7 Things You Have to Do in Lima, Peru in 2024
It’s been only a week since I came back from Lima, Peru, and I already miss it SO much. This city truly exceeded every expectation I had (but honestly I don’t think I had any expectations other than this feels random and fun), and I am so excited to share with you the places and experiences you can’t miss when visiting this city.
For background, I truly was not in Peru for that long. With travel days included, my trip to Lima lasted six days! Some people were confused as to why I wasn’t doing the Machu Picchu trek, but I just truly did not have enough time or energy to tackle that this time around. But I did promise myself that I would come back to Peru, so it’s not out of the question for next time.
Another common response that I got was that Lima was just a stopover city and there wasn’t much to do there, but I disagree wholeheartedly! So much so that unofficially this blog is a Lima stan account. I think this is the perfect city for someone looking for a short getaway, great food, and a completely new experience for someone's first time in South America. There's a good mix of both real Peruvian experiences and tourist attractions, making it the perfect vacation if you don't have that many PTO days. So sit back, relax, and take in what I believe are the best things to do in Lima, Peru!
Kennedy Park
Diagonal, Miraflores 15074, Peru
This is one of the first things we saw during our time in Lima! It was super close to our hotel and was a great introduction to the Lima culture. Kennedy Park is a park dedicated to JFK, and it happens to also have a TON of stray cats. I'm not the biggest stray animal girl when I'm traveling because I'm just terrified of getting sick, but these cats were incredibly well-cared for and you could tell that this park was their home. They had so many bowls of food, homemade shelters, and designated areas for these animals.
As a first-time visitor to South America, I really didn't know what to expect. Located in the Miraflores district, Kennedy Park did a great job showing me what it's like to live everyday life in Lima, how important third spaces are, and how relaxing the culture is. I loved seeing the different art structures located across the greenery, and all the park workers diligently scrubbing and cleaning the public benches and sitting areas. San Francisco could literally never.
Malecón de Miraflores
Mal. de la Reserva 275, Miraflores 15074, Peru
I loved this place so much that we went here twice during my time in Lima. Along the Pacific Ocean's coast, Malecón de Miraflores is one of the best places (if not the best place) to see the sunset. After 5 pm in the summer, I swear everyone is here along the cliffsides with their picnic blankets, friends, and food, with the most prime ocean view accompanying them.
There's a path you can walk on and see the different views, and my personal favorites were the areas where you could literally go down on the cliff to take pictures. In the United States, there would 100% be a fence up, but I guess no one is dumb enough to get too close to the edge in Lima. I probably miss this place the most after leaving Lima.
Huaca Pucllana
s/n, Ca. Gral. Borgoño cuadra 8, Miraflores 15074, Peru
When we were planning the trip, Tori's one stipulation was that she had to see some of the historical sites in Peru. Luckily, Huaca Pucllana was really close to where we were staying, and was just a quick Uber ride (we never did figure out public transportation) over! We did pay an entrance fee (although I can't remember how much, it was definitely not a lot) and the experience was completely worth it.
These ruins are truly incredible! Built before the Incans were around (so definitely ancient), the Lima people were both incredibly skilled and smart. They built these giant clay foundations and buildings to withstand natural disasters like earthquakes, and they still hold up to this day! We went on a guided tour (you're not allowed to walk around the archaeological site without one), and you truly got to see every part of it.
One of the best surprises on this visit was when we got to see the llamas, alpacas, and guinea pigs on site! I was SO excited because I have a little guinea pig at home myself, and seeing them in their true Peruvian roots was amazing. I also Googled later that this is one of the very few places in Lima where you can see these animals, so I was fully obsessed.
Couple of things to note. I got severely sunburnt during the tour of these ancient ruins and also some of the parts are STEEP. I was in sneakers luckily, but I would come prepared with good walking shoes. You go up and down a lot, and I was not expecting that at all.
Palomino Islands & More
I found this experience on Airbnb and I KNEW I had to do it. I'm an animal girlie (despite my hesitation around strays), and I wanted to experience the sea life in Lima. It's a little out of the way, and we took a 40 minute Uber to our meet-up site in Callao, Peru. When we got there, we waited at a restaurant with all the other tourists that signed up for the tour. I will admit, the tour was not super on schedule, but we had nothing planned afterwards so we weren't worried. They eventually paraded us all out to the dock to get on the boat. And guys, this boat was TINY. It also did not include a bathroom which was previously advertised.
The good news was our tour guide and boat captain were both very kind and informative and made sure we all had our life jackets on. The water is incredibly choppy, and if you're prone to motion sickness make sure you take some medication before you go. They also do not give you wetsuits (something also previously advertised). But despite all that, we saw some incredible animals like wild penguins and sea lions!
Boating around the four different islands, we eventually got in the water at Palomino Island. This is where all the sea lions are! Warning: they smell HORRIBLY. I almost vom-ed. But once you get in that ice-cold water, it kind of shocks your system and you're fine. The sea lions love getting close and there were literally hundreds of them. A truly once in a lifetime experience and a great option to experience the wildlife in Peru for a quick day trip!
Rafael Restaurante
Ca. San Martín 300, Miraflores 15074, Peru
When you Google top restaurants in Lima, I'm pretty sure all the lists have Rafael on them. They're noted as one of the best restaurants in all of Peru, so as a certified food girlie, I was so excited to try out the high-end Peruvian cuisine. I'm happy to report that Rafael did not miss.
They did a great job mixing up traditional Peruvian cuisine with Italian and Japanese ingredients, and every dish was good. We ordered the roast scallops (they were INSANE in the best way), and for my main dish, I went heavy seafood and got the sea urchin linguine. You really can't go wrong here! I also loved how intimate and cozy the place felt, while still being elevated.
We paid a total of $170 USD including multiple drinks, appetizers, main courses, and dessert. Definitely make a reservation at least a month before, or you may not find a table.
Restaurante Contraste Lima
Av. la Paz 604, Miraflores 15047, Peru
We stumbled upon this local restaurant on a whim, and I am SO glad we did. We were originally supposed to go to a restaurant in Barranco, but it felt really sketchy and unsafe, so we immediately zoomed back to Miraflores. It was getting kind of late, so I just did a quick Google Search and the Google Reviews looked promising, so we walked to Contraste! This ended up being one of my top places we ate at the whole trip.
Dare I say the food was BETTER than Rafael? That's kind of a bold opinion, but I stand by it. The place is much smaller and cozier, but I love the chef's table where you can see directly into the kitchen. Every dish was well thought out, tasted amazing, and blew me away by their creativity. It was the perfect place to try Peruvian ingredients in a Michelin-star quality way. They had such unique things on the menu, like their own spin on the classic Peruvian fried rice.
We became friends with the chef and staff and had truly the best time out in Lima together, but that's a story for a different time. The moral of the story, this place is a MUST visit. I have no idea how they aren't on those must-eat lists, but they're definitely on mine.
We paid a total of $73 USD including drinks, appetizers, and a couple of main dishes to share. We didn't make a reservation, but you definitely can!
Lima Market Food Tour
You can’t go to Lima without doing a food tour of their market. Booked through this Airbnb experience, we did this on our last day, and it was EVERYTHING. This was outside of our neighborhood and near Plaza de Armas and the government palace of Lima, about 35 minutes away from our hotel. I’ll be honest, I don’t think I would have the nerve to venture through the Central Market and Chinatown without a guide, because it was the definition of chaos.
Hoards and hoards of people were in the street with no rhyme or reason and there was definitely no such thing as personal space, but luckily we had an amazing local guide that brought us to each food stand! They have relationships already with the vendors, so we didn’t even have to worry about ordering, waiting, or receiving our food. The market we were visiting was very much the local market, and there were virtually no other tourists except our group. It was a great place to see a more authentic side to the Lima and a great way to try the traditional foods Peruvians eat every day.
We tried choclo con queso, some of the best ceviche I've ever tasted, siu mae, their native tropical fruits, and more. Definitely come hungry, because you eat a LOT. Also make sure you wear your walking shoes. Our tour lasted 2 extra hours over what we thought we were doing, and we walked everywhere. A truly perfect way to see a different part of Lima.
If you're planning a trip to Lima, Peru sometime in the future, I hope you get to check some of these things out! I truly had such a good time on this trip, and am ready to take on even more of South and Latin America.