If you are thinking of traveling to Lima, Peru, you are in the right place. Lima is the largest city in Peru and is the capital of the country. Lima is the most populated city in Peru, located in South America, and is also the third most populous city in South America. With a population approaching 10 million, it is the most populous city in South America after San Paulo and Mexico. Lima is a coastal city located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This made the city an important port and maritime trade center.
Due to its location and fertile geographical conditions, it has been chosen as a campus by many states throughout history. Lima was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro. Thanks to Pizarro, a Spanish ruler, Lima became the most powerful city in the region. The city, where Spain’s most powerful colonies lived for many years, was declared the capital of the Peruvian Republic, which was established as a result of Peru’s struggle for independence.
When to go to Lima?
Let us share with you some of the things you need to know when traveling to Lima. In Lima, which is the capital city of Peru in the southern hemisphere, temperate climatic conditions prevail. In Peru, temperatures drop considerably with the effect of cold water currents, which are named after the country. The driest region of Peru is the geography where Lima is located. Lima is the driest region of the country, with annual precipitation of around 40 mm.
Although Lima receives little rainfall, it can be counted among the regions with the highest humidity in the country. Throughout the year, the average humidity is 87%.
Although touristic trips are usually difficult in the winter season, this is not the case for Lima. Although the season is winter, the temperatures hover around 15 degrees. In these mild climatic conditions, Lima is among the cities that can be visited in winter. The best time to visit Lima is between December and March. These months, when Lima is experiencing the summer season, are the most suitable period for you to make your Lima trip.
In terms of climatic conditions, it is a period in which you will spend your travel easily and with pleasure. Apart from the influence of the mild climate and mild weather, this period is also a period when Lima is active in terms of festivals. For this reason, the city takes on a lively atmosphere. The period when the most tourists come to the city corresponds to this lively and active period.
Where to Stay in Lima?
Lima is a city formed between the ocean and forests, living the Spanish culture in every part of the city until today, and you will not understand how your time has passed. This city, where both day and night life is full and colorful, consists of 43 regions in total. Although accommodation in Lima seems a bit expensive, you can find a budget hotel in the accommodation area you choose.
There are no non-stop flights to reach Lima. For this reason, after your flight to Madrid or Amsterdam, you can reach Lima by connecting from here.
Places to Visit in Lima
Lima, the capital of Peru, has magnificent natural beauties due to its geography. In the city, you can take a walk through the forests or enjoy the Pacific Ocean. Dazzling with its historical monuments, Lima promises its visitors an unforgettable holiday with its museums and art galleries.
During your trip to Lima, you can find many enjoyable activities to do in touristic spots. You should definitely stop by the Plaza Mayor, the center of the city. You should visit the Government Palace, which has historical importance in this region, and you should definitely visit the Archbishop’s Palace with its magnificent architecture.
In addition to these, another architectural wonder of the city, St. You should see St John’s Cathedral. You should definitely visit the Larco Museum and Peru’s Gold and World Weapons Museum with their interesting subjects and rich collections. You can relieve the tiredness of your Lima trip at Park Kennedy, which is famous for its cats.
You should visit the Exposition Park, which is an indicator of the value Lima attaches to art, and watch the magnificent harmony of water and lights in the Reserve Park. You should not return from Lima without seeing the San Francisco Convent, one of the landmarks of Lima.
Plaza Mayor
When starting to explore Lima, your first point should be the Plaza Mayor. The Plaza Mayor area, which is the heart of the city, is also the point where the first settlement in Lima began to be seen. It is one of the first points that come to mind when Lima is mentioned and is always chosen as the first stop by travelers visiting the city.
The Plaza Mayor area, located in the part of the old city campus of Lima, which we can call historical Lima, was built in the 16th century according to the city planning prepared by the King of Spain, Charles I. The Plaza Mayor area is considered the main square of the city and other important buildings of the city are located around it. Around Plaza Mayor Square are other touristic spots such as the Government Palace, the great Lima Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace.
You can easily reach Plaza Mayor in the city center by using public transport, and you can easily visit other touristic points as they are within walking distance.
Government Palace
The Government Palace, considered one of Peru’s most important buildings, is located near the Plaza Mayor Square, the center of the capital city of Lima. The Government Palace, known as Pizarro’s House throughout the country, is the house where the capital Lima rules the country. The building, which is accepted as the official building of the Peruvian Government, is also the residence of the President of Peru and his family.
The Government Palace was built in 1535. The Government Palace building, which is called Pizarro’s house because it was built during the time of Francisco Pizarro, has undergone many changes over the years. Private security guards are located at the entrance of the palace, which was built in neo-colonial architectural style to protect government officials. The ground floor and various parts of the building are open to the public. The rooms furnished in different concepts in the Government Palace are appreciated by the visitors.
The security guards at the gate of the palace change the guard every day at exactly 13.00. This changing of the guard, which was carried out in a very serious atmosphere with an official ceremony, attracts the attention of tourists. During your trip to Lima, you should definitely visit the Government Palace, which is the administrative center of Peru and has a dazzling building.
St. John’s Cathedral and Basilica
One of the buildings that has become one of the symbols of Lima and forms the silhouette of the city is St. John’s Cathedral and Basilica. The cathedral, which was started to be built in 1535, was opened to worship as a small church when it was first completed. The cathedral area, which has been subjected to various arrangements and new additions until today, can now be considered one of the largest churches in the city.
Affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, St. John’s Cathedral is located in the city center. Located within walking distance of Plaza Mayor square, the cathedral has survived many earthquakes. Cracks in some parts of the buildings remained from the earthquakes. The cathedral building is taken into maintenance at certain periods and the necessary repairs are made by staying true to the original. Visited and worshiped by thousands of people every year with its magnificent building, the cathedral is dedicated to St. John and his apostles.
Park Of The Reserve
One of the structures that has become the symbol of Lima is the Reserve Park. It is one of the most interesting visiting points of Lima with its unusual architecture and colorful appearance. Located between the two most important streets of Lima, Paseo de la Republica and Arequipa, the building is also known as the magic water building. It was built in neo-classical style on an area of eight hectares.
The design of the building belongs to the famous French architect Claude Sahut. It was completed in 1929 after a long construction period. There are many fountains and fountains in the park. When these fountains and fountains are combined with colorful light shows, a unique visual feast emerges. You can visit the park yourself if you wish. If you wish, you can visit the magical water tour organized at certain times of the day and participate in the show.
The biggest fountain in the park is the one known as the Magic Fountain. With a height of 80 meters, this fountain has dazzling details.
Park Kennedy
One of the must-visit points during your trip to Lima is Park Kennedy. Park Kennedy, which is a wonderful open space to breathe in the middle of the city, is a place where not only the tourists who come to visit the city but also the people of Lima visit at every opportunity with its lush nature and various buildings. You can reach Park Kennedy, which is approximately 10 km from the historical city center of Lima, by using public transportation. Located in Lima’s Miroflores District, the park is famous for its cats.
It is possible to see cats all over Park Kennedy, which is almost a land of cats. The cats in the park are regularly cared for and vaccinated. There are many cafes, restaurants, bars, karaoke halls in the park. You can also listen to the music of street artists and take a look at the pictures they made in various parts of the park. Park Kennedy, which is frequently preferred not only for entertainment and relaxation but also for shopping, has two large shopping points. You can shop as much as you want from these places, which taste like a neighborhood market. Park Kennedy is open 24/7.
Transportation in Lima
When you travel to Lima, you should also know how to get there. Lima is one of the cities where you can be most comfortable in urban transportation. You can reach many parts of the city on foot and by bicycle. The public transport system in Lima is also highly developed. There are frequent metro and bus lines in the city.
Although the metro line is in the form of a single line, it provides transportation to many points in the city. The metro, which provides a very fast transportation compared to the bus and metrobus, is also very convenient in terms of fare. A single metro ticket costs 2 PEN.
The public transportation vehicle, which provides the fastest transportation after the metro and is frequently preferred by the people of Lima, is the metrobus. However, the metrobus line does not provide transportation to every part of the city. The metrobus line, which provides transportation from the Miraflores region to the city center, does not go to other regions. The fastest transportation between Miraflores and the city center is provided by metrobus. For the metrobus serving a single line, the cost of a single ticket is 1.5 PEN.
The public transportation vehicle that is frequently preferred by the locals in the city is the bus. You can reach every point of Lima with wide bus lines. The stops and routes of the buses are on the sign in front of them.
Taxi is another transportation alternative in the city. Although taxis are affordable, the vehicles do not have a taximeter. Therefore, it would be best to negotiate with the driver before getting into the taxi. Since most of Lima’s touristic spots are close to each other, you can easily visit the city on foot.
Lima Cuisine
Your trip to Lima continues, if you can’t decide what to eat, then it’s time to talk about what to eat in Lima. The capital city of Lima has many restaurants serving the best of Peruvian cuisine. You can taste the most delicious dishes of Peruvian cuisine in Lima, where fish and seafood are predominantly preferred. It is also possible to find traces of American food culture in Peruvian cuisine, which has been especially influenced by Spanish cuisine. With the priority being on fish, meat is used as the main ingredient in most of the dishes of Lima cuisine.
Meats seasoned with various spices become very delicious dishes with different cooking methods. In addition to meat and fish products, the consumption of vegetables in the city is also very high. Especially vegetable soups are one of the leading dishes of Lima cuisine. If the dishes cooked with seasonal vegetables are vegan or vegetarian, they will be the apple of your eye. In addition, you can add vegetables of your choice to your meat dishes in many restaurants in the city.
Ceviche is one of the most popular traditional dishes in the city. Prepared with freshly caught raw fish and a variety of seafood, this dish is visually appetizing as well as delicious. The dish called arron con pollo, which resembles chicken rice in Turkish cuisine, is another favorite Lima dish. Chicken meat cooked by seasoning with various spices is served with rice porridge.
In addition to these, you can try the soup called chupe de camarones, which is a delicious vegetarian alternative. This soup, cooked with the vegetables of your choice, is considered one of the most delicious dishes of Lima cuisine.
It is a courtesy to leave a tip in Lima restaurants. It would be appropriate to leave a tip of 15% of your account.
Shopping in Lima
Wouldn’t you like to beautify your Lima trip with shopping? As in many other subjects, there are many rich shopping options in Lima. While visiting the city, you will often see handmade products. It is possible to find these precious handicrafts, which you can buy as a souvenir from Lima, in many shops in the city.
Lima’s most popular shopping area is the Miraflores district. Although this area is known as the high society part of the city, it is possible to find stores that appeal to different budgets. You can find affordable places selling handcrafted products in the side streets of this region, where world-renowned brands and expensive products are mainly sold. A street market is also set up in the Miraflores area.
Founded in Kennedy Park in the region, Miraflores Market is open every day. But you can only visit between 17.00-23.00. You can buy beautiful handcrafted products from Miraflores Market. These products, which are produced by the local people of Lima, are sold at very reasonable prices, although they are handcrafted.
Another shopping point you should visit in Lima is Gamarra. The products sold in Gamarra are mainly textile. Gamarra, where hundreds of textile products are sold, is exposed to intense interest by both locals and tourists visiting the city. In Gamarra, which is considered the largest textile market in South America, you can find many products such as colorful fabrics and hand-sewn dresses.
Another feature that makes Gamarra interesting is the clothes made with you. If you wish, you can have the fabric of your choice sewn on the looms that are already installed in the market and have your plain fabrics processed. The prices of these products produced by you are also very affordable.
Apart from the local shopping points in Lima, you can also complete your shopping by visiting the luxury stores and large shopping centers on Las Begonias Street.
Nightlife in Lima
Lima is one of the best cities if you want to have fun and have a lively nightlife. The nightlife in the city is always lively and continues until the first light of the morning. In most cities, only weekend nights are lively, but Lima does not distinguish between weekdays and weekends in terms of entertainment. Whether on weekdays or weekends, you can have fun as you please by mixing with the lively streets of the city and the non-stop entertainment venues.
Most entertainment venues in the city do not have a closing time. You can continue to have fun in these places until the sun comes up. In the historical city center of Lima, which can be considered as the old city, you can come across a street artist on almost every corner. The value given to art is quite high in the city. However, young and amateur artists are always supported by the people of Lima. The best reflection of this is street artists.
There are artists singing, making music, dancing and holding pantomime shows on every corner. These artists are followed with great interest and admiration not only by the people of Lima but also by the tourists who come to visit the city.
In Lima, the sound of music rises from every street. Live music is played not only in the streets of the city, but also in cafes and various restaurants. If you want a quiet pastime, you can choose these cafes and restaurants. You can both relax and have a pleasant time accompanied by pleasant music. In addition, since Lima is a coastal city, many places have sea or ocean views.
If you wish, you can sit in one of these places with a gentle evening breeze and enjoy the unique ocean view. Apart from these places with a view, it is possible to frequently come across young people who gather on the coastline. When it gets dark, the young people go down to the beach and have a good time around the fire they lit, accompanied by music and dancing. If you wish, you can have fun on the beach with your own group of friends or mingle with the young people.
If you want to spend a more active and lively nightlife in Lima, you should definitely visit Miroflores District. This region, which is considered the heart of Lima, is also the center of live entertainment. Here you can find venues that appeal to various budgets and entertainment. If you wish, you can have fun in luxury and big nightclubs or in mid-budget bars and pubs. Another entertainment spot you should visit in the Miroflores District is Park Kennedy.
There are some entertainment venues in this large park, although not many in number. These places are also convenient places to experience Lima’s entertainment life to the fullest. You can also have fun taking a walk in the park or just sitting outdoors. Although Miroflores District is the first recommended place by those who go to Lima, the area called Barranco also hosts the city’s favorite entertainment venues.
Although it is a bit far from the center compared to Miroflores, it is a must-visit region especially for those who love bohemian style. In the Barranco region, which is generally known and preferred by the locals, it is possible to find smaller and more intimate venues as well as large entertainment venues. There are also many casinos in the city. If you wish, you can also have fun by going to the casinos. When you travel to Lima, do not leave without tasting the nightlife!
Lima Festivals
Lima hosts colorful and entertaining events every year.
National Pisco Drink Day: Every year in February, events are held in honor of Pisco, which is considered Peru’s national drink. Liters of pisco are drunk in this festival, where colorful shows are staged.
St. Peter and St. Paul’s Day: Celebrated on different dates each year, this festival is held to show respect for Saints Peter and Paul, the important clergy of Lima.
Lima Latin American Film Festival: The event where films from various countries of the world are shown and where successful filmmakers organize panels is one of the most popular events in Lima.
Lima Public Holidays
- 01-02 January: New Year
- 13-16 April: Easter
- 29-30 June: St. Peter and St. Paul’s Day
- July 28-30: National Independence Day
- July 30-31: Santa Rosa Day
- 08-09 October: Anniversary of the Battle of Angamos
- 01-02 November: All Saints’ Day
- 08-09 December: Virgin Mary’s Day
- 25-26 December: Christmas
Useful Information for Lima
- Emergency assistance: 117
- Fire: 116
- Police: 105
