Lima is a warm city, a mix of styles, places, flavors, and textures. An eight million inhabitants capital city, in full transformation where we can find all the cultural manifestations of this colorful country. There, the colonial architecture coexists with modern buildings, for which people come from the four corners of the country and the world. The gastronomy of the country is unique around the globe. To complete the experience, we offer you an extremely interesting cultural tour, with contemporary art galleries, fine craftwork shops, and many fun centers.

As the first entry point into Peru, Lima has developped an important tourist offer, in which its historic center, archaeological centers, night life, museums, art galleries, festivities, and popular traditions stand out. The surroundings of the city offer numerous options for the nature enthusiasts: excellent beaches and seaside resorts, good waves for surfing, green valleys ideal for relaxing completely, and going on diverse tours, that constitute a range of very interesting options. It is currently considered as the political, cultural, financial and business center of the country. At an international level, the city is ranked as the fifth most populated city of Latin America and the Caribbean, and is one of the thirty most populated urban agglomerations of the world.

GASTRONOMY

Talking about gastronomy and culinary in Latin America, Lima is the perfect place due to its large variety of restaurants of creole food. In every corner, one can find a restaurant offering a large choice of dishes. The city has several Guiness Records for the quality and diversity of its food, and was declared Gastronomic Capital of Latin America during the Madrid Fusión event in 2006.

APPEALS

Lima Main Square
It was the center of the ancient colonial city. Within its perimeter, one can find the Cathedral of Lima, the Presidential Palace and the Provincial Municipality of Lima. In the central part, a copper fountain dating from the 17th century stands out.

Cathedral of Lima
It is situated at the same place as the one the main church of Lima stood in. The inside is austere, although there are real historical jewels, such as the ashlar work of the Pedro de Noguera choir, diverse side altars and the remains of Francisco Pizarro. The Museum of Religious Art can also e visited; it has a large collection of canvases, sculptures, chalices and chasubles.

Presidential Palace
It was the residence of Francisco Pizarro (in 1535), who built it over the land that was occupied by Taulichusco, Indian chief of the Rímac valley. Since then, the place has been the center of the political power of Peru. In the 1920's, it was rebuilt further to a fire. It has numerous patios and rooms dedicated to distinguished personages of the Peruvian history, and carefully decorated with notable artworks. Every day, at 11:45 a.m., in the Honor Patio, the changing of the guard takes place, successfully completed by the glorious batallion of los Húsares de Junín.

San Francisco Church and Convent
Architectural complex of the 17th century. It includes the church, the convent and the small square. The main façade of the temple was made of stone, and is characterized by its Corinthian-styled columns. The cloisters area, decorated with glazed tiles, houses the Viceregal Art Museum. Moreover, the catacombs (underground galleries) that were used as a cemetery during the Colony can be visited

Priest Matías Maestro General Cemetery
The first cemetery of the city of Lima. Inaugurated in 1808 by the Abascal viceroy, the designer of its plans was the well-known priest Matías Maestro. It has more than 766 mausoleums of a Neoclassic style, in which statues and sculptures stand out, inspired by figures of saints and the three Cristian virtues.

Wall Park
It houses a restored fragment of the ancient wall that surrounded Lima and was built in the 17th century to protect the city against pirates and attacks by the enemies of the Spanish Crown. On site, there are the statue of the founder of Lima, the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, and a museum in which archaeological pieces found in the area are exhibited.

Casa Aliaga
Since it is made of rushes, mud and sun-dried bricks on the foundations of a Pre-Hispanic building, this place has had to adapt to an irregular distribution on different levels. The main façade has a balcony of the Republican period. Its patios, the first of them covered with Italian marble of the 19th century, and the second one decorated with an ancient bronze fountain.

Museum of the Inquisition and Congress
It keeps numerous objects and environments in which the Inquisition process was carried out. Among them, the Audience Chamber, in which the members of the Tribunal of the Inquisition. The "Puerta del Secreto" (Door of Secret), that lead to the private environment of the "Inquisidor Mayor" (Head Inquisitor);the " Cámara de Tormento" (Chamber of Torture); the area of the secret prisons, with underground cells, and the library of the Inquisition stand out.

Torre Tagle Palace
Its construction dates from 1735 by order of the marquis de Torre Tagle, Treasurer of the Spanish Royal Navy. It is considered as of of the best exponents of the residential architecture of Lima of the 18th century. Its balconies of carved wood, its chapel in a Baroque style, decorated with mirros and colonial paintings, and its stone façade carefully worked.

Park of the Exhibition
It houses monuments that date from the celebrations of the independence centenary, such as the Morisco Pavilion, the Seismograph, the Chinese Fountain, the botanical garden, and the Japanese garden. It also offers places dedicated to entertainment and performing arts, such a the "Isla de Títeres" (Puppet show island), the Open Air Theater, and La Cabaña Theater.

The Magical Circuit of Water
The Magical Circuit of Water, situated in the Park of the Reserve, was inaugurated on the 27th of July of 2007. It has thirteen beautiful ornamental fountains with eye-catching plays of light, and nine original and restored fountains. This is the biggest complex of fountains of the world.

Chinese District
This is one of the biggest Chinese districts of South America. Walking through its streets means knowing the customs and products of this thousand-year old civilization and, mainly, taking delight with its food, the same one that can be enjoyed in many restaurants called "chifas". Architecturally, the Monumental Façade of the Capón street stands out.

Barranco
Old spa in which, at the beginning of the 20th century, the aristocracy of Lima gathered. This is now the main bohemian district of the city, with welcoming casonas (large houses), and corners offering musical and cultural shows, as well as clubs, pubs and coffee shops.

Huaca Pucllana or Juliana
Pre-Inca construction made of sun-dried bricks and with a pyramidal shape. It was one of the most important administrative ceremonial centers of the civilization of Lima, the same one that flourished from 200 AD to 700 AD, in the geographic location formed by the Chancay, Chillón, Rímac, and Lurín valleys.

National Museum of Anthropology, Archaeology, and History
It includes the whole Peruvian archaeological and historical process. It houses of the the most complete collections of ceramics, textillery and craftsmanship in precious metals, from pre-Columbian civilizations. One can see there pieces from the Chavín, Paracas, Nazca, Mochica, Tiahuanaco, Pucará, Chimú, Chachapoyas and Inca civilizations. It includes galleries and rooms in which pieces from the colonial and republican periods are exhibited: an art gallery with paintings from the Cuzco school, a complete collection of portraits of viceroys, iconography of the liberators and leaders of the independence movement, portaits of presidents and other representatives of the history of Peru.

Callao
The charm of the first port welcomes your family with the story of great battles and well-known pirates in the Real Felipe Fortress and the Museo de Sitio Naval Submarino Abtao (Abtao Submarine Naval Museum). There are also pleasant beaches and exciting boat outings to visit the San Lorenzo and El Frontón islands. On the way, the great marine fauna can be observed. During the trip back, one can enjoy the varied food.

Due to its port character, the gastronomy of the Callao is influenced by diverse culinaries, such as the Cantonese food, the ones from Peking, the Mediterranean, Italy, and France, among others.
You should bring sunscream and a hat, as well as a coat. And prepare your camera to take pictures of the city from out at sea.