Lima
Get to know Lima, Peru’s capital and largest city. With a population nearing 10 million, Lima, one of the largest cities in the Americas, melds history — founded in 1535, this was the Spanish crown’s “City of Kings” — with modernity. Discover Baroque and Renaissance churches, palaces and mansions, as well as the continent’s first university, while indulging in world-class cuisine and enjoying the only capital in South America facing the sea.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Lima serves as the gateway to Peru from international destinations. Jorge Chavez International Airport, situated about 10 miles west of the city, offers taxis, private buses and Ubers for travel to the city. Find taxi services inside the security areas of the international and domestic arrivals terminals. All taxis in Lima are unregulated, so establish fares beforehand. Reliable taxi services include Taxi Green, Alo Taxi, Taxi Móril and Taxi San Borja. Uber and Easy Taxi, as well as the modern, clean and efficient Metropolitano Bus, prove reliable options.
LODGING Hotel B
Lima’s only Relais & Châteaux property, Hotel B is housed in a restored Belle Époque mansion, originally built in 1914 for a wealthy Limeño family. Don’t check out without experiencing the famed afternoon tea.
Av. Jirón Sáenz Peña 204, Barranco, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 206 0800 hotelb.pe
JW Marriott Hotel Lima
Waterfront luxury awaits travelers at JW Marriott Hotel Lima, currently undergoing a guestroom renovation that is not affecting hotel operations. Steps from the beach, its 15,000 square feet of event space can satisfy any meeting, event or conference need.
Mal. de la Reserva 615, Miraflores, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 217 7000 marriott.com
Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel, Lima
Set in a garden, Miraflores Park, A Belmond Hotel, Lima invites travelers to enjoy ocean views, sumptuous guestrooms, a rooftop pool, the soothing Zest Spa and great eats at Tragaluz Restaurant. Mal. de la Reserva 1035, Miraflores, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 610 4000 belmond.com
DINING Astrid & Gastón
You’ve likely seen Astrid & Gastón on world’s best lists; the restaurant, in a 300-year-old house in San Isidro, is chefs Gastón Acurio and Astrid Gutsche’s take on contemporary Peruvian cuisine. The five-course tasting menu takes diners through Peru’s different regions.
Av. Paz Soldan 290, San Isidro, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 442 2777 astridygaston.com
Central
Another regular on best-of lists, husband and wife chefs Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon are guided by Mater Iniciative, which researches Peruvian ingredients to serve only the finest food to be found on land and sea. It’s an ode to Peru.
Av. Pedro de Osma 301, Barranco, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 242 8515 centralrestaurante.com.pe
Chez Wong
An unmarked door leads into the informal, lunch-only Chez Wong, originally started in the chef’s garage. A master of ceviche, he creates all the dishes at Chez Wong himself and is known for using only sole in his version of the classic dish.
Calle Enrique León Garcia 114, La Victoria, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 470 6217
ATTRACTIONS Magic Water Circuit
A large-scale municipal project and icon of Lima, Magic Water Circuit features 13 cybernetic fountains set to music, water, sound and lasers.
Puerto 5, Parque de la Reserva, Av. Petit Thouars, Cercado de Lima, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 424 0827 circuitomagicodelagua.com.pe
National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History
At the largest and oldest museum in Peru, visitors find 100,000 artifacts spanning the entire history of the human occupation of Peru.
Plaza Bolívar, Pueblo Libre, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 321 5630 mnaahp.cultura.pe
San Francisco Monumental Complex
Situated in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Historic Lima, this church, museum and catacombs complex boasts important collections of tiles, art, carvings, altars and more.
Plazuela San Francisco, Cercado de Lima, Lima, Peru, tel 51 1 426 7377