Lima

Plaza Mayor

Known until recently as Plaza de Armas, this is has been the site of many major events, from the founding of Lima, to public executions during the Spanish Inquisition, to Peru’s declaration of independence in 1821. A number of historic buildings surround the square, including the cathedral, the Archbishop’s palace (known for its elaborately carved, Moorish-style balconies) and the presidential residence.

La Catedral

Plaza Mayor

Pizarro carried the first log for the construction of this cathedral, begun in 1535 but halted by numerous earthquakes over the years. The elaboate Baroque structure was completed in 1758, but had to be reconstructed after another major earthquake in 1940. The interior is relatively sedate – highlights include the intricately carved choir stalls and the mosaic-covered chapel containing Pizarro’s tomb.

San Francisco de Lima

Jirón Ancash at Lampa
Museum and convent open daily 9:30am-5:45pm

Encompassing a church, cloisters, and two chapels, this colonial complex is filled with notable art and architecture. The cloister is lined with exquisite azulejos tiles from Seville, and features a machimbrado ceiling (mahogany pieces fitted together without nails) and frescoed walls. Other items of interest include the library, containing some 20,000 volumes of books from the 15th-18th centuries; the church’s high altar, capped by a Moorish-style dome; and the maze of catacombs, with stacks of bones laid out in decorative patterns.

Museo Rafael Larco Herrera

Av. Bolivar 1515, Pueblo Libre
Tel: +51 (0)1 461 1312
Open daily, 9am-10pm; December 24-26 and Jan 1, 9am-6pm.

If you visit only one museum in Lima, make it this one. Surrounded by gardens, this 18th-century viceroy mansion houses an excellent museum of pre-Columbian art. Though it’s one of the largest private collections in the world, the museum is very digestible. On exhibit are a well-displayed assortment of pre-Columbian ceramics (including the famous collection of erotic pottery) along with exquisite gold and silver jewelry, and feathered and woven textiles, including an ancient fragment from Paracas with a record breaking 389-per-inch thread count.

Museo Nacional de Arquelogica, Antropologica, e Historia de Peru

Plaza Bolívar, corner of San Martín & Vivanco, Pueblo Libre
Tel: +51 (0)1 463 5070
Open Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun and Holidays 9am-4pm

Peru’s oldest state museum houses a large and comprehensive collection of artifacts tracing the history of Peru from pre-Hispanic times through the Republican period. Highlights include an important collection of mummies and funerary bundles, intricately carved obelisks, and ceramics from the Nazca and Moche cultures. A blue line leads from this museum to the Lorca museum.

Museo Oro del Peru

Alonso de Molina 1100, Monterrico
Tel: +51 (0)1 345 1292
Open daily 10:30am-6pm

If you didn’t get your fill of golden earrings and masks or tapestries made of parrot feathers at the Larco museum, this private museum’s huge display is sure to satisfy you. Exhibits are not well labeled, so an audio guide is recommended. There’s also a vast collection of firearms and other weapons from around the world. The museum was hit by scandal in 2001, when the tourism protection board declared that most of the pre-Columbian gold pieces were fakes. It has since reopened with the assurance that all pieces are now genuine.

Lima’s major commercial district is chock-full of shops, theaters, restaurants and clubs. The main shopping street is Avenida Lorca, while pedestrian San Ramon alley is filled with bars and sidewalk cafes. To the southwest, several beaches attract throngs of city dwellers during the summer months.

Huaca Pucllana

Avenida General Borgoño, Cuadra 8
Open Wed-Mon from 9am-5pm

You don’t need to leave Lima to view ancient ruins – this 1,500-year-old pyramid is right in the middle of Miraflores. Originally built by the Lima culture as a religious and administrative center, it was used for a variety of ceremonies, including human sacrifice and rituals involving the smashing of pottery. After being abandoned by the Lima around 700 AD, it was taken over by the Wari people, who used it as a burial place for their elite and a shrine. A wealth of remains and artifacts have been uncovered here, and excavations are still taking place.

Miraflores Park Hotel

Av. Malecón de la Reserva, Miraflores
Tel: +51 (0)1 610 4000

Nearly all the rooms in this fashionable five-star hotel have ocean views. Rooftop pool.

In the 19th century, Lima’s elite chose this seafront neighborhood as the place to build their summer homes. These days, it’s known as Lima’s bohemian district, with houses, churches and municipal buildings painted in bright colors. Though many of the old mansions are crumbling, others have been renovated as part of a beautification program. The area abounds with chic, cozy restaurants and cafes, many along the Bajada de Banos footpath that leads to the sea. Stretching above the footpath is the Puente de los Sospiros (Bridge of Sighs), a favorite local landmark. Charming and tranquil during the daylight hours, Barranco comes alive at night, offering a large concentration of bars and clubs.