Routes in Lima

Six days in Lima, to suit your interests

Illustration: on foot in a historic centre with wooden balconies

Each day fits into one or two neighbouring areas, around one idea: understanding the ancient cultures, reading the colonial city, tasting neighbourhood food. These are suggestions to follow on your own, not tours for sale.

Text revised on 7 October 2026

1. Lima for a first arrival

The day after a long flight, a day on foot in Miraflores, with no transport and no booking. What you learn: how the city grew up along the cliffs, and that a 1,500-year-old earthen pyramid stands in the middle of the apartment blocks.

Morning Huaca Pucllana

The pyramid of the Lima culture, a guided tour of about an hour, before the heat.
Huaca Pucllana
Midday Around Parque Kennedy

A menú in a neighbourhood restaurant, or a ceviche.
Where to eat in Lima
Afternoon Malecón

Larcomar, the clifftop promenade, the Parque del Amor.
The Miraflores route
Evening Near your accommodation

An early dinner, without crossing the city.

Budget: Entry to Huaca Pucllana (S/ 15), a lunch, a dinner; no transport.
If things go wrong: Huaca Pucllana closed (Tuesday) or tiredness: just keep the walk along the malecón in the late afternoon.

2. Ancient Peru and a taberna

A day in Pueblo Libre to understand the pre-Columbian cultures and independence. What you learn: telling the Moche, Chimú, Paracas and Incas apart before you meet them again at the sites.

Morning Museo Larco

The pre-Columbian collection, the storerooms open to visitors; an hour and a half to two hours.
Museo Larco
Late morning Plaza Bolívar

On foot (1.5 km, about twenty minutes): the Magdalena church, then the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History, free of charge.
Pueblo Libre
Lunch Antigua Taberna Queirolo

On the square, a taberna opened around 1880: criollo cooking and pisco.
The taberna
Afternoon Return

A taxi to your neighbourhood before the evening traffic jams, or a short taxi ride to the MALI if you want a second museum.

Budget: Museo Larco (S/ 50 at the ticket office), the national museum free of charge, two taxi journeys, a lunch.
If things go wrong: The national museum closes on Mondays: keep the Larco, open every day.

3. Barranco, art and food

An afternoon and an evening in Barranco. What you learn: how a 19th-century resort became the artists’ district, and the difference between viceregal art and contemporary art.

Early afternoon Museo Pedro de Osma or MAC

One of the two museums, depending on your taste: religious painting and silverware, or Peruvian art since 1950.
Compare the museums
Afternoon Municipal park, Bridge of Sighs, Bajada de Baños

The walk down to the sea and the viewpoint.
The Barranco route
Sunset Mirador Catalina Recavarren

The Pacific, the Morro Solar and San Lorenzo Island.
Evening Around the park and Avenida Grau

Dinner in a taberna or a cevichería, perhaps a peña; return by booked taxi.

Budget: One museum (S/ 35 at the Pedro de Osma, S/ 20 at the MAC), a dinner, a taxi back.
If things go wrong: Both museums close on Mondays: on that day, keep the walk and the dinner.

4. History of the centre and food in the Barrio Chino

A day in the historic centre, in daylight. What you learn: the capital of the viceroyalty, the architecture born of the earthquakes, and the migrations that gave rise to chifa.

Morning Plaza San Martín, Jirón de la Unión, Plaza Mayor

The walk to the cathedral and the Government Palace; changing of the guard around midday.
Routes through the centre
Late morning San Francisco monastery

Cloisters, library and catacombs, guided tour.
Lunch Barrio Chino

A chifa on Calle Capón, then the nearby central market.
The central market
Afternoon Rímac or MALI

The stone bridge and the Alameda de los Descalzos, or the MALI in the Parque de la Exposición.

Budget: Cathedral (S/ 30 for a foreign adult (S/ 20 for a Peruvian or resident, free under 6)), San Francisco monastery (ticket), Metropolitano return trip, a lunch.
If things go wrong: A demonstration or the square closed: the centre often reorganises itself; keep San Francisco, the Barrio Chino and the MALI, further south.

5. A textile morning in Gamarra

A morning in the big clothing district, with something to buy in mind or out of curiosity. What you learn: how an economy of small businesses works on the scale of a whole neighbourhood.

Morning Line 1, Gamarra station

Arrival by metro, Avenida Aviación.
Gamarra
Mid-morning Jirón Gamarra

Two or three shopping galleries, a street of fabric shops; ask for retail prices and the composition.
Midday Back towards the centre

Line 1 to Miguel Grau, then lunch in the Barrio Chino or in the centre.

Budget: Line 1 card (S/ 5) and journeys (S/ 1.50 each), your purchases.
If things go wrong: Crowds too dense or tiredness: stay on the main avenue, one gallery is enough.

6. Food-lover’s Lima in a small group

A day that starts at the market and ends on the plate. What you learn: recognising the basic ingredients of Peruvian cuisine and the logic of meals in Lima.

Morning Magdalena market, central market or Surquillo

Recognise the ten ingredients in the table on the Markets page, a fresh juice at a juguería. In Surquillo, two separate places: market No. 1, partly reopened, or covered market No. 2.
Lima’s markets
Midday A market counter or a cevichería

A ceviche at midday, as people in Lima do.
Afternoon Surquillo or Lince

A regional cuisine (from Piura in Lince, for example) or a picantería, to compare with Lima’s cooking.
Regional cuisines
Evening A chifa or a pollo a la brasa

Two popular Lima institutions, to finish.

Who is it for?: Travellers who like tasting, chatting and cooking. Mention any allergies and how much chilli you would like.
What you take away: The list of products you discovered and a recipe to make them again at home.
If things go wrong: Market closed (check Magdalena): the central market is the safest bet for a first time.

Times of day are only a guide, suggested to help you organise the day: they are neither guaranteed timetables nor visits already on sale. Check opening hours, access and travel times for your dates.

In short

For a first three-day stay, string together day 1 (arrival), day 2 (Pueblo Libre and the Museo Larco) and day 4 (the historic centre and the Barrio Chino). Add Barranco (day 3) one evening, Gamarra (5) if textiles interest you, and the food-lover’s day (6) when you are hungry for markets.

Each day fits into one area: in Lima, crossing the city takes more time than the distance would suggest. Opening hours change; those mentioned are dated on the linked listings. Choose one day per theme rather than putting everything into the same programme.

Sources and dates

4 sources

Prices, opening hours and rules change: every piece of information cited links to its source, with the date it was consulted.

Figures and rules cited

S/ 15 per admission: Huaca Pucllana: daytime visit (Museo de sitio Huaca Pucllana (Miraflores), Lima) (Published general rate)
Price recorded: Visita Miraflores (municipality), Museo de sitio Pucllana (new tab) · consulted on 2 October 2026
S/ 50 per admission: Museo Larco: general admission at the ticket office (Museo Larco (Pueblo Libre), Lima) (General admission (at the ticket office: S/ 35 for over-60s, S/ 25 for students and ages 9–17, S/ 1 for ages 3 to 8, proof required)) . The museum’s prices change from time to time.
Price recorded: Museo Larco, “Planea tu visita” (prices at the ticket office and online) (new tab) · consulted on 7 October 2026
S/ 35 per admission: Museo Pedro de Osma: admission, foreign visitor (Museo Pedro de Osma (Barranco), Lima) (Foreign adult (student S/ 20, retiree S/ 30, with proof; free up to age 10)) . Price published by the museum on its visit-planning page; the museum also publishes a list of exceptional closing days.
Price recorded: Museo Pedro de Osma, “Planea tu visita” (new tab) · consulted on 7 October 2026
S/ 20 per admission: MAC Lima: general admission, non-resident visitor (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MAC Lima, Barranco), Lima) (Non-resident (S/ 12 for students, children aged 5 to 12 and seniors; S/ 12 at the general resident rate))
Price recorded: MAC Lima, buying tickets (new tab) · consulted on 2 October 2026
S/ 30 for a foreign adult (S/ 20 for a Peruvian or resident, free under 6): Visit to Lima Cathedral and its museum, foreign adult (Lima Cathedral, Plaza Mayor (entrance on jirón Carabaya))
Site management: Lima Cathedral, visitor information (new tab) · consulted on 2 October 2026
S/ 5 per card: Line 1: buying the card (Lima Metro Line 1, Lima) (All passengers) . On first use, the card plus the first journey come to S/ 6.50.
Price recorded: Line 1, fares (new tab) · consulted on 26 September 2026
S/ 1.50 per journey: Metro Line 1: adult journey (Lima Metro Line 1, Lima) (Adult, general fare)
Price recorded: Line 1, fares (new tab) · consulted on 26 September 2026

Sources consulted

UNESCO, Historic Centre of Lima (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
Museo Larco, opening hours and admission (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
Municipality of Barranco, tourist attractions (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)
Lima Cathedral, visitor information (new tab) (consulted on 2 October 2026)

How we choose and date our information: our method. Has something changed? Let us know.