Things to do in Lima

Lima is a desert city on the Pacific, founded by Francisco Pizarro in January 1535. It gets under 20 millimetres of rain a year, and in winter a grey drizzle called garúa hangs over it. Tours in Lima begin in the historic centre.

The historic centre

The centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is compact and walkable around the Plaza Mayor.

• Plaza Mayor. The presidential palace, City Hall and the Cathedral face each other across it.
• San Francisco. A church and convent with catacombs under it.
• Casa Aliaga. A colonial mansion that admits visitors.
• Muralla Park and Chinatown. A stretch of the colonial wall, and the Chinese quarter beside it.

Beyond the centre

The Larco Museum stands in Pueblo Libre, a short ride from the old town. Miraflores and Barranco sit on cliffs above the Pacific. South of the city, Pachacamac is a pre-Columbian citadel of adobe palaces and temple pyramids.

Eating in Lima

Ceviche, papa rellena, anticuchos and picarones are the dishes to try. A market food tour tastes twelve snacks, with exotic fruit, in about three and a half hours. Lima's old bars claim the Pisco Sour.

Trips out of Lima

• Paracas. A three-and-a-half-hour drive south, for the peninsula, boats to the Ballestas Islands and its wildlife.
• Huacachina. A lagoon ringed by dunes, with buggies and sandboarding.
• One long day. Paracas and Huacachina together, back in Lima that evening, take about 17 hours.

Practical

• Weather. Summer days reach about 28C. Winter days sit near 19C under cloud, from June to September.
• Getting around. Lima has the Metropolitano bus line and Metro Line 1. Agree the taxi fare before you get in.