Callao’s storied history began just two years after Lima’s did in 1537. Despite being its longtime next door neighbor and making up a large chunk of the metro area as a whole, the city and region couldn’t be more distinct from the rest of Lima. With a history and identity inexorably tied to its mighty international port, rich fishing industry, beautiful colonial architecture, rocky beaches, and a love for seafood and Salsa music, Callao has a look and feel that’s truly distinctive.

More common for the city however is that it’s infamously known for being home to several large low-income, high-crime neighborhoods, and despite improvements over past 15-20 years, these are characteristics and aspects of life that the city has yet to shake. In spite of these issues, the people of Callao (“Chalacos” in Spanish) have always been fiercely proud of their city and its unique culture.

In the past 5-10 years, private groups and the region have come together to work on revitalizing some of Callao’s dilapidated historical areas, including those near to La Punta District, Fortaleza Real Felipe, Plaza Miguel Grau, and the Port of Callao. One of these revitalization projects, called Monumental Callao, successfully came to fruition in an area of Callao’s port district known to locals as “Barrio Chalaco” in 2015. Stretching along Jiron Constitucion next to the beautiful Catedral de San Jose del Callao, Monumental Callao has been a transformational project that has brought a vibrant arts, music, and restaurant scene to a once forgotten area.

Monumental Callao

With the help of local artists and the Region of Callao, Monumental Callao was spearheaded by the private group “Project Fugaz”. The initial idea for Monumental Callao was simple, help restore the port district area through arts, culture, and economic development and opportunity. Additionally, the founders sought to develop a space and neighborhood that embraced the freedom to live and express itself without fear or limits, and become a source of inspiration for not only the artists and creators, but the community at large.

The initial transformation of the area began with the creation of street art and graffiti murals, which now dominate the streets and walls at Monumental Callao. Then through an extensive restoration project, the beautiful 100-year old Casa Ronald building was renovated into a multi-purpose hub for Monumental Callao. The building now houses art galleries, shops, offices, one restaurant and one café, and a rooftop patio for events and small shows. Shortly thereafter, additional galleries, shops, restaurants, and businesses started to move to Monumental Callao, slowly transforming it into the dynamic neighborhood that it is today. Now a hot spot for local and international street art, must-see galleries, rich gastronomy, chic fashion, cultural events, and live shows, Monumental Callao is currently one of the trendiest spots in the entire Lima Metro area.

Monumental Must-Do’s

1. Chow down at a great cevicheria

Nothing is more Chalaco than a hearty seafood lunch and a couple of ice cold Pilsen’s at a local cevicheria on a sunny summer afternoon. The Port of Callao area has long been known for its well-established cevicherias, like Cevicheria Mateo, but since its opening, Monumental Callao has fostered a growing cevicheria restaurant scene. Monumental Callao now boasts 5 cevicheria restaurants, both new and old. We recommend cevicheria Mateo, a long-time favorite of ours, or the newer up-start, Barra D7, both of which are situated on Jiron Constitucion situated right next to each other. You can read our detailed restaurant review of Cevicheria Mateo here!

2. Experience the diverse live music scene

A great thing Monumental Callao has been doing since the beginning is paying homage to Callao’s long history of live street music, particularly Salsa. The live music scene at Monumental Callao has developed into something much more diverse, where on any given weekend there might be a live DJ session or a rock band show. This summer Monumental Callao has put on a twice-weekly live music event called Sunset Sessions and Rooftop Sessions, both of which take place at Rooftop Fugaz atop the Casa Ronald building. The spacious and open rooftop setting comes with some of the best views in Lima. Right now there are few better venues to experience live music.

3. Get a taste of Italy in Peru

Monumental Callao is home to one of the most underrated cafe’s in all of Lima, Pasteleria Italo. Just like the streets of Milan, Pasteleria Italo’s street seating and colonial-era building will make you think you are in Europe. Pasteleria Italo specializes in Italian/French style coffees and desserts, including classics such as Profiterole and Cannoli. Don’t miss out on these here!

4. Bring your camera!

Monumental Callao is very picturesque and there is beauty every which way. From the fabulous street art to the old colonial-era architecture and everything else in-between, Monumental Callao is a photographer’s dream. Whether it’s street, architecture, cityscape, food and drink, or portrait photography, the possibilities are endless here!

Safety and Security

Considering Callao’s reputation, we thought it might be good to address the state of safety and security at Monumental Callao. With a large police station situated right across the street from Catedral de San Jose del Callao and the main entrance at Monumental Callao, you shouldn’t have to worry during the daytime about anything happening. However, the further you stray from the immediate area, and the more later in the day it gets, the threat of crime increases. Therefore we recommend staying within the confines of the immediate area at Monumental Callao, especially after dark.

Having gone to Monumental Callao more than a half dozen times, neither I nor anyone I know has had a problem, but just remember to take the normal precautions that you would otherwise in Lima and Peru. There are guarded parking lots along Jiron Constitucion near the police station, so if you decide to drive your vehicle, it will be safe to park. If you are taking a taxi we definitely recommend using Uber or another ride share to and from. If you’re new to Uber, follow the link here and use the code “wq3ne” at sign-up to get $2 off each of your first 3 Uber rides: https://www.uber.com/invite/wq3ne

Location and Info

Monumental Callao

Jiron Constitucion 250, Callao 07021

General Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m (special events sometimes differ)

https://www.facebook.com/MonumentalCallao/

Check out various pictures of Monumental Callao below, just click to enlarge! Or for high-res slideshow viewing, see our Monumental Callao album on the official Lima City of Kings Facebook page!