Favorite Corners - Lima
Beautiful, bustling Lima sits along the South Pacific Ocean and yet, it is the second driest capital city in the world. There’s cheap local eateries and Michelin Star restaurants. There’s colonial architecture and ancient pyramids. It’s a place full of contrasts, and yet it all seems to balance out into a wonderful city. While most people use it as a quick stopover on their way to Cusco, Lima is worth a few days to check out the cuisine scene, the museums, and the stunning ocean views.
We took Lima’s Metropolitano Bus System (safe, but very busy) from Lima to the historic downtown centre. The stop to get off at is Jiron de la Union. At first, it’s a lot of typical shopping streets, but then the Iglesia de la Merced emerges into view.
Lima’s Plaza Mayor is surrounded by colonial buildings to explore. Our tour managed to time it right so we got to see the changing of the guards (not at this building).
The fountain at heart of the Plaza Mayor is the perfect meeting spot for both tourists and the ever-watchful and patrolling police and their police dogs.
Don’t let the sunny disposition fool you. The Monasterio de San Francisco has a very solemn but beautiful library of rare old texts and catacombs whose floors are layered in bones. There’s no wandering on your own here. Tours are 30 minutes long and alternate between English and Spanish.
The view across from the Rimac River.
The BRT (bus rapid transit) system here is great, with designated bus lanes, shelters, and helpful people at the door. Although, yes, still very very packed during rush hour.
Huaca Pucllana is a step pyramid in the middle of the Miraflores district in Lima. This structure is older than Machu Picchu and built by the Lima culture (200-700 AD).
The pyramid is solid all the way through with no interior chamber. The spaces between the adobe bricks help absorb the shock from earthquakes.
A forty-five minute drive outside of Lima lies Pachacamac a sacred site also dating back to the Lima culture. This massive complex that is still being excavated so the places here range from partially buried to partially restored.
It’s a lot of walking between the buildings so wear good shoes (or take a tour so they can drive you between places). At one time, walking this road would lead all the way back to Lima.
Kennedy Park is situated inside the Miraflores district and named after JFK. It’s home to many restaurants, bars, and stray cats. Come at night to see locals dancing.
The Malecon a beautiful cliff side walking path dotted with parks. This long strip of stunning vistas hugs the coast and has parts in both Miraflores and Barranco.
Raimondi’s Park is one of the parks that makes up the Malecon. The best place to catch the windy antics of paragliders. Opt for viewing only, or try a tandem ride.
Also on the Malecon, the Park of Love is filled with long winding benches tiled in colorful designs.
Cliff side walks are great, but we found out the hard way that getting down to the beach is a bit of a challenge. There are pedestrian overpasses that span across the shoreline highway, but they are a bit sparse.
Once we found an overpass, we took a stroll along Lima’s pebble beaches (no sand here!).
Whether its shoreline or cliff side, both are excellent places for a Lima sunset.