How to Spend 24-Hours in the “City of Kings”
Many visitors plan their trips to Peru focusing more of their attention around Cusco and Machu Picchu, leaving limited time to explore Lima. Although Peru’s capital can seem faceless and intimating upon first glance, if you scratch just beneath the surface, you’ll find a city that’s deeply Peruvian. Let’s say you arrive in the evening for your Peru private tour with two nights in Lima before you fly onward to Cusco. How do you get the most out of your short visit to Lima?
Savor an Unforgettable Dinner
Book a hotel in Miraflores, Barranco, or San Isidro, where most of the city’s top attractions can be found.
Hotel B Barranco
Hotel B in Barranco is a great choice – be sure to have a drink at its stunning bar. You might also want to make restaurant reservations at your choice of world-class restaurants Lima offers ahead of time for your first night, so you can head straight for dinner after checking in to your hotel. After dinner, head back to your deluxe hotel and rest up for a busy day exploring the city.
Shop ‘Til You Drop in Miraflores
Larcomar Shopping Center in the seaside district of Miraflores
Photo Source: Flickr – Vladimir Kud
Start your day in Miraflores. One of the best shopping areas of Peru, luxury tours of the city are not complete without a few hours spent browsing this upscale neighborhood. Don’t miss Larcomar, a dining, shopping and entertainment complex perched above the sea. The center is viewed as a symbol of Lima’s 21st century innovation.
Step into Lima’s Past
Break for lunch at Restaurant Huaca Pucllana, a restaurant built right in the middle of a pre-Incan archeological site.
The restaurant offers unmatched views of the Huaca Pucllana, an intriguing earthquake-proof building dating back more than 1,800 years.
A Combination of Various Forms of Pre-Incan History All Found in Lima
Photo Source: Flickr – Vladimir Kud
Head to the Larco Museum next, which showcases artifacts from many important pre-Columbian civilizations. Lima is home to a number of wonderful museums, but the Larco Museum is a particular stand-out. Check out its eye-catching displays of gold, jewelry and erotic pottery.
If you’re not interested in shopping, another option would be to start your day at this museum. You can even eat lunch at the on-site restaurant, which offers full meals and light snacks on the museum’s beautiful, serene grounds. Or save your appetite and dine on the beaches of Chorrillos, where you can enjoy some of the freshest ceviche in the city.
Save some time later in the afternoon to walk around the historic city center of Lima. Admire the fine colonial buildings lining the main plaza and venture into the haunting catacombs found underneath the San Francisco Monastery.
Dance the Night Away in Barranco
Stop by Hotel Bolivar for a pre-dinner drink, which is widely agreed to serve Peru’s best pisco sour. For dinner, there are almost too many possibilities to choose from. Try Astrid & Gaston or Central, which are consistently ranked among Latin America’s best restaurants. For something more unusual try Maido which specializes in Peruvian-Japanese fusion cuisine called Nikkei.
Finish off the night with a visit to the bohemian neighborhood of Barranco, whose name literally means ravine. The deeply-cut banks of this ancient river are today filled with a colorful patchwork of bars and restaurants. Follow the path leading to the Pacific Ocean, passing under the landmark bridge, El Puente de Los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs). According to legend, inhaling fresh, salty air on this bridge alongside your partner is said to ensure eternal love. Enjoy a nightcap at one of Barranco’s lively bars, or dance to tropical beats at a nightclub.
The Bohemian Seaside District of Barranco
Make Lima Memorable
Contact a Kuoda travel designer to start planning your private Peru holiday. We’ll help you to discover Lima’s variety of diverse attractions in a 24 hour whirlwind.
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