City guide
Things to do in Lima in 2026, Peru's capital and Catholic heart
Updated
What to see in Lima runs from a UNESCO-listed historic center, the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral, and the San Francisco convent, to the Museo Larco, the clifftop coast at Miraflores and Barranco, and a food scene many rank as the best on the continent. Lima is Peru's capital and its Catholic heart, and per the country's government it's expected to be the first city of the papal visit.
This guide sorts it out: which sights earn the time, how they cluster between the old town and the coast, and how many days to set aside. Two or three days covers the highlights at an easy pace.
Lima is Peru's capital and its Catholic heart, and per the country's government it's the city where the papal visit is expected to begin.
The 8 best things to do in Lima
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1. Plaza Mayor de Lima
Lima's founding square and the heart of its UNESCO-listed historic center.
Francisco Pizarro founded the city on this spot on 18 January 1535. The Cathedral, the Government Palace, the City Hall, and the Archbishop's Palace all face the square.
What to expect: You're on a colonial square ringed by palaces and the cathedral, with a bronze fountain at its center, an open, walkable stop.
Why it matters: It's the square where Lima was founded in 1535 and the core of the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
Tip: Use it as your old-town base: the Cathedral is on the square and San Francisco is a couple of blocks away.
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2. Basílica y convento de San Francisco
A Baroque church and convent in the old town, famous for its colonial catacombs.
Founded in 1546, the present Baroque church was inaugurated in 1672 after the 1655 earthquake. It keeps a historic library of about 20,000 volumes and the catacombs, a colonial cemetery used until 1810 holding up to roughly 25,000 burials, with the bones laid out in geometric patterns.
What to expect: The guided tour takes you through the cloister and the old library, then down into the catacombs, where the bones are arranged in patterns.
Why it matters: It's the most visited Baroque complex in the UNESCO historic center.
Tip: The catacombs are seen on the guided tour, the old town's signature sight.
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3. Museo Larco
A pre-Columbian art museum set in a viceregal mansion in the Pueblo Libre district.
Founded in 1926 by Rafael Larco Hoyle, it occupies an 18th-century mansion built over a pre-Columbian pyramid. It holds gold and silver galleries, textiles, an open visible-storage room with tens of thousands of catalogued vessels, and a separate gallery of pre-Columbian erotic ceramics.
What to expect: You walk gold, silver, and textile galleries in a garden mansion, and can look into the room where thousands of vessels sit on open, ordered shelves.
Why it matters: It's one of Peru's great pre-Columbian collections, assembled since 1926.
Tip: The visible-storage room, with its rows of catalogued ceramics, is what sets it apart; pair it with Pueblo Libre for a half-day of museums.
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4. Catedral de Lima
The cathedral on the Plaza Mayor, seat of the Archdiocese of Lima.
Begun in 1535, the present building is largely from 1602 to 1797. Francisco Pizarro is buried here (his remains authenticated in 1977), and Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo is interred inside.
Tip: Look for the Pizarro tomb chapel near the entrance; it's right on the square, so see it together with the Plaza Mayor.
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5. Huaca Pucllana
A stepped adobe pyramid in the middle of Miraflores, built by the Lima culture.
Raised by the Lima culture (around AD 200 to 700) and later used by the Wari and the Ichma, it stands about 25 m tall and has had a site museum since 1984.
Tip: It's a pre-Columbian pyramid hemmed in by the modern city, with a well-known night visit when the ruins are lit.
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6. Miraflores
A clifftop coastal district above the Pacific, Lima's main visitor base.
It looks out over the Costa Verde cliffs. Its Malecon is a continuous clifftop park, with Parque Kennedy, the Larcomar center, and paragliders launching from the cliff edge.
Tip: The free, anytime counterpart to the ticketed sights is the clifftop Malecon walk.
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7. Barranco
Lima's bohemian, artistic district just south of Miraflores, known for the Bridge of Sighs.
It gathers historic mansions, penas with live criollo music, galleries, and the MATE-Museo Mario Testino. Its landmark is the Puente de los Suspiros, a wooden footbridge inaugurated in 1876.
Tip: Pair it with Miraflores for one coast-and-bohemia day. Local tradition says you cross the bridge holding your breath to make a wish, but that's folklore; enjoy the walk either way.
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8. Circuito Mágico del Agua
A fountain park in the Parque de la Reserva, with a nighttime light-and-water show.
It groups 13 computer-controlled fountains, opened in 2007, and holds a Guinness World Record as the largest fountain complex in a public park. After dark it runs a water, light, music, and laser show.
Tip: It's an after-dark stop: the show only comes alive once it's dark, so save it for the evening.
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Pope Leo XIV and Lima
If Chiclayo is the city where the Pope served as bishop, Lima is Peru's Catholic heart. Its great saints were born and lived here. Saint Rose of Lima (1586-1617) was the first person born in the Americas to be canonized, patroness of Peru and of all the Americas. Saint Martin de Porres (1579-1639), a Dominican lay brother, was the first Black saint of the Americas. The relics of both rest at the Basilica and convent of Santo Domingo, in the historic center.
A few blocks away, Lima Cathedral is the seat of the archdiocese and holds the remains of Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo. Above all stands the Lord of Miracles, the 'Cristo moreno,' Lima's great devotion. Its image is venerated year-round at the Las Nazarenas sanctuary, but the famous purple-robed procession takes place each October, so a November or December visitor can pray before the image without seeing the big procession.
That's why Lima leads any talk of the papal visit. Per Peru's government, it's expected to be where the trip begins. For now the Vatican has confirmed only the meeting, so the dates and the rest of the route remain unofficial.
What to do in one, two, or three days
One day
One day belongs to the historic center. Start at the Plaza Mayor, step into Lima Cathedral on the same square, then walk a couple of blocks to San Francisco for the catacombs on the guided tour. End the night at the Circuito Magico del Agua, which only comes alive after dark.
Two days
Two days lets you add the coast. Keep the first for the old town (Plaza Mayor, Cathedral, San Francisco) and give the second to the shore: the Huaca Pucllana pyramid in Miraflores, the clifftop Malecon walk, and Barranco with its Bridge of Sighs to the south.
Three days
Three days covers everything at an easy pace. Add the Museo Larco and a wander through Pueblo Libre, and if you want more, Pachacamac, a pre-Columbian sanctuary about 30 km south that fits a half-day. That splits the city into old town, coast, and museums, with one archaeological side trip to close.
What to eat in Lima
Plenty of travelers come to Lima for the food alone, and the city wears its title as South America's culinary capital well. The sea, criollo cooking, and the Chinese-Peruvian chifa tradition all meet here. These five dishes map the flavors in one sitting.
- Ceviche. Raw fish cured in lime with onion and aji, Peru's emblematic coastal dish.
- Lomo saltado. Stir-fried beef with onion and tomato over rice and fries, the classic Peruvian-Chinese chifa fusion.
- Ají de gallina. Shredded chicken in a creamy, mildly spicy aji amarillo sauce.
- Anticuchos. Marinated grilled skewers, traditionally beef heart, a street-food classic.
- Causa limeña. Chilled layered yellow-potato mash seasoned with aji and lime, with a filling inside.
Getting there and around
Lima's gateway is Jorge Chavez International Airport (code LIM) in Callao, about 11 km northwest of the historic center. It's Peru's main entry point and the hub for domestic flights to the rest of the country, with a brand-new passenger terminal opened in 2025. To get your bearings: the historic center sits inland and central, while Miraflores and Barranco line the coast to the south.
Getting around, the Metropolitano bus rapid transit and the Lima Metro (Line 1) cover the main axes. Street taxis have no meters, so agree the fare first or use a ride-app. Traffic is heavy, so leave extra time between the center and the coast.
Best time to visit
Lima barely rains, it's a coastal desert. Expect grey, overcast skies (the garua) roughly May to November and sunny, warm weather roughly December to April. A November or December visit catches the turn from grey to sun.
Where to stay in Lima
The easiest base is the southern coast, Miraflores or Barranco, with San Isidro in between. They're walkable neighborhoods, well connected to the historic center. You'll have the Malecon and the local scene at your doorstep, with the old town a short ride away.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Lima?
Two to three days covers the essentials. That's enough for the historic center, the Miraflores and Barranco coast, and a museum like the Larco, without rushing.
Which districts should you stay in?
Miraflores, Barranco, and San Isidro are the most visitor-friendly: walkable and well connected to the center. At night, the practical move is to use a ride-app.
How do you get from the airport?
Jorge Chavez airport is in Callao, about 11 km from the center. The easiest options are a ride-app or a pre-arranged taxi; if you take a street taxi, agree the fare before getting in.
What's the best day trip from Lima?
Pachacamac, a pre-Columbian sanctuary about 30 km south of Lima. It fits a half-day and is the easiest archaeological trip from the city.
When's the best time to go, weather-wise?
Lima barely rains. Grey skies (the garua) dominate roughly May to November, with sun roughly December to April, so any time works; only the sky changes.