Lima, the capital of Peru,
lies on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It is a city
of great cultural and ethnic diversity.
Present-day Lima has 7'000,000 inhabitants and is the
commercial, industrial and cultural centre of the Country,
as well as the seat of Government. Originally named the
City of the Kings, it was the capital of the Spanish colonial
empire in South America during the XVI and XVII centuries.
It was the administrative center for a vast extension
of land comprising present-day territories of several
modern day South American countries.
The
city's past supremacy is revealed in its civil and religious
buildings which still stand and are well preserved,
such as the Monastery of San Francisco, the Palace of
Torre Tagle and the Plaza de Acho, the bull ring.
During this period
of splendour local inhabitants conceived a peculiar
character for the city, manifested in its mestizo baroque
buildings and works of art, as well as in the traditional
festivities and celebrations.
The origins of Lima pre dates the
Spanish foundation of the city by many centuries. Pre
Hispanic sites have been brought to study in the last
decades and the city is rediscovering its native roots.
Ancient centers of pilgrimage like Pachacamac, or religious
and administrative buildings like Huallamarca and Pucllana
can be visited nowadays.
Lima is a city transformed in the 20th century by the
massive immigration particularly from the high Andes.
As a result of this, it has adopted at present a new
diverse and multicultural identity in permanent evolution.
Bar at downtown Lima
San Francisco Catacombs
Practical Information
for Lima
Having been the most important city in
the Americas during Spanish Colonial times (16th-18th
centuries) , Lima has plenty to visit in the form of Museums,
churches, old mansions and specialist art collections.
A couple of days in Lima if you visit what there is to
see can be very busy, especially if you want to shop and
taste the legendary Peruvian cuisine. Sampling some of
the City's culinary delights is a must in a visit to Lima.
Some of our recommendations are Rafael, Astrid y Gaston,
La Rosa Nautica and Los Pescados Capitales. Please click
here for more details on Peruvian
cuisine.
Lima boasts world -class hotels: for some
of our recommendations please click here.
Lima is a great metropolis, and as such
it can be a crime-ridden place. If you are careful where
you go-avoid the City Centre after dark -- and how you
get there -licensed cabs and private vehicles- you should
be perfectly safe. We do not advise that you walk on your
own after dark particularly in the city center. Leave
your valuables and passport at the hotel to avoid disruptions
to your trip.
San Francisco Monastery
In the residential and
commercial areas of Miraflores and San isidro where we recommend
you stay, you should be ok to walk around but please do
nor wear jewelry or carry valuables with you. If you stick
to these basic guidelines you will be perfectly ok.
San Francisco Monastery
The
city of Lima
We can design tailor made itineraries to this and other destinations
in Peru.
For set itineraries
covering this destination please go to the section "SET
ITINERARIES", or visit:
Itinerary
1: (7 days) Cusco, Machu Picchu & Lima Itinerary 4:
(9 days) Arequipa, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca
& Lima
