Lima was founded in 1535 and in a short period of time became the most important city in the Americas. Today, there are more than eight million inhabitants, and the city shelters immigrants from all corners of the globe, which has transformed it into a mixed city par excellence.

In the historic centre, placed by UNESCO on the World Cultural Heritage List, you can visit splendid samples of Colonial architecture like the Cathedral, the Convent of Santo Domingo, and the Convent of San Francisco as well as fantastically wood carven balconies. Lima is also an inexhaustible source of culture, demonstrated by the existence of numerous and varied museums like the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology, and History and the Rafael Larco Herrera Archeological Museum, which guards priceless Incan and pre-Incan treasures. Situated in the heart of the city are great archeological monuments such as the Huallamarca Huaca or the Pucllana Huaca. And, on the outskirts of Lima facing the ocean is Pachacamac, the most important pre-Incan sanctuary on the coast, built in the third century A.D. Some of the other great attractions are the San Isidro and the Barranco districts.

Green areas and exclusive residential neighborhoods characterize San Isidro, especially the traditional area of El Olivar, named that way because of the hundreds of olive trees growing in the park. It has become, in recent years, an important tourist and business center with modern buildings, hotels, restaurants, and malls. Barranco was an early twentieth century beach resort for the Lima aristocracy. It is now the main artistic neighborhood of the city with lovely homes and corners with disco techs, pubs, and cafes that present musical and cultural shows.

During this trip, you must also remember to sample one of the best cuisines in the world. The city offers a wide variety of restaurants and inviting locales where you will be able to taste delicious dishes, the result of the mixing of European, African, Asian, and Andean cuisines.

Tourist interests

Main Square. It was the center of the old Colonial city. The Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace and the Provincial City Hall of Lima are located in its perimeter. At its center, there is a seventeenth century bronze fountain.

Cathedral of Lima. It is placed where the first Main Church of Lima was. The interior is austere, although it shelters real historic jewels like the finely carved wooden pews of the Baltasar Noguera choir, different side altars, and the remains of Francisco Pizarro. In addition, you can visit the Museum of Religious Art that possesses an important collection of canvases, sculptures, chalices, and chasubles.

Government Palace. It was the residence of Francisco Pizarro (1535), who built it on the land that used to be occupied by Taulichusco, chief of the Rimac Valley. Since then, the place has been the center of the political power in Peru. It burnt down and was rebuilt in the 1920’s. It features many patios and rooms dedicated to important people of Peruvian history and carefully decorated with notable art pieces. Every morning at 11:45 A.M., the Patio of Honor is the stage for the changing of the guard, soldiers of the prestigious Husares de Junín Battalion.

San Francisco Church and Convent. A seventeenth century architectural complex. It includes the church, the convent, and the square. The church main front was carved in stone and is characterized by its Corinthian columns. In the facade, there is an open cornice with arches with an image of the Immaculate Conception. The cloistered area, decorated with tiles, houses the Vice-royal Art Museum. Additionally, the catacomb, which was a cemetery during the Colony, can be visited.

Santo Domingo Church and Convent. The church has three naves with an impressive cupola and finely carved cedar pews in the choir. The convent walls are decorated with tiles from Seville, and the main room features Baroque carvings. In 1551, the first university founded by the Spanish crown in the New World, the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, was established in the convent.

China Town. It is one of the largest in South America. Walking through its streets means getting to know the customs and products of this millennial culture. Mainly, it is about eating the delicious food found in the numerous area restaurants called “chifas”. The Entrance Monument to Calle Capon is a nice architectural piece.

Pachacamac Archeological Complex. It was the most important pre-Inca ceremonial center on the Peruvian coast. The main building material was mud. Around the complex, there are palaces, plazas, and temples (some of them restored), the most important being the Temple of the Sun and the Acllahuasi, both built during the Inca reign (1440 A.D. – 1533 A.D.) and the best preserved parts of the area. You will find a site museum that displays pieces found during the excavation.