Why travel to Lima?
Like its inhabitants, Lima, the city of kings, is a rare and exciting mix of nationalities, styles and forms. While other major cities in the Americas and around the world strive for modernity, the urban landscape of Lima maintains the age-old texture of its rich tradition.
The original city center, the old quarter of the city originally mapped out by Spanish Conqueror Francisco Pizarro - called el damero de Pizarro due to the classic geometric form found in other old Spanish colonial cities- is today a UNESCO Mankind Heritage Site. The streets of Lima have preserved the venerable beauty of the city's original colonial architecture, and a tour through old Lima is a chance to delve into more than four centuries of living history, peeking through the doorways of gracious manors and striding through sunlit patios and Baroque balconies.
Lima, Peru's sprawling megacapital is actually a mosaic of many smaller cities. Comprising 49 districts with nearly 9 million inhabitants, Lima is a study in contrasts, with ultramodern seaside neighborhoods butting up against gritty shantytowns that cling to barren hillsides.
Lima is also known as the "Garden City" and is home to one of world's largest fountain parks.
A Peru travel adventure is incomplete without a tour of Lima, the fourth largest city in South America, home to a third of Peru’s population, and the hub of culture, politics, and society in this amazing country. Districts such as Lima Centro, Miraflores, and Barranco have distinctive characteristics and flavors, and they each bear the influence of longtime residents as well as newer arrivals, whether internal migrants from Peru or immigrants from abroad. Lima’s city streets buzz with energy, seaside walkways invite leisurely strolls, and terraces with views to the Pacific Ocean are ideal perches from which to enjoy a Pisco sour just as the sun is setting. Travel to Lima to enjoy of its many and diverse offerings. Foodies will delight in Peruvian cuisine, regarded as among the world’s best.
Lima serves as the gateway for travel to Perú. From this hub, you can easily move north to the pre-Inca archaeological sites around Trujillo or journey to the heart of the Inca Empire in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Puno. Or adventure travel to the Amazon jungle of Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado.
What to do in Lima?
City center, in the historic centre, placed by UNESCO on the World Cultural Heritage List, you can visit splendid samples of Colonial architecture like the Cathedral, the Convent of Santo Domingo, and the Convent of San Francisco as well as fantastically wood carven balconies. Lima is also an inexhaustible source of culture, demonstrated by the existence of numerous and varied museums like the National Museum of Archeology, Anthropology, and History and the Rafael Larco Herrera Archeological Museum, which guards priceless Incan and pre-Incan treasures.
Situated in the heart of the city are great archeological monuments such as the Huallamarca Huaca or the Pucllana Huaca. And, on the outskirts of Lima facing the ocean is Pachacamac, the most important pre-Incan sanctuary on the coast, built in the third century A.D. Some of the other great attractions are the beaches where you can do all types of aquatic sports, enjoy the sun, or simply gaze at the mesmerizing beauty of the Pacific Ocean.
During this trip, you must also remember to sample one of the best cuisines in the world. The city offers a wide variety of restaurants and inviting locales where you will be able to taste delicious dishes, the result of the mixing of European, African, Asian, and Andean cuisines.
Miraflores, a tourist district full of hotels. There are large and modern malls, theaters, cinemas, and art galleries. Its green areas are beautiful, like the Kennedy Park where artists, painters, and folklore groups meet. Larcomar, a shopping and entertainment complex, is within easy walking distance and its terraces offer excellent views of the Pacific. Stroll along the Malecón, a path that borders the ocean-side cliffs and takes visitors past small, colorful parks, including the Parque de Amo.
Barranco, an early twentieth century beach resort for the Lima aristocracy, it is new the main artistic neighborhood of the city with lovely homes and corners with disco techs, pubs, and cafes that present musical and cultural shows. Be sure to walk across the romantic Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), which leads to Barranco’s central plaza, towering cathedral, and excellent library.
San Isidro, Characterized by green areas and exclusive residential neighborhoods, especially the traditional area of El Olivar, named that way because of the hundreds of olive trees growing in the park, San Isidro has, in recent years, become an important tourist and business center with modern buildings, hotels, restaurants, and malls.
When to visit Lima?
Lima’s weather is very temperate due to its proximity to the equator.
Winters in Lima can be quite grey as a result of the humid climate. Through most of winter Lima is covered in a layer of clouds and a light drizzle, or ‘garúa’ can be frequent; average temperatures are around 15° Celcius.
The summer months of December to March tend to be sunny and temperatures average around 22° Celcius, though they can go as high as 29° Celcius. The humidity factor makes these seemingly mild temperatures feel more extreme, while the months of June to October represent the winter season. If visiting Lima during the summer season, one is treated with the spectacular and colourful sunsets which are quiet famous in Lima. The sky turns into the shades of red, orange and pink by seven in the evening and the sunsets are labeled by the inhabitants as "cielo de brujas," (in Spanish), which means ‘sky of witches.’
There is a lot of beach activity during this season, with the best beaches tending to be slightly crowded due to holiday travellers. The months of May as well as November are rated as transitional months with dramatic hot-cool changes in the climate. Humidity is an inseparable part of Lima’s climate. If travelling during summer, cotton clothing is a must pack to tolerate the heat and humidity. However, given the slight chill which creeps in during winters, if travelling during this season be sure to carry a few light woolens.
The climate is relatively mild and comfortable, neither being too hot or cold during altering seasons. The temperature throughout the year rarely falls down to 12 degree Celsius or rise above 29 degree Celsius.
The seasons can be categorized as summer, encompassing the months of December to April, The peak tourist season in Lima is between December to April, the cities summer season. The temperatures during this time vary between 18 degrees to 26 degree Celsius. Skies are mostly cloud-free during the daytime, with occasional foggy days during this season.
Winters (June to October) with breezy conditions, gray skies and humid plus cool temperatures are considered off-travel season. The average temperature remains around 15 degree Celsius. Dark skies may overcast the city for a week or more at a stretch or thick gray fog known as ‘Garua’ covers the city making it less appealing to visitors. However surfing on normal less cloudy day and watching bullfights are popular attractions during winters. If interested in hiking, this is a good season to visit Lima, as the weather is conducive for this activity. Major public events and festivals in Lima:
April: Semana Santa, or Holy Week, features an entire week of religious celebration with street processions, church masses, and riotous partying. July/August: Fiestas Patrias, or Independence Day, commences 28 July and continues for several days. This outpouring of national pride is accompanied by public fiestas, street parades, and parties. October: The biggest procession in Latin America. Almost ten thousand believers gather to honour Senor de los Milagros (Lord of Miracles). This belief in Lord of Miracles was set when an African slave (during colonial times) drew an image of black Christ on a wall, and despite various attempts to remove it and despite all earthquakes, which probably destroyed significant amount of the adjacent area, the image remained unscathed.
The other big procession takes place on the 30th of August each year to honour Santa Rosa de Lima (patron saint of Lima). Thousands of believers who worship Santa Rosa de Lima participate in this procession which leads to Santa Rosa's hometown Santa Rosa de Quives near Lima.
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