Peru’s capital, Lima, is a
vibrant city whose grandeur may be faded but still lives on. Once the heart of Spain’s South American empire, modern Lima is a
huge metropolis crammed with culture, and a history that pre-dates the Incas.
Halfway along Peru’s desert coastline, Lima lies between the Pacific Ocean and the foothills of the Andes. The historic center, with its
Spanish colonial mansions graced by latticed wooden balconies, is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lima has
beautiful churches,
museums, pretty
seaside suburbs and a few remaining
Inca ruins. It is also a gateway to the marvels of
Machu Picchu,
Lake Titicaca and the
Amazon jungle.
As
Peru’s economic powerhouse, Lima is home to around one third of the country’s people. Even in the richest districts, signs of poverty are never far away.
Shantytowns continue to grow around Lima, while the upper classes have mostly moved to
seaside suburbs like Miraflores and San Isidro. With their skyscrapers and international banks, these are now the main business centers, with nearby Barranco a hub for nightlife.
The city was founded by
Francisco Pizarro the Conquistador who seized the land of the Incas for Spain in 1535. As the center of a Spanish viceroyalty that spanned Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile, Lima was the most important South American capital until the 19th century. A great deal of Andean
silver passed through Lima en route to Spain, and some of it funded the
colonial mansions and
baroque churches whose altars still gleam with the rich metal.
The climate from May until November can be dismal, as a grey sea mist or
garua (known as the ‘belly of the donkey’) dominates the skies. The summer months, the best time to visit, are blessed with a hazy heat. Limeños, as the locals are called,
head to the beach for the weekend, to enjoy sun, sea and
ceviche (raw fish marinated in lime juice), washed down with a
pisco sour, the potent Peruvian cocktail.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Lima Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Peru Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Peru Airport Guides:
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Peru City Guides:
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Available Tours to Peru:
-
iExplore Peru: Machu Picchu Lodge to Lodge -
$2500,
7 days
-
iExplore Galapagos & Peru Experience -
$4295,
14 days
-
iExplore Peru & Bolivia -
$3195,
11 days
-
iExplore Peru - Inca Trail -
$2295,
9 days
-
iExplore Peru - Machu Picchu & Amazon Basin -
$2695,
9 days
-
iExplore Peru Experience -
$2395,
7 days
-
iExplore Peru Luxury Experience -
$3095,
7 days
-
iExplore Peru: Nazca Extension -
$1595,
3 days
-
iExplore Peruvian Amazon Extension -
$875,
5-8 days
-
Inca Trek & Machu Picchu -
$695,
6 days
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