Lima, City of Viceroys
Gastronomy and Conventions
Lima, the traditional City of Kings, was founded in 1535 by the Conquistador Francisco Pizarro. Today it is the capital of the country and the gateway to the rest of Peru. In 1991, UNESCO declared it a World Cultural Heritage site for its colonial architecture.
Travelers can visit everything from pre-Hispanic temples such as Pachacamac which was the center of oracles and religious pilgrimages over different periods to old colonial mansions and churches rich in history, such as the Cathedral, the convent of San Francisco, the church and convent of the Nazarenes, and Torre Tagle palace, which today is headquarters of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
Lima is a modern metropolis, ideal for conventions and international or world meetings, with all the appropriate infrastructure and fully-equipped five-star hotels.
The city has a number of districts that are very different from each other and worth a visit: Miraflores, a quarter with modern infrastructure that includes leading hotels, restaurants of every specialty, shopping areas and nightspots. Its beaches offer good surfing conditions and the shoreline cliffs are the ideal height for hang-gliding and paragliding take-offs. San Isidro is known for its parks and residential areas, and is a modern business and financial district. Barranco, a bohemian neighbourhood and the home of artists, teems with a nightlife of pubs and music. Santiago de Surco, a
district known for
Altitude: 154 masl (505 ft)
How to Get There
- By air: Lima is linked to the world's major cities and is the hub for connections to cities around Peru.
- By land: Lima is the main hub for the road network linking cities all over the country, via the Pan-American Highway and the Central Highway.
Lodging
The city offers a wide selection of lodgings ranging from basic services to the luxurious.
Tourist Services
A wide variety of restaurants and all kinds of transport and services.
Minimum Length of Stay
Three days is ideal to tour the city and environs.
Historical Center Attractions
- Plaza Mayor: the main square, designed when the city was founded, has a beautiful bronze fountain made in
1650.
- Cathedral of Lima: The cornerstone was placed by Francisco Pizarro in 1535.
- Church and Convent of San Francisco: complex famous for its catacombs.
- Sanctuary of Saint Rose of Lima: located where Isabel Flores de Oliva, Saint Rose of Lima, lived.
Season / Climate
Lima has two marked seasons: summer between October and April, with strong sunshine and no rain; and winter between May and September, with high humidity and drizzles.
Festivals
Lord of Miracles Month (October): Lima's most important festivity. It is celebrated around the image of a crucified
Christ that is a replica of a mural painted in the 18th century in the slaves' quarter of Pachacamilla. The old Acho bullring is the scene of an important bullfight season in October, when the best of the world's bullfighters come to vie for the Gold Scapular of the Lord of Miracles.
Gastronomy
There are excellent restaurants in Lima for national and international cuisine and local varieties of many Italian,
French and Chinese dishes.
- Cebiche: bite-size pieces of raw fish marinated in lemon juice, onion and hot chili pepper, garnished with corn
on the cob and sweet potato.
- Escabeche: a cold dish of fried fish or chicken marinated in vinegar and then steamed with generous servings of
onion.
- Causa limeña rellena: a cold dish of thickly mashed yellow potatoes seasoned with hot chili pepper and lemon, and then stuffed with tunafish, chicken or vegetables.
- Parihuela: a concentrated broth of fish and shellfish.
- Lomo Saltado: sliced beef sautéed with onion and tomato, mixed in with fried potatoes, and served with rice.
- Ají de Gallina: diced chicken in a thick sauce of milk, cheese, ají chili pepper and nuts, also served with white
rice.
- Mazamorra Morada: sweet purple maize jelly stewed with fresh and dried fruits.
- Suspiro a la Limeña: rich milk and vanilla cream topped with meringue.
Arts & Crafts
Excellent quality folk art and crafts can be purchased in Lima. The main handicraft markets are located at Av. Petit Thouars in Miraflores; at Av. La Marina in Pueblo Libre; and the center of Lima at Jr. Conde de Superunda and Jr. Carabaya.
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