Top 10 Things to Do in Lima

  1. Downtown Lima Walking Tour — A customized walking tour of Lima’s historic city center with embedded maps, pictures and a detailed description of the route.
  2. Miraflores Walking Tour — A customized walking tour of the upscale Miraflores district passing by Parque Kennedy, Calle de las Pizzas, Larcomar, Parque del Amor and more.
  3. Barranco Walking Tour — A customized walking tour of the bohemian Barranco district including the Puente de los Suspiros, Parque Municipal, Paseo Saenz Peña and more.
  4. La Punta del Callao — The upscale La Punta district of Callao next to the largest Pacific seaport in South America offers history, architecture, naval culture, boat tours and rocky beaches.
  5. Magic Water Circuit — The Magic Water Circuit is a family-friendly water-fountain show in downtown Lima’s Parque de la Reserva. If you don’t have children, it’s an easy, cheap date.
  6. Huaca Pucllana — Visit the 1,600-year-old adobe pyramid built to get a glimpse of what life was like in Lima before the arrival of the Spaniards. Conveniently located in Miraflores.
  7. Paragliding — Get the best view of the city by flying high over Miraflores with a professional paragliding instructor. The take-off point is just next to Parque del Amor in the Malecon.
  8. Chorrillos Tourist Circuit — Morro Solar, Fisherman’s Wharf and Pantanos de Villa combine for an excellent day enjoying the natural landscape of Lima with some killer views.
  9. Lima Shantytown Tour — Get off the beaten path and feel a little culture shock with a “reality tour” of the hillside shantytowns in the impoverished Villa El Salvador district.
  10. Gastronomy — Peruvian food is the world’s best for five years running according to the World Travel Awards. Learn more about the best traditional dishes to eat while in Lima.

Museums

  1. Real Felipe Fortress — This 18th-century fortress has been converted into a museum showcasing Peru’s military history. Located just outside the entrance to La Punta del Callao.
  2. Cathedral of Lima — Arguably the most iconic building in the city, the awe-inspiring Cathedral is also home to one of the country’s most significant collections of religious art. Located in the Plaza de Armas.
  3. MALI Lima Art Museum — This cultural icon is Peru’s most important art museum, with pieces spanning 3,000 years of history categorized in pre-Columbian, Colonial, Republican and Modern galleries. Located in downtown Lima.
  4. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru — Peru’s most important history museum, located in a Pueblo Libre mansion where Latin American independence fighter Simon Bolivar temporarily resided.
  5. Larco Museum — One of Peru’s best pre-Columbian museums with an emphasis on pre-Inca cultures such as the Moche, known for its erotic pottery. Located in Pueblo Libre.

See more museums in Lima.

Gastronomy

  1. Ceviche — Peru’s signature dish, a raw-fish salad.
  2. Aji de Gallina — Creamy sauce with chicken over rice.
  3. Arroz con Pato — Rick with Duck, commonly found with chicken instead of duck (Arroz con Pollo).
  4. Causa — Lima’s signature dish is a mashed-potato cake stuffed with chicken or tuna salad.
  5. Lomo Saltado — Peruvian steak-and-potatoes stir-fry is a favorite among the less experimental eaters.
  6. Tacu Tacu — Afro-Peruvian creation is a fried mold of beans-and-rice mold served with meat or fish.
  7. Seco de Cordero — Slow-stewed lamb dish, a throwback from the Moorish legacy in Spain.
  8. Carapulcra — Afro-Peruvian signature dish is a tangy pork dish served with rice or Sopa Seca.
  9. Chifa — Tens of thousands of Chinese laborers immigrated to Peru in the 19th century, ultimately spawning the Peruvian-Chinese fusion cuisine known as “chifa.”
  10. Anticuchos — Barbecued cow hearts are one of Lima’s typical late-night foods. Tastes like a tough steak.
  11. Chicharron Sandwich — Fried-pork, fried sweet potato and onion make up the king of sandwiches in Lima.
  12. Papa a la Huancaina — Cold potato smothered in a rich cheese sauce is a typical appetizer during the hot summer.
  13. Sangrecita — Cooked chicken blood spiced up with onion and garlic, served with various starches. For blood-sausage connoisseurs.
  14. Suspiro de Limeña — Lima’s signature dessert is a hyper-sweet parfait made from milk, eggs and sweet red wine.
  15. Picarones — Lima’s most popular dessert is a plate of fried doughnuts drizzled in fig honey.
  16. Chicha Morada — Purple-corn juice, a refreshing drink in the Lima summer.
  17. Inca Kola — Peru’s flagship soft drink, a plutonium-colored soda which tastes like bubble gum.
  18. Pisco Sour — Peru’s signature cocktail is made of the grape-based spirit, pisco.

To see the latest posts on Lima tourist attractions, see more things to do.