In the past Lima has had a bad reputation for being dangerous and dirty and that may have been true. Times have changed and these day the city has a different reputation one the that city is proud and rightly so. Today you will find Lima as a wonderful mix of old and new with the center of the city full of beautiful colonial buildings, churches and ancient history and the modern beach side suburbs that are perfect to pass a few days. So what to see in Lima Peru? Here we will take you through what you should not miss in the capital of Peru, Lima.
Your first port of call should the center of Lima. The charming Plaza de Armas features many attractions. Every day at midday the Neoclassical Presidential Palace has a changing of the guard, colorful ceremony with the guards dressed in colorful Spanish uniforms, the ceremony features music and crowds gather to witness the spectacle. If the President of Peru is in residence sometimes, the family will gather on the balcony and wave to the crowd.
Also located on the plaza is the Cathedral de Lima built in the 15th Century the building has been destroyed several times by earthquakes but always rebuilt. Inside features the body of the Spanish Conquistador, Francisco Pizzario. The church has a fine collection of art to see and private tours are available for a small fee.
Two blocks from the Plaza is the San Francisco church and monastery. This lovely yellow church has many surprises on the inside. Take a tour and discover the many different rooms and their different purposes. Wonderful carved wooden alters that are masterpieces handcrafted many centuries ago. See the original ceramic tiles that were imported from Spain and feature in the Patio. The church has a library with over twenty five thousand original texts for the Spanish Conquistadors. What most people come to see in San Francisco is the catacombs located below the church; thousands of bones lay in open pits from Lima’s first cemetery, interesting way to spend a few hours.
From the Plaza walk down Jr Union to the Plaza San Martin. The plaza is surrounded by lovely old buildings and features a lovely well-kept garden. On the plaza is the oldest hotel in Lima, the hotel Bolivar, go and order a drink from the bar and soak in the atmosphere.
While in the center of Lima you should visit the Parque de los Aguas, here every night you can enjoy a spectacular light and water show. In the summer months, you can even get in the fountains and get wet, take extra clothes to change. The entrance fee is minimal for a different experience.
The one museum that you must visit in Lima is the Museo Larco. Here you will find the best collections of Peruvian ceramics and jewelry. The collections date back centuries before the Inca’s and a visit will give you a great idea of the different cultures of Peru.
With three restaurants in the world top, three take a culinary journey in Lima Peru. Lima is famous for its food and many to Peru just experience the food in Lima. Due to a group of talented Peruvian chefs, the Peruvian cuisine has been taken to the world stage. However, if five star restaurants are not your things than there are plenty of restaurants that offer great Peruvian food. If you are brave try a cheap meal in one of the many markets that are all over Lima, it is a good idea to make sure that the stall looks clean and busy to ensure that the food is good.
In any article on what to see in Lima Peru, would not be complete without mention the modern suburbs. Miraflores is where the wealthy live and work, the suburb is in front of the sea and has the best hotels, restaurants and nightlife in Lima. You will also find the best shops in Lima and an interesting shopping center called Larco Mar, why is it interesting, will it is built into the side of the hill overlooking the ocean, take the time to visit even if you just want to look at the amazing feat of engineering.
Not far from Miraflores is the suburb of Barranco, known as the artist district of Lima it is full of restaurants and bars and is a wonderful place to go out. Barranco features a nice plaza and some lovely old houses, many converted into hotels.
When planning a trip to Peru, you will want to not only explore Lima about also the rest of the wonderful attractions of the Andean country. Getting from Lima to Machu Picchu is easy all you need to do is take a flight from Lima to Cusco and a train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. The Machu Picchu site is on every bodies travel bucket list and is the most visited site in Peru if not South America. Take the time to investigate Peru and all you want to see.
Peru has many wonders waiting for you to be discovered. Here in Cusco Peru Travel, our speciality is to make your trip an outstanding experience, fill-in this form and let your tailor-made luxury Peru vacation begin.
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