When considering a trip to Peru, I think a lot of tourists write Lima off as little more than a stopover on the way to some of the country’s more famous landmarks. I, myself, had no idea what to expect when we decided to spend a few days in the beautiful coastal city. Now, I highly recommend spending some time in this bustling capitol city, whether it’s on your way into the Andes or as a standalone trip.
LIMA BASICS:
- Language: One of the things that surprised us most was the lack of English spoken in the city (classic Americans!). I would recommend learning at least a few basic Spanish phrases, as most places we went (restaurants, markets, even the airport) did not have many English-speaking staff.
- Currency: The currency in Peru is the Peruvian Sol (1 USD = 3.35 PEN). Most businesses take Visa. However, if you do want to souvenir shop at the smaller markets, you should probably bring some cash along.
- Where to Stay: Lima is HUGE. With 8 million residents and more than one thousand square miles within the city limits, it can be a bit intimidating to find the best place for a home base. We decided to stay in this Airbnb in the Miraflores District, which cost us about $70/night. Although it was one of the pricier options (hostels in the city start at $9/night), we chose this one for its 24-hour security (with super friendly staff who offered great recommendations), walkability to parks and restaurants, and ocean view. Other cool areas to stay in include the San Isidro District and the Historical Center of Lima. Generally, locals recommend avoiding the area just around the airport unless you have an early morning or late night flight. (We stayed here for our 4am flight out to Huaraz.)
- Transportation: We took taxis and Ubers in order to get around, and also were able to walk a lot of places. Uber is super cheap (around $9USD to get from the Miraflores coast to the Historical Center, a 20 minute ride.)
- Safety: I felt very safe in the Miraflores, Historial Center, and San Isidro districts of Lima, even walking around at night. I did a few solo runs on the coast by myself and was not bothered by anyone. I saw a ton of women and young girls walking around alone too, so that’s always a green flag.
- Average Cost per Day: Lima is very affordable. A hostel in a nice area will only cost you around $10-$20 a night, and meals tend to run $4-$5 a portion unless you are eating at very high-end restaurants. Overall, staying in Lima you can comfortably get by on $30-$40 USD per day.
FREE THINGS TO DO
One of my favorite parts of Lima was the abundance of free and cheap things to explore and enjoy.
SCULPTURE GARDENS AND PARKS
We probably spent at least half a day walking through the lush, rocky cliffside of Miraflores admiring miles of sculpture gardens. In my opinion, Parque del Amor (the Park of Love) is as beautiful as any art museum, and it is open to the public free of charge. Another beautiful (free) park to explore is Parque El Olivar de San Isidro, also known as “Forest El Olivar”, a beautiful green space right in the middle of the city, complete with endless rows of trees and a large pond. It’s a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Lima, enjoy some snacks, and just relax.
LARCOMAR
The beautiful oceanside shopping center of Larcomar is something to see even if you do not plan on spending a single sole. Built directly into the cliffside overlooking the Pacific, it is a great place to hang out and watch the waves crash into the cliff, admire the beautiful fountains, and people watch (one of my favorite hobbies while traveling).
A note on this place, you probably won’t be able to see the mall until you are right on top of it. It probably took us a solid fifteen minutes of wandering around and asking for help for us to realize that you had to take the escalators down into the mall itself.
THE BEACH
When a native Californian and Taiwanese travel together it’s nearly impossible to stop us from making a beeline to the coastline. While the beach in Lima is not the ideal swimming or laying out beach, there is an extremely active surfing community in Lima, with many competitions occurring during all times of the year. It’s also fun to walk out on one of the many stone wave breakers to watch the crabs play on the rocks.
HISTORICAL CENTER
Lima knows how to do a great plaza. La Plaza de Armas de Lima was a very beautiful spot and made for some great pictures. Also, it’s surrounded by the rest of the Historical District, which is full of great restaurants and sights. Some other notable sights nearby include the Government Palace of Peru and Cathedral of Lima, both worth a look.
(ALMOST) FREE THINGS
PARK OF THE RESERVE
Also in the Historical Center, Park of the Reserve has a really cool water show that they put on a few nights a week with an entrance fee of just four soles (about $1.20USD). Unfortunately, this was closed when we tried to go, so make sure to check the hours ahead of time.
HUACA PUCLLANA
Well worth the entrance fee of 15 soles ($5 USD), Huaca Pucllana was built in the year 400 AD by the Lima culture, which ruled the Peruvian central coast for around 500 years. Tours (included in the entrance fee) are offered very frequently in both English and Spanish, and include an extensive tour of the ruins themselves along with a really neat alpaca petting zoo that’s also on the property. It’s also a great way to get a nice aerial view of the city.
WHAT TO EAT
Lima has a world famous food scene for a good reason. Everything I ate in Lima tasted extremely fresh and was an amazing value for the price. Here are a few of our favorites:
PARDO’S CHICKEN
Simply stated, Pardo’s Chicken is amazing. There are at least three locations in Lima (we tried two of them in our three day stay there). Order the “polla a la brasa” (grilled chicken) and “papas fritas” (french fries) and for the price of under $8 per person, get ready for the best semi-casual chain meal of your life (for around $10/person).
MANGO’S RESTAURANT (LARCOMAR)
For a bit of a more upscale dining experience, check out Mango’s Restaurant in Larcomar. Perched on the cliffside, it offers breathtaking views of the cliffs and ocean. Order the cevice, it’s amazing. If seafood isn’t your thing, order chicken… you can never go wrong with grilled chicken in Lima.
