Lima is an incredibly vibrant, cultured and dynamic city with unlimited opportunities for exploration and discovery. Packed with a variety of Spanish colonial architecture, art, and excellent cuisine, Lima is a must during your travels in South America. The best way to see all of the things that this amazing place has to offer is to take a Free Lima Walking Tour to the city’s historic center.
There is plenty to discover in the streets of Lima, and sadly if you don’t know what you’re looking for then you are simply faced with almost meaningless buildings. Take the tour to learn a little about the history of the historical center of Lima.
The Lima Walking Tour for the Historical Center begins at 9:50 AM at the Tourist Information Center (Avenida Jose Larco 799, Miraflores) and the tour of Miraflores departs at 3 PM, (Avenida Jose Larco 799, Miraflores) every day except Sunday. From the Tourist Information Center, you will walk through Miraflores where your guide will point out all of the best bars, restaurants, and shops in this popular district. From here, you’ll depart for Downtown Lima where you’ll enjoy the following stops:
This square was built early in the 20th century and was named after the giant monument of the liberator Jose de San Martin that was erected in its center. In this spot, your guide will inform you of the history of the square and the gatherings that take place here.
After spending some time in San Martin Square, the tour will then move on to the Main Square. Once the Main Square has been reached, the group will all be given free time to roam around, take pictures and soak in the history of the square. The group will then meet again in front of the Government Palace to observe the impressive changing of the guard.
This is where you will go to learn everything there is to know about one of Peru’s most delicious national products: the cacao bean and all of the goods that are made from it. Not only are you shown how these chocolate products are made but you also get the opportunity to taste them! Roasted cacao beans and chocolate liqueur are among the delicious products that can be sampled at this stop.
Located in what was previously a train station, The House of Peruvian Literature is part museum, part library. During this part of the guide, you’ll gain knowledge about Peru’s most famous writers and about the history of Peru’s literature in general.
At this point, you will have the opportunity to visit the convent where San Martin de Porres, the first African-American saint spent most of his life. After taking time to roam around this architectural beauty, you will then move onwards to the nearby “Indian Market” to browse through the massive range of artisan handcrafts. If you want to pick up a souvenir or presents, this is the perfect place!
Last but not least, the final stop of the tour is the popular Chabuca Granda Boulevard. During the tour, your guide will fill you in as to who Chabuca Granda was and why this street is so well-known with Peruvians.
The Lima Walking Tour will then return to Miraflores at approximately 1 pm, unless you decide to do some further exploration of Downtown Lima, which is also advised! If you think these sites listed above sound interesting, then don’t waste any time and book a tour for yourself!
The Lima Walking Tour of Miraflores begins at 3 PM from the tourist information center (Avenida Jose Larco 799, Miraflores) every day except Sunday. From the Tourist Information Center, you will walk through Miraflores where your guide will point out all of the best bars, restaurants, and shops in this popular district and explore the local history of the area.
One of the most historically significant parts of Miraflores’ history is the role it played in the War of the Pacific. It was during the battle of Chorillos and Miraflores that Chilean soldiers took the city of Lima. You will learn more about the battle and the historical importance of the war and the other areas of importance in the area throughout the tour.
Kennedy Park is one of the principal touristic places in Miraflores. It received its name on the 50th anniversary of the death famous president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. People come here to relax and to walk around the area that boasts a variety of restaurants, bars, and cafes. In the park, you have the chance to taste some Peruvian food like Butifarra, Chicha Morada, Arroz con Leche, Picarones and more. A curious fact is that the park is also known as “The cat Park” since it is the home of approximately 100 cats, which you can see sleeping around the park.
Also known as the Miraflores parent church, this structure was built in 1919 by the Polish architect Ricardo de Java Malachowski after his arrival in the early 20th century. Inside the church, we can find stained glass decorations based on different episodes of the life of Jesus Christ and the image of the Virgin Mary.
Market 1 of Surquillo is one of the most emblematic local markets in Lima. The architectural design makes it different to any of the other markets in the city, and you can find around 300 stands with locals selling a great variety of fruits, vegetables, beans, meats, juices, spices, herbs, cereals and much more. Also around the area, you can find some really good small restaurants with a real local taste known as “Huariques”. This market is great for tourists and people that are interested in Peruvian gastronomy.
The market is made up of a series of small shops that cover three blocks. Each arcade has a series of small shops that sell ‘traditional’ Peruvian handicrafts and souvenirs, including alpaca scarves, sweaters, and hats, colorful woven textiles, embroidered cushions, ceramics, jewelry, and musical instruments.
With low prices, it is a great place to visit if you want to buy some souvenirs of your trip. You can bargain and haggle the prices so spend a little time shopping around for the best deal and then ask for a discount.
These are pre-Inca ruins and are located in the heart of Miraflores. They were built by the first’s cultures that habituated Lima in the IV century A.C. It’s believed that the main function of this site was a ceremonial administration point. These ruins were built with adobe brick (mud bricks) and a lot of remains have been found by archaeologists on the site, such as textiles, colored ceramics and some remains of food like fruits, beans, meats and seafood which were part of this ancient community diet. Today this site is a historic cultural park that allows visitors to transport back to the past while they visit the ruins, lose themselves in the museum and have a nice meal in the restaurant with the ruins as the main view. Where else can you eat like this?
Hear about the Peruvian cocoa, and see the process of making chocolate, from the beginning as a cacao tree and the production of the delicious treat. Tourists can take the opportunity to taste chocolates, chocolate jams, Peruvian pisco, and cocoa tea.
The whole group enjoys the cacao tour for about 10 minutes, as the process of making different types of chocolates and derived products is explained, you can try all of the different options, and buy the products at the Choco Museo shop, which has body lotions, lipsticks, candles, cocoa beans, and notebooks.
This beautiful park is located in the Malecon Cisneros. It was inaugurated on February 14th, 1993. In the central part, you can see a beautiful sculpture dedicated to love, “The Kiss” which was created by the Peruvian artist, Victor Delfin. The park is bordered by a colorful mosaic wall, where you can read romantic phrases from the best known Peruvian poets, phrases such as:
“You are above the infinite sea” written by Augusto Tamayo Vargas.
This shopping center was inaugurated in 1998 by Fernando Andrade, the ex-mayor of Miraflores. Actually, it has 115 stores,17 restaurants of both traditional Peruvian food and international, and if you’re looking for fun it has bowling, bars, clubs, and plenty others. It’s the most famous commercial center in Miraflores.
Chances are pretty high that if you’re staying in Lima, you will be staying in Miraflores. The Lima Walking Tour of Miraflores is a great way for you to get to know the area that you are staying in, and the tour of the Historical Center of Lima is a must for those interested in the history of the city.
If you want to keep planning your trip to Peru, then check out the best gifts and souvenirs for you or your family!
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