Three days is the sweet spot for a first visit to Lima. It is long enough to see the coastal districts, the colonial centre and a museum or two, and short enough that you leave wanting more. This plan groups sights by area so that you spend your time on sights rather than in traffic, which is the main enemy of any Lima itinerary.
Day one: Miraflores and Barranco
Start gently on the cliff-top Malecon, where a continuous chain of parks follows the edge of the bluff above the Pacific. Walk to the Parque del Amor, pause at Parque Kennedy for coffee and its famous cats, and drop into Larcomar for a view of the surf. In the afternoon, take a taxi or a clifftop walk south to Barranco, where colourful mansions, galleries and street art line the lanes. Cross the Bridge of Sighs, walk down the Bajada de los Banos toward the sea and stay for dinner, because Barranco is at its best after dark. Our Miraflores and Barranco pages have the details for each stop.
Day two: the old town and ancient Peru
Spend the morning in the Historic Centre, beginning at the Plaza Mayor with its cathedral, government palace and carved wooden balconies. A short walk away, the San Francisco Convent and Catacombs gives you the colonial story from the crypts upward, and it is visited on a guided tour. If you enjoy period interiors, a visit to a colonial mansion such as Casa Aliaga adds another layer. After lunch, take a taxi to the Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre, where gold, ceramics and textiles from thousands of years of Andean cultures are displayed in a viceregal mansion with lovely gardens. If you still have energy in the evening, the Magic Water Circuit is a cheerful way to end the day.
Day three: ruins and flavours
Huaca Pucllana is a huge adobe pyramid in the middle of Miraflores, closed on Tuesdays, and it makes an easy morning stop with a guided walk. For lunch, join a gourmet food tour or a market-to-table cooking class, which are the best ways to understand why Lima is considered one of the world's great food cities. If you prefer to leave the city, swap the afternoon for a half-day trip to Pachacamac, a vast pre-Inca temple complex on the southern edge of Lima. Finish with a pisco sour somewhere along the Malecon as the sun goes down.
How to pace it
Keep to one area per half day and avoid crossing the city twice. Traffic is heavy at peak hours, so build in extra time between districts, and try to schedule the historic centre and the museum in the morning, when the roads and sights are quieter. A late start on day one is fine if you have flown in, and the second day is the busiest, so consider booking the catacombs and the museum ahead if you are visiting in a busy season.
Getting around
In Miraflores and Barranco, walking is a pleasure. For everything else, licensed taxis and ride apps are inexpensive by international standards and are the easiest way to travel after dark. Many tours include hotel pickup, which saves time. Agree on the fare before getting into a street taxi, or use an app. The Metropolitano bus is useful for some routes, but visitors usually find taxis simpler.
What to bring
A light jacket is useful in any season, because the sea breeze can feel chilly in the evening, and a hat and sunscreen help at open sites such as Huaca Pucllana. Comfortable shoes matter on the cobbles of Barranco and the stairs in the convent. Keep phones and cameras out of sight in the busy centre and near the cliff edge, and carry only the cash you need.
If you have more time
A fourth day opens up the options we cover in our day trips guide, including the Paracas and Ballestas Islands trip, the Huacachina dunes, the Palomino sea lions and the pyramids of Caral. If you are flying on to Cusco, a night or two in Lima before or after is easy to fit in, and the plan above works in any order.
Where to stay
Miraflores is the easiest base for a three-day visit, with the Malecon, restaurants and tour pickups on your doorstep. Barranco offers more character and nightlife, and a quieter option such as San Isidro suits travellers who want calm. Our where to stay guide compares the options in more detail, and the hotels linked below cover a range of budgets.
