Lima

By Joyce Ira

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san martin de los Andes in front of Plaza Mayor

Palace of Justice

Lima is the largest city and capital of Peru. It is the city where you will find modernity and colonial architecture in one. For 300 years, it has been the seat of the Spanish ruling. Lima is a fantastic place to explore, having large coasts, delicious foods, subtropical climate and friendly people - reasons why many people considers Lima as one of their holiday destinations.

For places to visit and things to do in Lima, check the list below.

Plaza de Armas – also known as the Plaza Mayor is located downtown of Lima. What made this place interesting are the four pillars or buildings you will find on its borders. They are the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop’s Palace and last is the City Hall.

Museo de Arte – house of Peruvian arts.

La Iglesia de San Francisco – for church lovers, this would be a good place for you to visit. Inside you will find over 25,000 underground catacombs with real skeletons.

Cerro San Cristobal – located near the Rimac River where it displays picturesque view of the city. Around you will find a small museum and a nice restaurant that serves picarones and anticuchos. Entrance to the museum is 1 soles for adults and 50 centimos for children.

Instituto Riva Aguero – houses interesting collection of popular arts. Open to public and free of admission.

Huaca Pucllana – inside is a museum, small park and craftsman’s house where they display arts and other handicrafts. Admission is 5 soles for adults and children gets in for free.

Luis Miro Quesada Hall – better known as the Galeria de la Municipalidad de Miraflores. Considered as ones of the most popular art galleries in Lima.

Larcomar – a mall-like place where you can dine, shop and watch movies.

Museo Larco Herrera – a remarkable gallery with an excellent overview of what happened 3000 years ago during the Peruvian pre-Columbian history.

Museo de Oro del Peru – located in Alonso de Molina, Monterrico. It known to be Peru’s golden museum as it contains huge collection of gaudy, gold works.

Pachacamac – a major pilgrimage site in South America during the years of 500 to 1500. There are temples and ramp pyramids that are not well preserved though it’s still worth a visit.

There are also tours organized by companies in the city. This will give you better glimpse and chance to enjoy the places by group. Lima offers wide variety of cuisine as well, if you are used to boring clinical supermarkets, drop by one of the local markets to experience something very different. Fruits and vegetables hang freely, fresh from their vines, fish and poultry as well, freshly butchered. Be careful when purchasing raw or uncooked food.


Arrive in Jorge Chavez International Airport from here you can take a cab going to the city which is 20-40 minutes drive. Around the town by taxi will start with $2 and could go up to $30. There are several types of public transport: big buses, medium-sized micros and combis, small white vans packed with up to 20 people. Usually you can stop them at any point, though it's easier at the end of a block or at traffic lights. If a bus or combi is not full enough the driver will go slower in the hope more people hop in, so take a cab if you're in a hurry. In a combi you usually pay from 0.50 to 1.80 soles.

On the side of every bus or van you will find written the names of the major avenidas it travels. If those don't make sense to you, simply ask the conductor about the quarter (neighborhood) you want. He will either wave you in or direct you to another bus. Be careful, as he may wave you in, even if the bus does not actually go where you want.




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