Top 5 things to do in Lima, Peru

For most travelers, Lima is the start of a trip to Peru. However, most people leave the city immediately, because they assume it’s a boring city. I did stay for a couple of days and certainly enjoyed Lima. In this article, I’ll share my top 5 things to do in Lima.

Taste the best Peruvian food

Lima has the best Peruvian restaurants in Peru. Everywhere in the city, you’ll be able to eat the most delicious ceviche (a Peruvian dish that usually contains fish, lemon, potato, and corn). One of the best restaurants to order ceviche is a place called El Punto Azul in Miraflores. Of course, there are many other places in Lima to eat Peruvian food, so try as many as you like! And don’t forget to order a pisco sour as well, the number one cocktail in Peru.

Go for a walk on the boulevard in Miraflores

Miraflores is a neighborhood in Lima where most tourists stay. It’s on the coast, you can walk pretty much everywhere, and there are lots of good hotels and restaurants. A great place to relax and walk is the boulevard that winds along the coastline for a couple of kilometers. The view of the steep cliff is very impressive, and there are multiple parks where you can chill on a bench. Great spots along the boulevarde are for example the lighthouse Faro la Marina and Parque del Amor, with the gigantic sculpture called El Beso.

Explore the historic city center

The historic city center is stunning. Even if you only have one day in Lima, this is the place you have to go to. Everywhere you look, there are big colonial buildings with wooden balconies, beautiful squares, and large cathedrals. In the middle of it all (like in every other city in Peru) is Plaza de Armas. The largest building on this square is the presidential palace and you shouldn’t be surprised that there will be a lot of security here. The streets around Plaza del Armaz are mostly for pedestrians only, so it’s a great place to wander around and take pictures of all the beautiful buildings.

Find street art in Barranco

Do you like street art? Then you should check out the neighborhood of Barranco. Barranco is also right next to the ocean and close to Miraflores. In this neighborhood, you won’t find luxury hotels or restaurants and it has more of a local vibe. Barranco is extremely colorful, most of the buildings have been painted in bright colors. There are also many cool murals, so take your camera! The Museum of Modern Art(MAC Lima) can also be found in this neighborhood, just like Museo MATE, of the famous photographer Mario Testino.

Take a free city tour

Nowadays, you can find free city tours in a lot of cities, and for me, this is one of the best ways to get to know a city (and make some friends). In Lima, there are also multiple organizations for free city tours, and I did one with Inkan Milky Way. They offer three different tours in Lima: the historical city center, Miraflores, and Barranco. I did the one to the historical city center and was surprised about how well informed the guide was. I learned a lot about the history of Peru and Lima. I can highly recommend starting your trip to Peru with one of those tours!

These are my top 5 things to do in Lima. What would you like to do in this enormous city?

Would you like to read more about Peru?

Get one of these great guidebooks:

DK Eyewitness Peru

The Rough Guide to Peru

or check out these articles:
– A month in Peru: the perfect itinerary
– Travel tips Peru: everything you need to know before you go
– Top 5 things to do in Cusco (Peru)