Tips for Traveling in Lima, Peru - What to Know Before You Go
by Rebecca Hollman
updated May 1, 2019
Lima, Peru
Lima is Peru’s capital and largest city. Home to roughly 9 million people, it is Peru’s largest city and the third largest city in the Americas behind São Paulo and Mexico City. Lima is a massive, sprawling city but the most popular districts are the downtown historical center, the Miraflores barrio and the Barranco barrio. Downtown is known for it’s cathedrals, historical buildings and museums, Miraflores is known for it’s fine dining and ocean views (Lima is the only western facing capital in the world on the coast), and Barranco is known for it’s street art, coffee shops and Bohemian vibes. You could easily spend weeks, hell even years, in Lima and never get bored but I’ve summarized the tops things for tourists to do in Lima here.
Table of Contents
What to Know
LANGUAGE: The language of Peru is Spanish but most local peoples (especially in the Sacred Valley) area speak mostly Quechua and some Spanish. However, Lima is a global city and many people in Lima speak English. Although I always suggest learning at least basic Spanish before traveling to Central and South America. Speaking because understanding just a little bit will take you pretty far.
CURRENCY/BANKS/ATM: The Peruvian currency is called soles or “sun dollars.” One sole is equivalent to 0.30 US dollars and 1 USD is equivalent to 3.30 soles. A rough guide to to convert from soles to US dollars is to divide by 3. There are ample banks and ATMs throughout Lima (less so in other towns throughout Peru) so I would suggest getting enough cash out in Lima before traveling to lesser visited areas.
WEATHER: Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 59°F to 81°F and is rarely below 57°F or above 85°F. The best time of year to visit Lima for warm-weather activities is from early April to mid October. The warm season is between January to April and is around 80 degrees while the cold season is between June and October and is around 70 degrees. Relative humidity is very high, and produces quickly passing morning fogs from December to April and persistent low clouds and mist from May to November.
GETTING AROUND: The best way to get around Lima is by taxi or by Uber/Lyft. Lima is huge and spread out so it’s unrealistic that you will be able to walk or bike anywhere (unless you plan on sticking to just one smaller area). Walking or renting a bike is actually a good option if you plan on just exploring Barranco for one day, etc. Be careful with taxis as none of them are government regulated so can essentially set any rate they want. Make sure you determine a rate before you get in the taxi. Combis also go around Lima and are definitely the cheapest form of transportation but are extremely confusing as to where they are going/what the stops are. If you feel confident in your Spanish and asking others for directions, this might be the cheapest way to get around. Another option is to rent a car (although I wouldn’t suggest this if you are only planning on staying in Lima). I would only rent a car if you plan on driving somewhere else long distance and then it might be convenient to have it with you in Lima as well. Driving in Peru is aggressive and you must be even more aggressive. I’ve driven all over Central America and South America and Peru was one of the craziest places I’ve ever driven, especially in the outskirts of Lima. But it is kind of fun and can be done for the adventurous driver.
SAFETY: Lima is safe. Just like any other city in the US or Canada. There are areas that of Lima that are rougher than others so try to stick to the more common tourist sections of the city.
How to Get There
Lima is the pretty much the only place you will be flying into from outside of Peru. If you are flying internationally, you will land in the Lima airport and from there can go explore the city. If you are coming from another town in Peru into Lima, you can get there via long distance bus or plane. There are many small Peruvian airlines that go from Arequipa to Lima or Cusco to Lima, etc. for only $40-100 one way. You could also take a long distance bus, which is a cheaper option, but also much more time consuming. Don’t underestimate the distance between cities in Peru. There are a handful of different operators, each going to different destinations, but the best rated company is Cruz del Sur.
What to Do There
1. WALK ALONG EL MALECÓN: Miraflores is located along the coast and one of its most popular attractions is El Malecón. This multi-purpose path runs for kilometres along most of the Costa Verde. It is a great path for walking, running, biking, skateboarding, etc. and is great for people watching and for watching the sunset over the ocean. You can walk along the path for almost the entirety of Miraflores, heading into Barranco, and so it’s a great way to spend the day covering lots of ground of Miraflores. Hop off and back on at any point. You can also veer off and take a bridge across the main highway down to the ocean at multiple points to watch the surfers and the waves crash. There are also a good amount of cafes and restaurants located along the path.
2. EXPLORE HUACA PUCLLANA: Huaca Pucllana is a unique site since it is the home of ancient ruins perfectly preserved in the heart of Miraflores. Huaca Pucllana was built by the Lima people around 400 AD and was a ceremonial center as well as a site for public meetings. The name “huaca” means sacred and is found in the name of most ruins and “pucllana” is derived from the word for game, meaning this area was a place where sacred games were played in a type of ritual. The site is interesting because of its perfectly stacked clay bricks that make up the structures. Each of these bricks was made by hand and the mud was harvested from the surrounding area. The structures were built in layers over thousands of years and across multiple generations of Lima peoples, each adding on more structures. The Huaca Pucllana ruins are open Wednesday - Monday 9 AM to 5 PM (closed Tuesday). The entrance costs S/15. Half price admission also exists for children under 12 and senior citizens.
3. EXPLORE THE BARRANCO NEIGHBORHOOD: Barranco is the trendy and artsy neighborhood of Lima, with many designer stores, cafes and restaurants in converted old mansions. Spend a day walking around this area enjoying the historical buildings, museums, coffee shops, bars and the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Barranco used to be the “seaside resort” for Lima’s wealthiest in the 1920s and exploring the brightly colored, massive mansions from the time period is one of the biggest draws of the area. Check out some of the best things to do in Barranco below.
Visit Vernacula - an old colonial mansion converted into an art gallery, design store and clothing shop
Walk Across the Puente de Los Suspiros (The Bridge of Sighs)
Watch impromptu theatrical or musical performances in the main square
Go on a self-guided graffiti walking tour
Drink in a colonial mansion converted into a bar - try El Piselli or Ayahuasca (the bar not the drug)
Enjoy Peruvian coffee in an eclectic coffee shop - try Bisetti, La Bodega Verde, Twins Cafe and Sofa Cafe
Stroll along Avenida Saenz Peña and look at the old colonial mansions in different stages of repair
Get your contemporary art fix at MAC Museum
Stroll in the steps of old time fashionable Limeños along the Bajada a los Banos
4. CHECK OUT THE CATACOMBS OF SAN FRANCISCO: The San Francisco catacombs are located deep within the Monastery of San Francisco - a beautiful cathedral in downtown Lima. The church was built in 1674 and has survived perfectly intact after several earthquakes - most likely because of its unique underground structure made of semi circle walls and circular wells which dissipated the energy of the earthquakes. The convent is known for its collection of over 25,000 books including many that are older than the Spanish Conquest. It contains the first Spanish dictionary published by the Royal Spanish Academy, as well as one of the first editions of the Bible. The church also has catacombs underground where over 25,000 people were buried. The skulls and bones of the buried are lined along the walls and in wells in the complex underground area of the catacombs. You can take a guided tour of the church, the convent and the catacombs. Tours leave every 30 minutes to an hour so you can just walk into the church and wait for the next tour to leave.
There are infinitely more things to do in Lima besides these top 4 I’ve listed above. Learn more about the best 11 things to do in Lima below.
Where to Stay
The accommodation options in Lima are pretty much endless. Lima has heaps of hostels, ranging from bunk beds for $6 to private rooms for $20-50. There are also an endless amounts of Airbnb options, which is a great middle range option for people who aren’t traveling on a super strict hostel budget or a couple traveling together splitting the cost. There are also some very unique and beautiful boutique hotels, especially in the Barranco area. I would strongly suggest only staying in either Barranco or Miraflores as these are the most safe areas of Lima.
BEST ACCOMMODATION IN MIRAFLORES
Hostels
Kokopelli
Puriwasi
Kaclla the Healing Dog
Dragonfly
Global Family Backpackers Hostel
Mid Range
Airbnbs
Inkawasi
Up Scale
BEST ACCOMMODATION IN BARRANCO
Hostels
Mid Range
Airbnbs
Up Scale
Where to Eat
Lima is a foodie city and so one of the best things to do in Lima is just to eat! There are infinitely many amazing restaurants in the city and I’ve just picked out a handful of the best rated in each of the following areas. There are many more restaurants that are top rated and you could spend weeks in Lima eating at a new, amazing restaurant every single day.
BEST RESTAURANTS IN MIRAFLORES
Maido
Rafael
La Mar Cebecheria
Malabar
Amaz Restaurante
BEST RESTAURANTS IN BARRANCO
Central
Amoramar
Sibaris
Isolina
Hotel B
BEST RESTAURANTS IN LIMA DISTRICT
El Chinito
