Lima

Travel Guide

Exposition Park featuring a park and a fountain as well as a large group of people
Lima featuring religious elements, a church or cathedral and interior views
Lima which includes street scenes and a high rise building
Exposition Park featuring flowers, a garden and outdoor art
Lima which includes a sunset and a pond as well as a large group of people

Lima Travel Guide Video

Spanish colonial houses, exquisite food, musicians in traditional dress, oceanfront entertainment and fine museums make the Peruvian capital a feast for the senses.

Enjoy a culinary and cultural experience in bustling Lima, where the desert meets the coast, where ancient history mixes with 21st-century entertainment and where Peru’s poor hope to get rich.

The settlement along the Rímac River was once inhabited by Incas and earlier civilizations. After the Spanish founded Lima in 1535, they ruled for over 300 years. Today, nearly a third of Peru’s 30 million residents live in the capital. From the slums on the Cerros (hills) and the colorful colonial mansions, to the Catholic churches with Moorish roofs and Chinatown’s red gate, Lima’s urban sprawl is diverse.

Explore Lima’s colonial past in the central Plaza de Armas. A grand palace with marching guards, an ornate cathedral and a 17th-century fountain define this historic square. Sit on a bench and people-watch or browse nearby souvenir shops for brightly colored souvenirs. Tour the Convento y Museo de San Francisco and its 16th-century catacombs. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage or set out on foot and follow the shopping avenues to the monument-rich Plaza San Martin.

Take a metered taxi to the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera in the Pueblo Libre district to see pre-Columbian art, including Moche ceramics from over 2,200 years ago. For oceanfront entertainment, head south to Lima’s fashionable neighborhoods Miraflores and Barranco. Try Peru’s staple seafood dish ceviche or the alcoholic drink pisco sour.

In summer, ocean breezes provide a welcome reprieve from Lima’s desert air and smog. Winter days are mild, but often overcast. Because most Peruvians are poor and Lima attracts the wealthy, crime is an issue. Use the lockers and taxi service of your hotel and stick to the tourist areas.

Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport has connections to major global destinations. With daily planes and buses leaving from Lima for the surfing beaches of the Pacific Ocean, the lush Amazon jungle and the snow-capped Andes mountains, this fascinating city is just the start of your Peru adventure.

Where to stay in Lima

Miraflores which includes landscape views, a sunset and general coastal views

Miraflores

Miraflores is known for its popular shops, and you can see some sights in the area like Huaca Pucllana Ruins and Indian Market.

Miraflores
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San Isidro

San Isidro is known for its ample dining options, and you can make a stop by Lima Golf Club and Costa Verde Beach while in the area.

San Isidro
Barranco featuring street scenes as well as a large group of people

Barranco

Barranco is popular for its abundant dining options, and if you're looking for more to see and do, you might think about a trip to Bridge of Sighs or Barranco Viewpoint.

Barranco
Plaza Mayor which includes flowers and a park

Lima Historic Center

Unique features of Lima Historic Center include the historic sites and shopping. Make a stop by Church and Convent of San Francisco or Government Palace while you're exploring the area.

Lima Historic Center
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San Miguel

You'll enjoy the bars and live music in San Miguel. You might want to make time for a stop at Plaza San Miguel Mall or Leyendas Park.

San Miguel
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Leuro

While visiting Leuro, you might make a stop by sights like Larco Avenue and Balboa Strip Mall.

Leuro
Wyndham Costa Del Sol Lima Airport

Wyndham Costa Del Sol Lima Airport

4 out of 5
Av Elmer Faucett S N, Aeropuerto Jorge Chavez, Callao, Lima
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is P6,963 per night from Aug 31 to Sep 1
P6,963
P7,659 total
Aug 31 - Sep 1
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Callao. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (3,055 reviews)
Not in the shadows at Lima Airport
"This is the older Wyndham hotel on the airport site and is a short (15 mins there, 10 mins back) free shuttle ride to the new terminal, but other than this, it's a great hotel - clean, friendly, good restaurant, spa facilities, etc."

Reviewed on Aug 11, 2025

Wyndham Costa Del Sol Lima Airport
Sheraton Lima Historic Center

Sheraton Lima Historic Center

4 out of 5
Paseo De La Republica 170, Lima, Lima
The price is P4,337 per night from Sep 1 to Sep 2
P4,337
P4,771 total
Sep 1 - Sep 2
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Lima. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (728 reviews)
"Excelente ubicación, tiene centro comercial a 5 pasos, restaurantes, museos, plazas de recreo hermosas, cerca del centro histórico de Lima."

Reviewed on Aug 9, 2025

Sheraton Lima Historic Center
Holiday Inn Lima Miraflores by IHG

Holiday Inn Lima Miraflores by IHG

4 out of 5
Calle Alfonso Ugarte 117, Miraflores, Lima
The price is P6,164 per night from Aug 22 to Aug 23
P6,164
P6,780 total
Aug 22 - Aug 23
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Lima. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a rooftop terrace. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (612 reviews)
"Great property in great location"

Reviewed on Aug 10, 2025

Holiday Inn Lima Miraflores by IHG
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Estelar Apartamentos Bellavista

Estelar Apartamentos Bellavista

3.5 out of 5
Bellavista 216, Miraflores, Lima, Lima
Stay at this 3.5-star business-friendly aparthotel in Lima. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (601 reviews)
"Excellent Hotel - Love it! ( please specify that Passports are required) I showed them my driver’s license as usual but lady did not want it to accept it as a valid identification document. Luckily, I have my passport in my scan documents. But still the lady was not happy to acepte it until we talked ..."

Reviewed on Aug 5, 2025

Estelar Apartamentos Bellavista
Petit Palace Apart Hotel Suites

Petit Palace Apart Hotel Suites

3.5 out of 5
Calle Independencia 279, Miraflores, Lima 18, Lima, Lima
Stay at this 3.5-star business-friendly aparthotel in Lima. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the property condition in our ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (438 reviews)
"Comfortable. Excellent location. The massage chairs in the lobby are a HUGE Plus!! we really enjoyed them after walking all day around the city. The breakfast could be served earlier (available only from 7:30-10:30am). And it would be nice if they had a cafeteria instead of bringing it to the room ..."

Reviewed on Aug 3, 2025

Petit Palace Apart Hotel Suites
Wynwood Colon in Miraflores

Wynwood Colon in Miraflores

3 out of 5
380 Calle San Martin, Lima
Stay at this 3-star apartment in Lima. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour front desk, and balconies. Popular attractions Miraflores Central Park and Larcomar Shopping ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (39 reviews)
"what i like is it has a tankless water heater. no running out of hot water."

Reviewed on Aug 4, 2025

Wynwood Colon in Miraflores
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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