Things to do in Lima
Are you spending a few days in Lima and don’t know what to visit apart from the conventional tours?
Read on and discover the things to do in Lima, the capital of Peru!
Hello, Dear Reader, we know that you are about to travel or have already arrived in Peru and anyway you have passed or will pass through Jorge Chavez International Airport, the most important and the best in South America (Skytrax Research,2020).
Since it is located in Lima, the capital of Peru is a required stop, either at the time of your arrival or return from our country, or to stay a few days.
For that reason, Peruvian Sunrise has created for you a list of 23 things to do in Lima either alone or with company. Read it from the beginning to the end and get inspired!
Parks:
Parque Kennedy
The “Parque Central de Lima” is, in fact, the best known park in Lima. It is ecological, cultural and artistic. It offers different recreational activities. On the one hand, there are the sandwich and dessert carts. In them you can taste “butifarras”, a “combined rice pudding” and mazamorra morada or “canchita” (pop corn). There is also the Paseo de los Pintores and the traffic circle of the artisans. In the amphitheater, on pre-pandemic weekends, they played music for couples to dance. We also found the Church of the “Virgen Milagrosa” and the “Palacio Municipal”. This is an excellent option for animal lovers, as it is full of kittens.
- Address: Av. Diagonal, Miraflores
Water show at “Circuito Mágico del Agua”
Park that was created in 2007 where the Parque de la Reserva used to be. It has cybernetic fountains and ornamental fountains, beautiful gardens and shows in the “Fantasy Fountain”.
- Address: Jr. Madre de Dios S/N Cercado de Lima, Perú.
- Phone: 209-8490 Cel. 987-659-351
- Web: https://www.circuitomagicodelagua.com.pe/
El Olivar
Forest full of more than 3,000 olive, araucaria and ceiba trees. Declared Cultural Heritage, it has a municipal theater, a cultural center, an art gallery, beautiful pearls and large lagoons with fish and bridges where people often perform photo shoots for brides and grooms, quinceañeras, among others. In addition, you can appreciate beautiful old Tudor-style mansions.
- Address: Delimitado por la avenidas Paz Soldán, La Republica y, C. Antero Aspillaga, Lima
Parque del amor
This small park is located on the Malecon in the district of Miraflores and has the iconic “kiss”, a sculpture by the artist Delfin, as well as a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, which can be seen from its benches decorated with colorful ceramic mosaics.
- Address: Mal. Cisneros, Miraflores
Parque de la Amistad
It is a beautiful park with free admission in the Surco district that has a 29-meter neo-Arabic style arch, as well as a train station with an old locomotive that offers a tour several times a day, a large artificial lagoon at the foot of the arch, food and activities.
- Hours: Tue-Sun from 9 am to 7:30 pm, including holidays
- Address: cuadra 22 de la Av. Caminos del Inca con calle las Nazarenas en Surco.
Parque Antonio Raimondi
Located above the Miraflores boardwalk, you will find a 22-meter high Faro de la Marina, where you can enjoy outdoor recreational activities such as paragliding and it is a perfect place to ride a bicycle, go jogging in the morning, do yoga, picnic, among others.
- Address: Mal. Cisneros 4013, Miraflores
Parque de la Felicidad/ Pentagonito
Lagoon with ducks, a Chinese park, a beautiful perbola, many green areas, children’s games, cafeteria, a well, outdoor activities and a few blocks from the People’s Republic of China Park.
- Address: Cruce de avenida San Borja Sur con Calle del Bosque, Av. Boulevard. de Surco, San Borja
Zoos:
Parque Zoológico Huachipa:
Huachipa Zoo is a cultural institution and wildlife conservation unit, located in the district of Ate Vitarte, on the left side of the Rimac River. It has a collection of approximately 1000 specimens, representing more than 300 species, finding both native fauna and fauna representative of other parts of the world.
- Animals, aquarium, games, restaurant, activities.
- Hours: Every day of the year (including holidays) from 9am to 5pm
- Address: Av. Las Torres S/N – Ate, Vitarte (Junto al puente de Huachipa)
- Phone: +51 994 455 731 (Whatsapp)
- Web: https://zoohuachipa.com.pe/
Parque de las Leyendas
Zoological Park. Zoological, archeological and botanical area. Summer camp for children. Activities, lagoons.
- Hours: Mon- Sun 9am to 6pm
- Address: Av. Parque de las Leyendas 580, San Miguel. Lima
- Phone: (01) 644-9200
- Web: https://leyendas.gob.pe/
Archaeology:
Huaca Pucllana:
Archaeological site belonging to the pre-Hispanic Lima culture, there are guided tours, archaeological workshops for children, besides having next to a renowned and excellent restaurant that shares the same name.
- Hous: Mon- Sun (except Tue and thu) 9am to 3:30pm
- Address: Calle General Borgoño cuadra 8, Miraflores
- Phone: 617 7138 / 617 7148
- Web: http://huacapucllanamiraflores.pe/
Huaca Huallamarca
Archaeological monument where you can see an imposing truncated pyramid or stepped pyramid and buildings where ancient cultures developed.
- Hours: tue-sat de 09:00 a.m. – 17:00 p.m.
- Address: Av. Nicolás de Ribera 201 cruce con la Av. El Rosario.
- Phone: (51) (1) 222 – 4124
- Web: http://msi.gob.pe/portal/nuestro-distrito/turismo-distrital/huaca-huallamarca/
Museums:
Museo Larco
The Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum, known as “Museo Larco”, is a museum of pre-Columbian art founded in 1926 by Rafael Larco Hoyle. It is located in the district of Pueblo Libre, in Lima. It exhibits galleries that show the 5000 years of development of the history of pre-Columbian Peru.
- Hours: Mon- Sun from 11am to 7pm
- Address: Av. Simón Bolívar 1515, Pueblo Libre
- Phone: +51 1 4611312
- Web: https://www.museolarco.org/
MALI
One of the most important museums in Peru, which was built in 1800 to house the Lima Exposition. It is a historical monument and Cultural Patrimony of the Nation. It is located in front of the Museum of Italian Art.
- Hours:Tue- Thu- Fri- Sat from 11am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm
- Address: Paseo Colón 125, Parque de la Exposición, Lima
- Phone: +51 969 046 254
- Web: https://mali.pe/
MAC
MAC (Museum of Contemporary Art of Lima)
This museum is the only institution dedicated exclusively to the promotion, research and dissemination of contemporary artistic practices in Peru. It offers face-to-face and virtual workshops in theater, sculpture, painting, as well as the exhibition of works.
- Hours: Tue- Sun from 3pm to 7pm
- Address: Av. Almte. Miguel Grau 1511, Barranco
- Phone: (01) 5146800/ +51 940 026 060
- Web: https://maclima.pe/
The Nicolini Automobile Museum
Museo del Automóvil Colección Nicolini
For car lovers. A collection of unique antique and classic vehicles since 1901. It has unique cars in the world as the Stutz brand – 1928 and another of the Wanderer brand of 1915.
- Hours: Mon- Sun 9:30 am to 7pm
- Address: Av. La Molina, cdra. 37 Urb, La Molina
- Phone: +51 915151144
- Web: https://www.museodeautosnicolini.com/
Museo de Sitio Pachacamac
It is the entrance to the sanctuary of the largest archeological site on the central coast of Peru.
- Hours: Tue- Thu- Sat from 10am to 3pm
- Address: Antigua Carretera Panamericana Sur km 31.5
- Phone: (01) 3215606
- Web: https://museos.cultura.pe/museos/museo-de-sitio-pachacamac
Museo de Arte Italiano
The museum was a gift from the Italian community for the Centennial of the Independence of Peru.
- Hours: Tue- Wed from 10am to 4pm
- Address: Av Paseo de la República 250, Cercado de Lima
- Phone: (01) 3215622
- Web: https://museos.cultura.pe/museos/museo-de-arte-italiano
Country Experiences
Full day at Cieneguilla:
Horseback riding, ATV, river, camping, farm, recreation. You can visit the country restaurant Mesa de Piedra.
Club at Cieneguilla
Santa Clara:
In this countryside, an option is to visit the Decameron El Pueblo hotel, which offers lodging, food, recreational spaces, swimming pool, cinema, gym, karaoke, wifi in its different areas.
El Pueblo Hotel
La Punta District:
La Punta boardwalk
This is an ancient district that you can’t miss. It is located in the Constitutional Province of Callao and is a beautiful beach district, where you will find old mansions of old Lima, pérbolas where you can take pictures and a pebble beach to enjoy the sunset.
Also, on the way you can visit Callao Monumental, a place full of art. We recommend you to be cautious and not to take valuables with you, as the surroundings are not very nice.
Callao Monumental
Another option is to visit the Fortaleza Real Felipe, also located in the district of Callao and built in the viceroyalty to protect Lima from pirates.
Real Felipe
Beaches:
Santa Maria Beach
The beaches in Lima that we recommend to visit are the following, ordered from the closest to the farthest one.
- Pulpos(South) km 35
- Punta Hermosa (South) km 42
- Santa María (South) km 50
- Asia (South) Km 97.5
- Ancón (North) km 44
Ancón Pier
Tip:
If you don’t mind going to a pebble beach, you can relax and enjoy the sunset on the beaches of Miraflores, Barranco and Chorrillos. On the beaches of Miraflores and Barranco there are small surf schools where people of all ages can learn this fun sport from scratch.
Shopping malls
Larcomar:
Shopping center located on the Miraflores boardwalk, with a view to the ocean, a varied gastronomic offer and the best and most exclusive brands.
- Address: Malecón de la Reserva 610, Miraflores 15074
- Phone: (01) 6254343
- Web: https://www.larcomar.com/
- Hours: Mon- Sun from 6am to 10pm
Jockey Plaza
Modern shopping center with a variety of more than 500 stores ranging from small Peruvian businesses to internationally recognized luxury brands, gastronomic offer, cinema, games, supermarkets, food trucks, etc.
- Address: Av. Javier Prado Este 4200, Santiago de Surco
- Phone: (511) 716 – 2000
- Web: https://jockeyplaza.com.pe/
- Hours: Lunes a Domingo de 9am -10m
These are some of the many options that Lima has to offer.
As you will see, there are many things to do in Lima, it all depends on what you like to do, who you are traveling with and how long you are going to stay.
If you liked Lima and you want more information to come and enjoy this beautiful city, contact us!
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