Chorrillos is a sprawling district just south of Barranco along the coast. While there is some super-expensive real estate within walking distance of the beach, most of Chorrillos is working-class. It is also home to three unique tourist attractions in the Morro Solar headland, Chorrillos fisherman’s wharf and Pantanos de Villa Wildlife Refuge.

Neither of the three sites would qualify as a tourist activity on its own, but the three combined in one day, or even just two of them, would combine to justify a place in the top 10 things to do in Lima. So for this activity, do a little planning and get an early start to hit two or three of the following places in Chorrillos.

Morro Solar

Morro Solar is a headland overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The expansive area features monuments including former President Miguel Iglesias, the Unknown Soldier, Christ of the Pacific and Sanctuary of the Virgin. The area also has a planetarium and offers one of the best views of the Lima coastline.

Morro Solar is not the safest neighborhood. The hillsides have been developed by low-income squatter settlements. A small number of these residents occasionally mug visitors to the site. Neither I nor anyone I know has had a problem and I recommend you visit, but be careful if you plan to walk in or out. The safest play is to hire a taxi to take you up and stay with you until you leave.

Morro Solar was the site of the first battle in Lima during the War of the Pacific. A 70-foot obelisk and statue of the Unknown Soldier honors the Peruvians who died resisting the invading Chileans. Another monument honors wartime general and Peru’s first president after the war, Miguel Iglesias.

Morro Solar is best known for Christ of the Pacific, a 120-foot statue of Jesus Christ modeled on the Christ the Redeemer overlooking Rio de Janeiro. But the oldest monument in the area is the small sanctuary honoring the Virgin Mary, brought from France in 1905. Morro Solar also features a planetarium, but it’s only open without appointment on Sundays.

For more information and pictures, see the full profile of Morro Solar.

Chorrillos Fisherman’s Wharf

The Chorrillos fish market is located a short walk from the bottom of Morro Solar, down a staircase to the edge of the Agua Dulce beach. Workers at the dozen or so fish restaurants will beckon you in for lunch. The seafood is great and fresh, but I regretfully have to advise anybody worried about their digestive system to skip these.

Beyond the market is a pier which you can access for 50 centimos, where several guides will offer you a tour of the bay and neighboring beaches on their motorized skiffs. The abundant fish of the Pacific and marine tradition is central to the culture of Lima. If you don’t take a boat tour at La Punta del Callao, take one here in Chorrillos.

For enthusiasts, the guides can arrange fishing expeditions of up to five hours. The waters are so teeming with fish that they guarantee you’ll catch something in just an hour, even if it’s not worth selling.

Back at the market, stroll the vendor stalls and check out the displays of all the marine life that swims, crawls and slithers off the shores of Lima.

For more information and pictures, see the full profile of the Chorrillos fish market.

Pantanos de Villa Wildlife Refuge

Pantanos de Villa is a marshland and protected wildlife refuge home to over 200 species of birds, located five miles south of Morro Solar and the Fisherman’s Wharf. Some 60 to 80 species live there year round, while the rest are migratory “snowbirds” who come from as far as Canada and Alaska for the South American summer from December through March.

The birds congregate in the inlets of brackish, or mix of freshwater and saltwater. The park features three main attractions. The Traditional Circuit has a watchtower overlooking a lake. A mile away (hire a taxi to skip the walk) is the Wonder Circuit (pictured), a brackish pond wedged up against the beach and Pacific Ocean which attracts more seafaring birds looking for fish.

The Genesis Lake Circuit just behind the park office must be navigated by boat, which can be done with a guide or alone for 10 soles ($3) per person. The water is stagnant and shallow, so there is almost no risk in tipping. I recommend saving this for last.

It took me at least four hours to see all of Pantanos de Villa, but that included walking between each pond. For more information, see the full profile of Pantanos de Villa.

If you want to do all three Chorrillos tourist activities, do Morro Solar in the morning so you’re gone before dusk. You can see all the monuments and views in under two hours. Then go to the fisherman’s wharf, the time for which depends on how long your boat tour lasts. And visit Pantanos de Villa last, but be aware that the park closes at 4:30 p.m. Get an early start if doing all three, which would be a long day.

Previous editions of this book featured a Lima Bike Tour instead of Chorrillos, with the idea being a physically active day. But cycling in the chaotic city or maybe cycling in itself was not popular, so we subbed in the Chorrillos tourist circuit. The extensive walking at Pantanos de Villa and Morro Solar, which may include some light climbing if you want to get off the beaten path, qualify this activity as “exercise.”

For urban cycling, see our Lima Bike Tour for step-by-step instructions with maps, pictures, bicycle rentals and more information on my recommended bike tour with Short (four miles), Medium (8.5 miles) and Long (14 miles) options spanning Miraflores, San Isidro, Lince, downtown and Jesus Maria.