There are many travelers who don’t have much time to explore Lima, basically it´s a stopover, waiting for the next flight to go to another city. It’s a shame because the Peruvian capital has a lot to offer. So we´ve accepted the challenge to make a list of the must-see places in Lima with just 24 hours!
1:00 pm Arrival at Lima Airport
2:00 pm Arrival at the hotel in Miraflores or Barranco
Even if it´s just for a short time, we recommend that you stay in one of these two central districts. Hotels near the airport are expensive and are located in districts where it´s not pleasant to walk around. You need to take a taxi, it´s about a 45 minute ride, without traffic, from the airport to Miraflores or Barranco. From there, you can do everything on foot.
2:30 pm Malecon de Miraflores (Miraflores Boardwalk)
If you´ve just arrived and you´re hungry, go to Larcomar. It is an open air shopping center where there are various stores and patios, like at Mango’s . Here the food is fresh and healthy. For those who do not want to waste any time, they offer buffet lunch for S/.55 or S/.65 on Sundays, from 12 to 4pm.
If you like sports, just above the shopping center, Mirabici Peru rents bikes for S/.20 an hour. They have maps and routes that go south along the ocean or to Barranco. The view of the beach is amazing and super relaxing, feeling the breeze on your face.
Whether by bike or on foot, it´s worth going down to the Parque del Amor or the Park of Love. Mosaics, ocean views and a statue of a couple kissing in the middle await. This boardwalk is wide and you can reach the lighthouse with a view of the ocean the entire way. If you continue down the boardwalk, you will pass through several more parks and reach the Buenavista Café that has a patio with a spectacular view.
4:00 pm Museo Amano: Pre-Columbian Textile Museum, Miraflores
Walk about 6 blocks towards the Parque Corea Elias and the Parque Cillena Rey to find the Amano Museum (Calle Retiro 160, www.museoamano.org). For a long time this private collection was only open to those with reservations, now the museum has been renovated and is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is 30 soles. It houses an extensive collection of Pre-Hispanic textiles that demonstrate the mastery that the ancient civilizations, like Chancay, had accomplished.
5:30 pm Paragliding, Miraflores
You’re just in time for your appointment with Ronald from Volando por el Peru , who will take you to fly above Lima and the coast along the Pacific Ocean. The trip is 10 to 12 minutes long for US $80. It includes a recording of your experience with a Sony Action Cam. It feels like it will never come to an end and the day starts turning to dusk, adding a magical touch. From up there, Lima is beautiful and peaceful. If you can´t find Ronald, all the gliders take off from the Malecón de Miraflores (Miraflores Boardwalk), next to the Parque del Amor (The Park of Love).
6:00 pm A cocktail with an ocean view
To celebrate your first sunset in Lima with a pisco sour and a nice view, you have several options: La Rosa Nautica (www.larosanautica.com), an ancient and immaculate building on a floating dock in the ocean, located along the beaches of Miraflores. The bar-restaurant design at Cala in Barranco also has a patio with an ocean view. There are other bars above the cliff, overlooking the ocean, near the Puente de los Suspiros (the Bridge of Sighs) in Barranco.
8:00 pm Gourmet dinner, Miraflores
This first day has to end with a special dinner. Central is currently the best restaurant in Latin America. The chef, Virgilio Martinez, is a young genius of bold flavors and combinations. The full tasting menu costs 398 soles or 298 soles for a less expensive option. Saqra with its bohemian decor and cuisine that blends European and Peruvian flavors is a favorite. Try the Andean ratatouille pansotti: pansotti stuffed with Andean ratatouille in a creamy goat cheese sauce or ravioli in a chili pepper sauce: cheese ravioli, caramelized onions and Andean corn in a yellow pepper sauce. There are also classic dishes with meat or fish (30 to 45 soles a plate). Finally, share carob bombons or the chocolate bombon filled with lucuma (25 soles for the deserts).
10:00 pm Music in Barranco
Because the time difference won´t let you sleep, you can visit the bars in the capital. Barranco, with its bohemian touch, has a lot of good spots. Ayahuasca , an old house with jungle décor, is open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 pm to 3:00 am. Picas (picas.com.pe) is open to the public, gay friendly and has live saxophone mixed with electronic rhythms on the weekends. On Mondays, La Noche de Barranco , a local bar with an excellent music program, has jazz and the admission is free.
9:00 am the Market in Miraflores
Market 1 in Surquillo is where the chefs do their shopping for quality products. You too can explore this small market and discover native species that you have never seen: various types of potatoes, peppers, exotic fruits and much more.
10:00 am Walking tour in Barranco
You can´t say goodbye to Lima without exploring the streets of Barranco. They talk a lot about the Puente de los Suspiros (the Bridge of Sighs), but this attractive neighborhood has many more secrets. It currently has 3 important museums that have put something special together. Visit MAC (Museo de Arte Contemporaneo or the Contemporary Art Museum), the Pedro de Osma (a collection of colonial art in a large, beautiful house) and MATE (a collection from the fashion photographer Mario Testino) it only costs 32 soles for all three. Don´t forget to go through the Bajada de Baños, take pictures of the murals around the neighborhood and explore the colorful streets, like Calle Cajamarca. There’s also a shop with crafts on Las Pallas 212, and a trendy concept store called Thibault Van Der Straete on Calle Cajamarca 219.
12:00 p.m. Ceviche!
If you go early, you can easily get a table at Canta Rana, on Genoa 101 in Barranco. It´s a popular ceviche restaurant, owned by an Argentinean who acquired the Peruvian flavor. Order a Ceviche mixto (mixed ceviche), conchas a la parmesana (parmesan clams) and arroz con mariscos (seafood with rice) with a glass of fresh chicha morada (purple corn). At least you can say that from Lima, you were able to uncover some of its secrets. I assure you that after this visit, you´ll come back and spend more time in Lima.
