One Day in Lima
The One Day series is intended to give you a quick overview of a city, with some quick suggestions with respect to meals, attractions, and activities. The Lima metropolitan area is the third largest city in the Americas (behind Sao Paolo and Mexico City, if you’re interested) and contains more inhabitants than New York City.
Breakfast (Desayuno):
Peruvians don’t seem to eat much breakfast. I generally stave off death by drinking Mate de Coca and locating an empanada (lomo saltado tends to be my favorite).
Morning Excursion: Seaside Walk
One of the most enjoyable activities in Lima is to saunter along the seaside cliffs. Miraflores, the safest and most cosmopolitan neighborhood, has a trail that goes through Parque del Amor, a beautiful park full of mosaics. You can also watch (or participate) in hang-gliding or surfing activities if you feel adventurous.
Lunch (Almuerzo): Cebiche
Eating raw fish may or may not be your thing now, but it will become a passion after this. You will also eat potatoes in some way, shape, or form. Things you need to know: Cuy means guinea pig, mayonnaise is eaten with almost everything besides cebiche, and the portions are gigantic!
Afternoon Adventure:
OPTION 1: Strategic Sightseeing
If you are feeling energetic, hop into a taxi towards the city center to scope out the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding neighborhood. Be sure to check out the catacombs in the Iglesia de San Francisco–but be warned that some of the remains are exposed which can be shocking to some. The surrounding historic district is great for wandering and lodging.
OPTION 2: Miraflores Meandering
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can head over to the Huaca Pucllana, an interesting archaeological ruin in the Miraflores district. Or, if this morning’s walk wore you out, the Larcomar mall and surrounding area provide good shopping options.
OPTION 3: Neighborhood Hopping
Barranco and San Isidro are both interesting neighborhoods worth seeing, and they have very different characters. Barranco harkens back to the city’s colonial roots with a bohemian flair, while San Isidro has established itself as a business center.
Dinner (Cena): Nikkei or Chifa Fusion Cuisine
Lima is South America’s center for cuisine, both traditional and cutting edge. While good examples of traditional fare can be found all over the city, my personal favorite is Nikkei cuisine (Peruvian-Japanese fusion). You can do what we did and splurge on a world-famous Nikkei dinner at Mitsuharu Tsumura’s Maido. You can also go the budget route and eat a big bowl of wonton soup, which part of the Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) cuisine. Both cuisines are phenomenal.
Fun Fact: Back in the day, many cultures in Lima ate shark as part of their normal diet.