Is Lima Worth Visiting?

Lima, Peru’s coastal capital, is worth visiting for its unique gastronomy, fascinating history, and vibrant neighbourhoods. Most travellers will find enough to do to occupy at least a long weekend, but we think a short weekend is enough time for Lima.

If you have a specific interest in seafood and surfing, you could spend longer here. However, if you’re very limited for time in Peru, skip the busy city and head straight for Cusco and the Sacred Valley. 

Reasons To Visit Lima

• Experience unique cuisines you’ll find nowhere else in the world, like Peruvian-Chinese fusion (Chifa) and Peruvian-Japanese fusion (Nikkei).
• Soak up the vibes of the arty and effortlessly cool neighbourhoods of Barranco and Miraflores. 
• Enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean from the Malecon (a walkway overlooking the ocean).
• Sip pisco sours (grape brandy cocktail) and enjoy cocktail culture in one of Lima’s many bars.
• Understand Lima’s unique history, including its pre-colonial cultures and its tragic troubles with terrorist groups. 
• Use Lima as a launchpad from which you can visit other world-class destinations like Cusco and Machu Picchu. 
• You can surf on the city’s beaches all year round. 

Reasons To Avoid Lima

• Lima suffers from many of the problems typical to big cities: noise, pollution, dilapidated buildings, traffic, and crime. 
• Lima is almost always grey and overcast due to its unique microclimate. Sun seekers be warned!  
• Budget backpackers should be warned that the nicer parts of Lima are relatively expensive for the region.
• The beaches closest to the city are not ideal for swimmers. The best beaches for swimming and sunbathing are a long drive from Lima. 

Best Things To Do in Lima

If you do decide to visit Lima, you’ll want to know about the best things to do in the city. Here’s what we loved:

The Unique Gastronomy of Lima

Before visiting Peru I had never heard of Chifa, which is a unique blend of Peruvian and Chinese cuisine. Chinese cooking, originally brought to Peru by Chinese immigrants, has had such a big influence on Peru that both chaufa (Chinese-Peruvian fried rice) and lomo saltado (beef strips with tomato, peppers, french fries and rice) can be found in restaurants across Lima.

If you’re a foodie, there’s no better place to try these dishes than Lima. Whilst quinoa and the potato are well and truly global phenomena, there are still many dishes and cuisines, like Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian), that are hard to find outside Peru. Less adventurous eaters will enjoy classics like ceviche (seafood marinated in lemon), papa rellena (stuffed potatoes) and aguadito de pollo (chicken soup)!

For a taste of traditional Peruvian cuisine, we highly recommend Isolina in Barranco. Set in a beautiful colonial-style building, Isolina is a mid-range to upper-end restaurant with a menu full of Peruvian classics, like arroz tapado, chaufa, and papa rellena. As vegetarians, we appreciated that they made vegetarian versions of many of the dishes on the menu (just ask). Isolina does get busy, so book in advance to avoid disappointment. 

Soak Up Barranco’s Bohemian Atmosphere

Arty Barranco, our favourite neighbourhood in Lima, exudes a laid-back, creative vibe. Wander from the colonial streets lined with jacaranda trees and classic Mercedes to the malecon (cliff level boardwalk), past the Bridge of Sighs, and down to the beach — enjoying the street art as you go.

• For those interested in art, the Contemporary Art Museum (MAC Lima) features both Peruvian and international artists. The museum is small but offers a diverse collection of contemporary works. 
• One of Lima’s most famous street artists, Jade Rivera, has made his mark on the walls of Barranco. There’s a small museum dedicated to Rivera’s works, which shows his progress as an artist. One of his best pieces can be found near the Bridge of Sighs and is worth visiting after you’ve seen the museum. 
• End your trip to Barranco with a glass of wine at Cordial, the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploration. Cordial has a cozy ambience and a well-stocked wine cave. Prices are on the high side; wine is not cheap in Lima!

Meander Miraflores & the Malecon

Whilst Barranco stole my heart, Miraflores, its glitzy rival, is well worth a visit. I particularly recommend walking along the Miraflores Malecon. This verdant walkway, nestled between the sea and the skyscrapers, follows the edge of the sandy cliffs that run the length of the city. It’s popular with tourists and locals of all ages (particularly young couples) and feels safe even after dark.

If you walk the Miraflores Malecon, you won’t miss the Larcomar Shopping Centre. I must admit, I’m a bit sniffy about shopping centers, but I was lured in by the prospect of cocktails overlooking the ocean. Much to my surprise, sipping pisco sours (grape brand cocktails) on the balcony of the Larcomar turned out to be one of my favourite experiences in Lima! 

If you’d like to explore more of Miraflores, you can also check out:

Experience Cafe Culture: Sumptuous Cakes and Coffee!

Lima is a haven for coffee lovers and those with a sweet tooth. The city’s burgeoning café culture offers an array of delightful spots to unwind and indulge. If you’ve been on a gritty, off-the-beaten-track adventure around South America, then you might find Lima’s many excellent sweet treats irresistible…

Here are a few of our favourite cafes and bakeries in Lima:

• Caleta Dolsa Coffee (Barranco) — Seriously good coffee, a mouth-watering selection of sweet treats, and a punchy breakfast menu. Don’t miss the Surfer’s Burrito! 
• Colonia & Co (Barranco) — Cute coffee and brunch spot in Barranco, set in an old, colonial style building. 
• COSMO Cafe (Barranco) — Excellent coffee spot with a particularly ambitious selection of sandwiches that are stuffed full of quality ingredients. 
• El Pan De La Chola (Miraflores) — This bakery chain is an institution in Lima. Some branches are more like cafes with breakfast and brunch options, whilst others are traditional, take-away bakeries. Check online before you visit a specific branch!

Learn About Lima’s Unique History

Lima’s history is rich and multifaceted, blending indigenous, colonial, and modern influences. History buffs can learn more about Lima’s history from one of many historical sites in the city:

• In the middle of Miraflores there is an ancient pyramid called Huaca Pucllana. These ruins were originally built by the Lima people that give the city its current name. A guided tour is around 15 soles per person.  
• The Larco Museum is filled with pre-Columbian artefacts from both Inca and Pre-Inca cultures. It’s one of the highest rated museums in the city.  
• To learn more about Lima’s colonial period and particularly its religious history, you can visit the catacombs at the San Francisco Monastery. Reasonably priced tours are available in both English and Spanish. 
• For a more recent historical perspective, visit the Museum of Memory and Tolerance (LUM). This museum draws attention to the conflict between the Peruvian government and the Shining Path Maoist group, which claimed the lives of an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 people (mostly indigenous). Information is mainly in Spanish only. 

Things to Know When Visiting Lima

Lima is a sprawling, busy city that lacks a convenient subway system for getting around. Ubers do operate and are relatively cheap, but traffic can make taking an Uber inconvenient. It’s better to get an idea of what you want to do in the city ahead of time and make sure that you book accommodation that’s relatively nearby.

• Miraflores and nearby San Isidro are both centrally located and very popular with tourists. This area can be noisy, but it does also have quieter streets, particularly next to the malecon. 
• Barranco, which as we’ve mentioned is our favourite neighbourhood, is a little further from the center. It has many nice bars and restaurants that you can walk to and tends to be a bit quieter. 

Is Lima Safe?

Lima is a relatively safe city, but it does have high rates of petty crime and theft. Whilst many internet sources commonly say it’s safe to walk around Miraflores and Barranco neighbourhoods freely, even in these neighbourhoods we took Ubers after dark. These are affluent and tourist neighbourhoods in Lima, but this means that crime targeted at tourists does happen here. Tourists can be even more at risk of muggings, pickpocketing or hold-ups. Additional info is available on the UK Gov website.

We recommend the same safety precautions you would take in any South American big city:

• Use a registered taxi or Uber when going from and to the airport (there is a risk of robbery by bogus taxi drivers so avoid just jumping in any car!)
• Take Ubers after dark
• Take Ubers when travelling further between neighbourhoods during the day
• Always using ATMs inside banks or supermarkets
• Use a debit card with limited funds (there have been cases of tourists being forced to withdraw money from ATMs for their release)
• Leave your passport and other bank cards in your accommodation
• Avoid wearing super expensive items
• Avoid using your phone too close to roads (motorcycle riders can grab phones)

We were very fortunate not to run into any trouble during our week-long stay in Lima. If we were ever unsure about where we were walking, we nipped inside somewhere and ordered an Uber for the remaining journey.

It’s important to remember that with a city the size of Lima, it’s impossible to get a full sense of the place in a single visit. Many factors, will affect how much you enjoy (or don’t enjoy) visiting the city. If you’ve visited Lima, let us know what you thought about it in the comments below!