Overview
The capital of Peru, whose name means "Yellow City," where we spent 3 days in November 2023 as part of our big South America tour. The barren, brown landscape hits you from the airplane window. More than South America, it feels like you've arrived in North Africa. Everywhere you look: exposed wiring, unplastered brick buildings with no paint. This visual shock gradually normalizes as your South American trip continues, but for a first-timer, it's genuinely startling. Anyone arriving without research would be in for a serious surprise.
Traffic is absolutely horrendous, prepare to lose hours. The city's architecture is mind-boggling, with neighborhoods sprawling up mountainsides. On the city outskirts, things get even stranger, houses seemingly built on sand dunes, tin-shack settlements. The city itself felt generally safe; we had no problems.
What to See
- Lima Cathedral is wonderfully original, the different chapels within make for a unique concept.
- ChocoMuseo is a superb spot nearby. You can sample their chocolates and pisco-based fruit drinks. We loved the dragon fruit and goldenberry versions.
- Basilica and Convent of San Francisco was equally original. The motifs are entirely ceramic with dominant Spanish influences. The library section resembles Porto's famous Livraria Lello. The catacombs below are quite something, in their time, burial plots here were sold for 1-2 kg of gold per person, collecting from a total of 25,000 people.
- Miraflores has absolutely nothing in common with the city center. The wealthy have essentially carved out a completely separate rescued district for themselves. Greenery, massive skyscrapers, buzzing venues. Income inequality at its most extreme.
- Evenings are incredibly lively. Even on a Monday night, everywhere was packed. The nightlife goes hard.
- Curador Wine Bar & Shop is a great spot if you want excellent pizza alongside Peruvian wine discovery. Food was superb.
- Mercado Artesanal in Miraflores is worth browsing if you're in the area.
Tips & Advice
The contrast between the general city and the Miraflores enclave tells you everything you need to know about the wealth gap here.