Sightseeing in Lima

Lima’s sheer size often bewilders visitors but many of the city’s museums, churches and colonial treasures are conveniently located in the historic centre. In the old days, the centre was filthy and overcrowded, however, a recent campaign to clean up the streets has paid dividends. Now the centre has much to delight sightseers.

Tours usually start in Plaza de Armas, which was the city’s main meeting point and marketplace. Around four hundred years ago, bullfights were held in this square - the current bullring is a ten-minute walk away. Dominating the square is the Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace). It stands on the site of the original palace built by Lima’s founder Pizarro. Also on the main square is the Cathedral, rebuilt in 1758, after an earthquake destroyed the original building. Pizarro’s daughter helped pay for the original cathedral, on condition that her father was buried in the crypt.

Nearby, the Pasaje Nicolas de Ribera el Viejo sports elegant cafes, while the Palacio Torre Tagle, with its Moorish-influenced wooden balconies, is one of the city’s most beautiful Spanish colonial mansions. A few blocks east lies Plaza Bolivar, where the fascinating Museo de la Inquisicion (Spanish Inquisition Museum) is located. Other ‘musts’ include the Museo de la Nacion, for an overview of Peru’s archaeological riches and the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum), with its collection of stunning gold artefacts.

Away from the centre lie the fashionable seaside suburbs of Miraflores and San Isidro, while the suburb of Barranco offers lively, bohemian bars. Miraflores even has its own US-style shopping mall, Larco Mar, with ten-pin bowling, a multiplex cinema, snack bars, restaurants, discos and live music. The mall is situated right on the cliffs overlooking the sea and publishes a full list of its attractions online.