We enjoyed exploring Lima, Peru on our 10 Day trip to Peru in the spring and we found the city to be beautiful and charming. If you’re heading to Peru to visit Machu Picchu, odds are you’re going to land in Lima first and check out the city for a bit. I definitely recommend not skipping this stop and seeing all that Lima has to offer, especially their signature dish, ceviche or the classic pisco sour beverage.
The Overview
Mini History:
Lima is the capital of Peru, and sits on the Pacific coast. The entire city is positioned on a steep cliff with seaside views along the entire coast. It’s also one of South America’s largest cities and home to many museums that hold the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations.
Where To Stay:
We were suggested to stay in Miraflores or Barranco. Both areas are very safe and beautiful.
Miraflores: In Miraflores we stayed at a beautifully simple and quaint B&B, Belma Boutique Bed and Breakfast. This B&B was positioned just blocks from the cliffside in Lima, where we had access to the Miraflores boardwalk and their outdoor mall. Our room was simple and comfortable with a huge bathroom and shower that we thoroughly enjoyed after our flight from Chicago. The staff was so hospitable and whipped up a fresh omelet by request and served fresh fruit each morning as well.
Book your stay at Belma Boutique Bed and Breakfast.
Barranco: We stayed in this bohemian district of Lima and were blown away by our hotel experience at Villa Barranco by Ananay Hotels. The Ananay Hotels are a chain in Peru with a B&B vibe and hospitality. The Villa Barranco we stayed at was beautiful. It felt like we were walking into a cozy home. The beds were like sleeping on a cloud, the bathroom and showers were massive and elegant, and we had our own private patio to enjoy as well. Upstairs there were a few more rooms and a stunning rooftop with a mini bar and comfortable seating. The best part was the breakfast. We enjoyed breakfast one morning in their “library” room at a shared table with other guests. Fresh juice, fruit and yogurt and baked goods were provided. The next morning we decided to take our breakfast outside on their beautiful backyard patio. It felt like we were in a dream. We sat at a white bistro table, with a black and white striped umbrella overhead. We were cocooned around a tall hedge and beautiful pink and red flowers as we enjoyed a home cooked breakfast the kitchen made for us by request. This hotel provided incredible hospitality and a beautiful space. I can’t recommend Ananay Hotels enough.
Book your stay at Villa Barranco by Ananay Hotels.
Things To Do In Lima
Discover Miraflores:
Miraflores was such a great spot to stay in Lima. It’s a very safe and beautiful area with gorgeous homes and architecture that left me so inspired after leaving. The area is also home to Limas outdoor mall, Larcomar, which was fun to walk around and shop at before discovering the rest of the area. We also enjoyed a few local restaurants nearby as well such as Punto Azul which was recommended to us by a local as one of the best Ceviche places in Lima.
Take A Walk Along Lima’s Seaside Cliff:
We spent the majority of our time just walking along Miraflores boardwalk that lines the entire cliff in Lima. We started in Miraflores and made our way north along the cliff. I was blown away at how well kept their boardwalk was and how many outdoor activities there were to allow the community to get outside and stay active. A sidewalk lined the entire cliff and below the cliff along the ocean. It continued for miles. The landscape was beautiful, each area of the walk had multiple small parks along the way with well kept landscape, outdoor fitness equipment, benches, murals, restaurants and sculptures. The views as you walked were incredible too. We were able to see the entire city situated on the edge of Lima’s massive seaside cliff.
Take A Day Trip To Paracas & Huacachina:
These two stops can be done in a full one-day tour by the Peru Hop bus. You will be able to see the famous Red Sea, penguins and sea life as well as cliffside views at Paracas. After that the bus takes you to the desert oasis of Huacachina where you can enjoy dun buggy rides and sandboarding. This was a stop we were really looking forward to but due to over packing our trip and not allowing much needed break days, we couldn’t make the day trip. I can’t stress enough how important it is to add in break days on your trip to Peru so you can enjoy all the excursions with full energy and give yourself needed rest.
Huacachina via Unsplash
Paracas Red Sand Beach via Trip Advisor
Discover Barranco District:
Barranco is known as the bohemian district in Lima. Many aspiring artists and musicians live and share their art in the neighborhood. While walking around, you’ll find many bright colored murals lining the streets. I also suggest taking a walk across the Bridges of Sighs bridge, which is a famous landmark in Barranco. Barranco also has a main square, called Plaza Barranco, that is home to a beautiful yellow church, local library and many restaurants and businesses.
We actually enjoyed one of our favorite meals here at a café a few blocks down. More on that below!
Visit Parque del Amor:
Parque del Amor, also known as Love Park, is located along the Miraflores boardwalk that lines the coast of Lima. The park overlooks the ocean and has a beautiful array of trees and flowers that surround a huge kissing sculpture, “El Beso” (The Kiss) by Victor Delfín. The park also has a beautiful mosaic wall and local spots to grab a bite to eat and enjoy the view. Along this park you’ll find a fence with thousands of “love” lockets locked to it with messages and names from those who added their lock to the fence.
Where To Eat
Punto Azul:
Punto Azul was recommended to us by a local as one of the best Ceviche places in Lima. He was not wrong, the wait was out the door to get in but well worth it. It was our first time trying ceviche and pisco sour and both were excellent at Punto Azul. We also tried a shrimp risotto dish called, Rissotto con Langostinos. The risotto was covered in a yellow chili arborio sauce that we realized is very common in Cusco dishes and the flavor was so tasty.
Pan Sal Aire:
This was a small cafe that blew us away. I know it’s not classic Peruvian cuisine, but this meal was one of Tim and I’s favorite dishes we had in Lima next to the ceviche. We first loved the design and aesthetic of the cafe and then drooled over the margarita pizza, light and flavorful tortellini and the grilled cheese.
The city of Lima is beautiful and you can’t miss the views from the boardwalk that overlook the pacific coast. Lima has many plazas and squares that I can’t recommend enough just taking a walk and seeing all that you can. They make the city very accessible to be seen by foot and during the day you will enjoy the stroll as you discover all Lima has to offer.
-Kat
