bridges sits a short walk south, and a UNESCO-listed colonial centre hides a convent with catacombs beneath it.
This guide books Lima properly: the Larco Museum and its pre-Columbian gold and ceramics, the adobe pyramid of Huaca Pucllana in the middle of a modern neighbourhood, the bone-lined crypts under the San Francisco Convent, a gourmet food tour and a hands-on cooking class in one of the world's great food cities, and the Pachacamac temple complex on the city edge. It then reaches south for the Paracas and Ballestas Islands day trip, with sea lions, seabirds and desert coast. Two guides cover what to book and where to stay, and five hotels, from a Belmond clifftop retreat to a Barranco mansion and a Miraflores hostel, show where to sleep.
San Francisco Convent and Catacombs
A baroque monastery in the historic centre with a library, cloisters and a crypt where thousands of bones are arranged in patterns. The most memorable single visit in colonial Lima.
Larco Museum (Museo Larco)
A private museum in an eighteenth-century mansion in Pueblo Libre, built on a pre-Columbian pyramid and famous for its ceramics, gold and gardens. Open every day and the best single museum stop in Lima.
Miraflores Malecón and Parque del Amor
The cliff-top promenade of Miraflores strings together parks, sculptures and Pacific views above the Costa Verde. Free to walk, easy to reach and the natural first stop in Lima, especially toward sunset.
Barranco and the Bridge of Sighs
Lima's bohemian seaside district of colourful mansions, galleries and bars, anchored by the wooden Bridge of Sighs. Free to wander and best explored in the late afternoon and evening.
FreeThe cliff-top promenade of Miraflores strings together parks, sculptures and Pacific views above the Costa Verde. Free to walk, easy to reach and the natural first stop in Lima, especially toward sunset.
FreeLima's bohemian seaside district of colourful mansions, galleries and bars, anchored by the wooden Bridge of Sighs. Free to wander and best explored in the late afternoon and evening.
FreeThe UNESCO-listed colonial heart of the city, centred on the Plaza Mayor with its cathedral, government palace and carved wooden balconies. Free to explore on foot and a must for history lovers.
A baroque monastery in the historic centre with a library, cloisters and a crypt where thousands of bones are arranged in patterns. The most memorable single visit in colonial Lima.
A private museum in an eighteenth-century mansion in Pueblo Libre, built on a pre-Columbian pyramid and famous for its ceramics, gold and gardens. Open every day and the best single museum stop in Lima.
A huge adobe-brick pyramid from the pre-Inca Lima culture, standing in the middle of residential Miraflores. A guided visit takes about an hour, and the site has a restaurant overlooking the ruins.
A five-hour small-group daytime tour through Barranco, Miraflores and San Isidro that adds a fruit market, a ceviche class, pisco cocktails and a lunch overlooking pre-Inca ruins.
A five-hour class that starts at the Surquillo market, with a tasting of 35 or more fruits and a four-course lunch you cook yourself. Ideal for travellers who want to learn Peruvian dishes at home.
A long but rewarding day from Lima to the desert coast of Paracas, with a speedboat to the Ballestas Islands, a guided national reserve visit and the Chincha slave tunnels.
A vast pre-Inca temple and oracle site on the southern edge of Lima, with pyramids, Inca buildings and a site museum. The right half-day trip for anyone curious about ancient Peru.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Miraflores (Malecón de la Reserva)
The splurge on the Miraflores clifftop, with 87 rooms and suites, a heated rooftop pool, a spa and ocean views. A polished base for couples and anyone who wants Lima in comfort.
Rates on Expedia →Barranco
A restored 1914 Belle Epoque mansion in Barranco that has been an art-filled boutique hotel since 2013, with a rooftop, a library and a courtyard patio. The stylish pick for couples.
Rates on Expedia →Miraflores (centre)
A 148-room tower in central Miraflores with an indoor heated pool, spa services, a gym and a Peruvian restaurant. A reliable mid-range base for first-timers and families.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Miraflores
A 65-room hotel on Avenida Grau with a garden, a rooftop terrace and free breakfast, about a seven-minute walk from Parque Kennedy. A good-value mid-range pick.
Rates on Expedia →Miraflores
A social hostel on Avenida José Larco in Miraflores with dorms, pods and private rooms, a bar and a rooftop terrace. The budget pick for solo travellers and backpackers.
Rates on Expedia →A first-timer's guide to Lima: what to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow, and where Miraflores, Barranco, the catacombs, the Larco Museum and Paracas fit.
Where to stay in Lima: how Miraflores and Barranco differ, which district suits you, and five hotels across luxury, mid-range and budget.
