23 Best Sights in Lima, Peru

This viceregal-era mansion sums up the graceful style of the early 18th century. Flanked by a pair of elegant balconies, the stone entrance is as expertly carved as that of any of the city's churches, while the patio is a jewel of the Andalusian baroque, with slender columns supporting delicate Moorish arabesques. The Casa Torre Tagle currently holds offices of the Foreign Ministry and is open to the public only occasionally, but if your timing is serendipitous, you can check out the tiled ceilings of the ground floor and see the house's 18th-century carriage. Across the street is Casa Goyeneche, built some 40 years later in 1771 and clearly influenced by the rococo movement.

This massive square has been the center of the city since 1535. Over the years it has served many functions, from open-air theater for melodramas to impromptu ring for bullfights. Huge fires once burned in the center for people sentenced to death by the Spanish Inquisition. Much has changed over the years, but one thing remaining is the bronze fountain unveiled in 1651. It was here that José de San Martín declared the country's independence from Spain in 1821.

This pathway leading down to the "baths"—Barranco's beaches—is shaded by leafy trees and lined with historic architecture. Once the route local fishermen took to reach their boats, it's now a popular promenade at night, when boleros and ballads can be heard from the adjoining restaurants. At the bottom of the hill, a covered wooden bridge takes you across a busy road, the Circuito de Playas, to a promenade containing beaches and restaurants. A short walk to the north is Playa Barranquito; Playa Agua Dulce is half a mile south.

Rising over the northeastern edge of the city is this massive hill, recognizable from the cross at its peak—a replica of the one once placed there by Pizarro. On a clear day, more common during the southern summer, the views of the city below are lovely.

The neighborhood at the base of the hill is sketchy, so hire a taxi or take a tour to the summit and back. Tour buses leave continuously from the Plaza de Armas until 5 or 6 pm.

Constructed in 1900, this little lighthouse at the north end of Parque Antonio Raimondi, a short walk north from the Parque del Amor, has been guiding ships for more than a century. On sunny weekends, the large green space that surrounds it is one of the most popular spots in Miraflores, with paragliders floating overhead and bicyclists and skateboarders rolling along the ocean-view malecón. Children of all ages play on the lawns and playground.

Head down the path to the left of La Ermita church and you'll come upon El Mirador, a scenic lookout with a splendid view of Lima's coastline all the way out to the port of El Callao. It's especially attractive at night, when you can see an illuminated cross and Christ statue on the promontory in Chorrillos to the south. There are also several good bars here, plus local criollo musicians who'll sing you "La Flor de la Canela" for a small tip.

Inaugurated in 1912, Desamparados Station was the Lima terminal for one of the continent's first railways, which upon completion stretched from the port of Callao to the Andean city of Huancayo. The station was named for a Jesuit church and monastery that stood next door at the time of its construction but that have since been demolished. It now houses the Casa de la Literatura Peruana (House of Peruvian Literature), with exhibits on national writers and a reading library. It's well worth stepping inside to admire the building's elegant art nouveau interior, especially the stained-glass skylight. These days the station also serves as the departure point for luxury rail trips to Huancayo.

The 1713 Church of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph may be smaller than some of El Centro's other sanctuaries, but inside is a feast for the eyes. Retablos representing various saints rise from the main altar and line both walls. Originally a convent for nuns of the Capuchin Poor Clares, this is the only church in Lima to retain its original baroque ornamentation, untouched by earthquakes or changing artistic fads.

Nothing about this colonial-era church could be called restrained. Take the pink-and-gray stone facade, for instance: done in an over-the-top style known as churrigueresco, it piles on twisty Solomonic columns, geometric cornices, a scalloped entryway, and an arms-outstretched statue of the Virgin that gestures down at worshippers below. The interior is no different. The main altar has a stunning monstrance and a silverwork medallion from the 16th century, while the intricately carved choir stalls, dating from the 1700s, have images of cherubic singers. You could lose yourself for hours contemplating the layer upon layer of detail in this stunning temple.

Don't miss the grave of Fr. Urraca, a Lima saint said to have been tempted by the devil within these very walls.

Disfigured by the violence of Peru’s history—earthquakes and war—this church, or more specifically, its magnificent facade, remains one of the summits of religious art in the New World. Carved in stone in 1710 in the churrigueresco style (a Spanish variant of the baroque), it’s crowded with images alluding to the life of St. Augustine, who is depicted stamping out heresy on the cornice above the main door. Inside, look for the macabre masterpiece La Muerte (Death), by the great 18th-century Indigenous sculptor Baltasar Gavilán. As of this writing, the church was closed for restoration work on the atrium's protective railing, but this project should be finished by late 2024.

The Jesuits built three churches in rapid succession on this corner, inaugurating the current temple in 1638. It remains one of the finest examples of early colonial religious architecture in Peru. The facade is remarkably restrained, but the interior shows all the extravagance of the era, including a series of baroque retablos thought to be the best in the city. The one dedicated to St. Francis Xavier soars to an apocalyptic culmination, with carved saints and angels towering over the viewer. Also notable are the canvases by Bernardo Bitti, who arrived on these shores from Italy in 1575 and influenced an entire generation of painters with his style. In the sacristy is The Coronation of the Virgin, one of his most famous works.

Don't miss the side aisles, where gilded arches lead to chapels decorated with beautiful hand-painted tiles.

From 1980 to 2000, two terrorist groups waged a fierce war against the Peruvian state: Sendero Luminoso and the Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru. Their assaults and the brutal reaction of the Peruvian military left some 70,000 citizens dead—mostly poor campesinos (country folk) from the sierra. This somber museum commemorates that dark period, with historical exhibits and video testimony from many of the victims. The displays are all in Spanish, but even if you don't know the language, this place makes an impression.

You can view an even more powerful exhibit on Sendero Luminoso on the sixth floor of the Ministerio de la Cultura, in the San Borja district.

Although it resembles the colonial-era buildings that abound in the area, the Municipalidad (City Hall) was constructed in 1944. Step into the foyer to see the stained-glass windows above the marble staircase. To the south of the building is a popular pedestrian walkway called the Portal de los Escribanos, or Passage of the Scribes, lined with restaurants. On the right, you'll find the entrance to a small gallery run by City Hall that hosts exhibitions by Peruvian artists.

Housed in an 18th-century quinta that has been occupied by both José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, this fascinating if somewhat discombobulated museum is like Peru's national attic. The left wing is dedicated to pre-Columbian civilizations, with special emphasis on the cultures of Paracas, Chavín, and Nazca; in it, the crowning treasure is the Stella Raimondi, a 2,000-year-old slab inscribed with images of the so-called Staff God, a deity born in Chavín de Huántar that presided over Andean religion for more than a millennium. On the museum's right side, a rambling mansion harbors a collection of independence-era artifacts, including Bolívar's own saber, a pair of viceregal carriages, and reconstructions of a typical 18th-century Lima interior. It's a bit of a hodgepodge, but the peek it affords into Peru's 5,000-year evolution is tantalizing.

Part of the museum's pre-Hispanic wing was closed for remodeling as of this writing, but the exhibits featuring the Stella Raimondi and the Tello Obelisk remain open, as are the museum's beautifully refurbished republican-era halls.

This neobaroque palace north of the Plaza de Armas is the official residence of Peru's president. It was built on the site where Francisco Pizarro was murdered in 1541 and has undergone several reconstructions, the most recent of which was completed in 1938. The best time to visit is at noon, when you can watch soldiers in red-and-blue uniforms conduct an elaborate changing of the guard, all to the tune of "El Condor Pasa." It's not quite Buckingham Palace, but it is impressive. Tours are offered on Saturday, but reservations by email are required at least a few days ahead of time.

Eager to prove it was a world-class capital, Lima hosted an international exposition at this vast green space in 1872. Several of the buildings constructed for the event still stand, including the neoclassical Palacio de la Exposición, which now serves as the Museo de Arte de Lima. Meanwhile, the park itself has become a busy meetup spot. Stroll through the grounds, and you'll find the eye-popping Pabellón Morisco, or Moorish Pavillion. Painstakingly restored, this Gothic-style structure has spiral staircases leading to a stained-glass salon on the second floor. The nearby Pabellón Bizantino, or Byzantine Pavilion, most closely resembles a turret from a Victorian-era mansion.

You could be forgiven for thinking you're in Barcelona when you stroll through this lovely park designed by Peruvian artist Victor Delfín. As in Antoni Gaudí's Park Güell, which provided inspiration, the benches here are encrusted with broken pieces of tile. In keeping with the romantic theme—the name translates as "Park of Love"—the mosaic includes sayings such as Amor es como luz ("Love is like light"). The centerpiece is a massive statue of two lovers locked in a passionate embrace. The park affords a sweeping view of the Pacific, and on windy days, paragliders take off from an adjacent green.

Across the bridge from the park, you can see the Intihuatana by Fernando de Szyszlo, a huge concrete sculpture inspired by an Inca astronomical clock.

For years, this rambling olive grove was slowly being eroded, as homes for wealthy limeños were built in and around its perimeter. The process was halted in the 1960s, in time to save more than 1,500 gnarled olive trees. Some of the trees are four centuries old and still bear fruit. A network of sidewalks, flower beds, fountains, and playgrounds makes this 20-hectare (50-acre) park a popular spot on weekend afternoons.

What locals call Parque Kennedy is, strictly speaking, two parks. A smaller section, near the óvalo, or roundabout, is Parque 7 de Junio, whereas the rest of it is Parque Kennedy proper. On the park's east side stands Miraflores's stately Parroquia La Virgen Milagrosa (Church of the Miraculous Virgin), built in the 1930s on the site of a colonial church. The equally young colonial-style building behind it is the Municipalidad de Miraflores (district town hall). Several open-air cafés along the park's eastern edge serve decent food and drink. At night, a round cement amphitheater in front of those cafés called La Rotonda fills up with performing artists, and the park becomes especially lively. Street vendors also sell popcorn and traditional Peruvian desserts such as picarones (fried doughnuts bathed in molasses), mazamorra morada (a pudding made with blue-corn juice and fruit), and arroz con leche (rice pudding). This park is the most popular meetup spot for the entire district.

Elegant royal palms, swirls of purple-and-yellow bougainvillea, and the surrounding neocolonial architecture make this park a Lima standout. Its southern end is lined with historic buildings, the most prominent of which is the library, with its pink clock tower. To the west stands Barranco's Iglesia La Hermita, a lovely neo-Gothic structure unfortunately closed to the public since its roof caved in during a 1940 earthquake. A nearby staircase leads down to the Puente de los Suspiros and Bajada de los Baños.

A short walk north of the pedestrian bridge at the bottom of Barranco's Bajada de los Baños, this narrow beach is one of Lima's most popular. The sand is dark gray, and when the sea is rough it is unsafe for swimming. But that doesn't stop Playa Barranquito from getting packed from December to April, when vendors stroll through the crowd selling snacks (which inevitably generates litter on the beach). It's a quiet spot the rest of the year except for the cries of seagulls and the rumble of cars passing on the Circuito de Playas. Amenities: food and drink, parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

This spectacular plaza is unlike any other in the city. It's surrounded on three sides by neocolonial buildings dating from the 1920s, the pale facades of which are lit at night, when the plaza is most impressive. Presiding over the western edge is the Gran Hotel Bolívar, a pleasant spot for a pisco sour. Even if you're not thirsty, you should step inside for a look at its elegant lobby. At the plaza's center is a massive statue of José de San Martín, the Argentine general who brought about the independence of Argentina, Chile, and Peru from Spain.

This romantic wooden walkway over the tree-shaded Bajada de los Baños has been the site of countless lovers' trysts. The name translates as "Bridge of Sighs," and while there's nothing Venetian about it, it has inspired a host of criollo songs, most famously Chabuca Granda's legendary hit of the same title from 1960.