We spent 3 days in Lima during our visit to Peru, following on from a trip to the spectacular Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Although there is plenty to see and do in the city centre, we chose to base ourselves in the genteel seaside suburb of Miraflores and spent just one day in central Lima. Here is my pick of the top 10 things to do on a visit to Lima.
How to get to Lima
We travelled to and from Lima by plane. The airport is 7 miles northwest of Lima (12 miles northwest of Miraflores). It is possible to reach the airport by public transport (Airport Express Lima offers an airport shuttle service, plus there are also public buses). However, like many hotels, our hotel arranged airport pick up.
Getting Around Lima
We did all our sightseeing in central Lima and around Miraflores on foot. We travelled between the two by taxi. The traffic was extremely heavy, so we decided against taking public transport.
Where to stay in Lima
As mentioned above, we chose to stay in Miraflores; a coastal suburb with plenty of hotels lining a promenade interspersed with numerous parks. We stayed at the Tierra Viva Miraflores Mendiburu. It was very nice, but backed onto a scrap metal yard, so could be rather noisy during the day. However, if you peered over the car wrecks, you could just glimpse the ocean. We stayed at Tierra Viva hotels for the duration of our time in Peru. We found all of them to be clean and comfortable with an excellent breakfast.
Lima: Top 10 Things to do
| 1 | Enjoy the art at the Museo de Arte de Lima |
| 2 | Visit the intricately carved Basilica la Merced |
| 3 | See Francisco Pizarro’s remains in the Cathedral |
| 4 | Marvel at the facade of the Archbishop’s Palace |
| 5 | Watch the Changing of the Guard at the Government Palace |
| 6 | See the Basilica de Santo Domingo |
| 7 | Visit the catacombs under the Convento de San Francisco |
| 8 | Stroll along the Malecón |
| 9 | Relax in the Parque del Amor |
| 10 | Learn about Peru’s turbulent history at the Lugar de la Memoria, la Tolerancia y la Inclusión Social |
No 1 – Enjoy the art at the Museo de Arte de Lima
The Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) takes you on a brief chronological tour of 3000 years of Peruvian art.
The Spanish colonial art is kind of fun; indigenous artists weren’t allowed to sign their work, some got round this rule by painting their faces into the picture. It’s like playing a religious game of Where’s Wally?
The gallery is situated in extensive grounds with a plethora of sculptures, monuments and fountains.
MALI is open daily except Monday between 10 am and 6 pm (5 pm on Saturdays). Entry for foreigners costs 40 soles (around £8.50).
No 2 – Visit the intricately carved Basilica la Merced
The ornately decorated Basilica la Merced is an 18th Century church with an impressive carved granite exterior.
No 3 – See Francisco Pizarro’s remains in the Cathedral
Facing the Plaza Mayor is Lima Cathedral, which mixes macabre with gaudy. On entering, you encounter the Chapel of Francisco Pizarro (the Spanish conquistador who conquered Peru). Here, his bones are laid out on display together with a description of his various injuries – he was stabbed multiple times by the son of someone he’d had executed.
Pass through several chapels decorated on the theory of more is more; brightly coloured, festooned with statues, balloons and flowers etc. Then, descend into the crypt, with more bones and mummified corpses on display.
No 4 – Marvel at the facade of the Archbishop’s Palace
Next to the cathedral is the Archbishop’s Palace with its intricately carved wooden facade. The palace is the residence of the Archbishop of Lima, so it is not possible to go inside.
No 5 – Watch the Changing of the Guard at the Government Palace
Also facing the Plaza Mayor is the heavily guarded Government Palace. If you are here at midday, you can enjoy watching the ceremonial changing of the guard. It may also be possible, if a little complicated, to visit the interior of the palace. It involves registering with a formal letter via the Tourist Office at least a week in advance…
No 6 – See the Basilica de Santo Domingo
The pink Basilica de Santo Domingo and adjoining convent date back to the 16th Century. It has the kind of ornate golden interior you’d expect from a Spanish colonial church.
No 7 – Visit the Catacombs under the Convento de San Francisco
The Convento de San Francisco also dates back to colonial times. Here, you can descend into the bone lined catacombs for a taste of the macabre, with over 70,000 bones on display.
Guided tours of the Catacombs take place at regular intervals every day between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm. Entry for foreigners costs 20 soles (around £4.20).
No 8 – Stroll along the Malecón
The Malecón is a coastal pathway, which runs for almost six miles along the cliff top. It is actually made up of three sections; running south from Miraflores are the Malecón Cisneros and Malecón de la Reserva. Running north towards San Isidro is the Malecón de la Marina. These pathways offer a pleasant stroll through several gardens overlooking the ocean.
The ocean itself is accessible, but this involves descending the cliff top and crossing a motorway. And to be honest, there was a whiff of sewage on the ocean breeze, so we settled for admiring the ocean view from above amidst the flowers.
You can even spot Paddington Bear – who knew he’d made it back to Peru?
Buenavista Café
The Buenavista Café doesn’t serve the best food, but from this café is on the clifftop overlooking the ocean, the view is spectacular.
Larcomar
At the southern end of the Malecón is Larcomar; a shopping mall built into the cliff side. Here, you will find shops, restaurants, two food courts a theatre and a cinema.
San Isidro
The Malecón de la Marina heads north from Miraflores to the suburb of San Isidro.
Parque Bicentenario
A the northern end, you will find the beautifully manicured gardens of the Parque Bicentenario, a landscaped park with a viewpoint offering a great view back along the coast.
No 9 – Relax in the Parque del Amor
Separating the Malecón Cisneros and the Malecón de la Reserva is the Parque del Amor, a park lined by a mosaic wave wall. The park is dominated by a giant orange sculpture of a couple kissing; El Beso (The Kiss) by Peruvian artist Victor Delfín. This sculpture gives the park its name – Park of Love.
No 10 – Learn about Peru’s turbulent history at the Lugar de la Memoria, la Tolerancia y la Inclusión Social
The Lugar de la Memoria, la Tolerancia y la Inclusión Social (Place of Memory, Tolerance and Social Inclusion) or LUM for short is a museum dedicated to the victims of state violence in Peru during the 1980s and ’90s.
It is interesting. But the displays are only in Spanish and the language is very political. Somewhat beyond someone who has only had 20 Spanish lessons.
The LUM is open daily except Monday from 10 am until 6 pm. Admission is free.
- Trip taken: March 2019
- Updated: October 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For more top picks from other destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full Top 10 Things To Do list here.
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