Bucket list experience:
Lima Region, Peru
Founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro – audacious conqueror of the Inca Empire – Lima was the capital of most of Spanish South America for nearly 300 years. The affairs of an empire were once managed from its narrow, low-slung streets, but today the city’s colonial heart is choked with traffic and soot.
However, to understand Peruvian history, this 500-year-old grid is a must-see, housing extravagant baroque churches, historic buildings, the presidential palace and the cathedral. Elsewhere, there are fascinating museums dedicated to Peru’s history.
Don’t miss the cathedral where Pizarro is buried, San Francisco church with its bone-filled catacombs, the filigree-carved balconies of Torre Tagle mansion and the opulent, rococo archbishop’s palace.
The best museums sit in the colonial centre. They include MALI, a Lima Art gallery, with 7,000 pre-Columbian and Spanish pieces, all housed in a beautiful art nouveau building set in gardens. The Gold Museum has glittering artifacts from the country’s principal ancient civilisations.
After sightseeing, be sure to experience Lima’s world-class dining scene. The city has some of the finest restaurants in the world, serving up a virtuoso fusion of unique national ingredients with Asian and European techniques. You’ll need to book ahead for the best restaurants.
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
One of the world’s largest collections of pre-Colombian Peruvian gold, more than 7,000 artefacts, includes items from Inca, Sican and Moche culture. The museum also houses an extensive collection of weapons from around the world, dating back to the 13th century. Open daily.
Adult price: £6
Best for ages 13+
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
The city’s most prestigious and encyclopedic art museum, with a vast permanent collection spanning three millennia of Peruvian art.
Adult price: £7
Best for ages 18+
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
A temple to Spanish power, this huge, imposing cathedral houses the remains of Pizarro, Conqueror of the Incas.
Adult price: £6
Best for ages 18+
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
Peru’s national art collection, with over 7,000 pieces dating from pre-Columbian times to the present day, showcased in a stately palace.
Adult price: £2
Best for ages 13+
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
Lima’s food market packed with exotic fruit, vegetables and medicinal plants. It’s also a good spot to sample street food – simple ceviche and Butifarra pulled-pork sandwiches.
Best for ages 13+
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
A UNESCO World Heritage listed Spanish-colonial monastery, dating back to 1674, with striking baroque architecture and bone-filled catacombs. The convent’s library possesses over 25,000 antique texts, including the first-ever Spanish dictionary and a Holy Bible edition from 1572.
Adult price: £3
Best for ages 18+
Lima, Lima Region, Peru
Lima is one of the best places to eat out in the world – with an astonishing restaurant scene and the finest chefs in South America.
Adult price: £35
Best for ages 18+
The central district is easy enough to explore independently on foot since most of the important sights lie within a few blocks of the main square. The inner suburb museums are easily visited by cab, or you can take an organised day tour that visits all the key sights.
Evening activities are limited since historic buildings (and many restaurants) only operate during the day. Note that some churches also close for a short period after midday mass.
The security situation has improved dramatically in downtown Lima over the last decade but pickpocketing is still a problem, especially in crowded public areas.
May to November Lima is blanketed in thick Garua sea mist, when everything looks grey and damp and temperatures can drop to 8°C. Visit November to April when the sun breaks through and temperatures peak at around 30°C.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Peru
A land of spectacular deserts, high mountains and rainforests that teem with wildlife, Peru is also home to an array of dramatically situated pre-Colombian ruins, including Machu Picchu.
