Best of Lima in 1 to 4 Days

Best of Lima in 1 to 4 Days

Spend at least a day touring the sights in the historic center, with an additional day devoted to whichever museums strike your fancy. Bargain hunters should do some window-shopping in Miraflores. Take one evening to wander through laid-back Barranco, at one time a seaside retreat for wealthy Limeños. The café scene here is lively, attracting artists and those who would like to be.

If You Have 1 Day

If you have just a day in the capital, focus on the historic center. Start in the vast Plaza de Armas, the square where the city was founded and the call for independence was made. If you made arrangements in advance, you can view the imperial splendor of the Palacio de Gobierno. Afterward duck into the Catedral,where the city's founder, Francisco Pizarro, is buried. More than 75,000 people are buried in the catacombs below the nearby Iglesia de San Francisco. Take a guided tour to wander through the dusty vaults. After lunch, visit the Museo de la Inquisición,which chronicles the efforts of the Spanish to root out heretics.

If You Have 3 Days

If you have three days, spend your first day in the historic center. On your second morning head to the neighborhood of Pueblo Libre to bone up on Peruvian history with a visit to the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera and the Museo Nacional de Antropología, Arqueología, e Historia del Perú. Pick up some sandwiches and a bottle of wine for lunch in Parque El Olívar,a former olive grove in the heart of San Isidro. In the afternoon explore the nearby temple of Huaca Huallamarca,built hundreds of years before the arrival of the Inca. On Day 3 head to Miraflores, where you can spend most of the morning shopping. Stroll down Avenida José Larco to Parque del Amor,where you just might see paragliders sailing through the sky. In the afternoon head to Barranco, where the Museo Pedro de Osma displays a matchless collection of colonial-era religious art. Don't miss a stroll across the Puente de los Suspiros,a wooden bridge favored by cooing couples.

If You Have 4 Days

If you're lucky enough to have more time in Lima, follow the above itinerary for the first three days. On Day 4, drive south of the city to Pachacámac, the area's most impressive archaeological site. If that's not your thing, consider a lazy day on the beach at the fishing village of Pucusana.