Fast Times in Lima Peru

As evidenced by all the activities that the district’s been offering this week for World Tourism Week, Miraflores is the perfect base from which to explore the city of Lima. Many travelers just rush through en route to Cusco or Arequipa, but that means you’ll miss out on all of the mystery, fun, and beauty that the capital of Peru has to offer. From the green coastal cliffs of this desert region to the ancient pyramids against a backdrop of modern buildings, Lima is a city of contrasts and surprises.

To prove it, we’ve put together a sample itinerary for a day well-spent on pre-Inca temples, animals, green parks, paragliding, bike riding, and dancing. It all begins and end in the center of Miraflores, Kennedy Park, which is just a few blocks from Pirwa Inclan B&B and Pirwa Prada Backpackers (that’s cheery Prada to the right).

First up: the ancient coastal power center of Maranga, located inside…the Lima zoo. If you aren’t going to have time to visit all of the regions of Peru, you can still see the animals and plants from the desert coast to the high frigid Andes and the Amazon rainforest here, but the ruins are reason enough for a stop. After thousands of years of sleep and neglect, the temples of Lima are coming back to life, and anyone with a bit of Indiana Jones will enjoy stopping by some of these ancient settlements incongruously set amidst the trappings urban modernity of Lima.

Photos: Handicraft Fair & Playing in Kennedy Park in Miraflores, Lima.

To get there, you can take a bus on Larco, across from Parque Kennedy, getting off at Plaza San Miguel. Walk a few seconds in the same direction as the bus, right on La Marina onto Riva Arguero, and you’ll see an adobe pyramid and a sign directing you to the zoo. Marenga’s streets, homes, and fields have been long since destroyed, but the pyramidal temples and palaces, burial mounds, ancient walls and irrigation canals remain as a testament to the pre-Inca civilization known as the Ichma. (Although the area remained in use up to the arrival of the Spanish, so following civilizations used it as well.) The onsite museum shows the bright painting styles of the Ichma. The park has an enormous culinary zone where one can enjoy some of the most famous dishes of traditional Peruvian cuisine, so you might as well make a stop for lunch amongst picturesque surroundings.

Photos: The ancient huacas of Lima’s zoo.

You can get back to Miraflores the same way you came, ending up near Kennedy Park. What? You’re hungry already…you’re in luck, you’re close to Manolo’s (Av. Larco 608), the BEST churros in Lima! Stop by the store or one of their carts. Our recommendation are the chocolate-filled churros, alongside some espressos, mmmmm….

Photos: Sampling churros in Kennedy Park; Kennedy Park’s Painters’ Row

To continue sightseeing, think about exploring the Costa Verde, Miraflores’s green cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, you’ll run across some immediately identifiable Lima landmarks such as the Parque de Amor and Larcomar. Walking’s fine, but it’s easy and fun to rent a bicycle to do this well. The Pirwa staff can assist you with this if you need help. If you want to go all out, just a little further up from the Parque de Amor is the jump-off point for tandem paragliders!

Photos: Larcomar Mall & Food Court; Paragliding in Miraflores

If you have time to wander neighboring Barranco a bit, it’s easily the most beautiful district in Lima, with its traditional and colorful oceanside homes, almost as many parks as Miraflores, and a solid reputation as the Lima’s bohemian enclave. There are lots of galleries around if you’re interested.

Photos: Row of colorful colonial homes and mural in funky seaside Barranco.

Finally, while heading back, stop by the ancient temple of Huaca Pucllana in central Miraflores not far from the hostels. In pre-Columbian times, it was once home to the desert coast’s preeminent oracle. It’s nice to go by in the evenings because the pyramid is beautifully illuminated. However, if you want to go inside, hours are 9am-5pm Wednesday to Monday, with the last tour starting at 4:30pm.

Photos: Exploring Huaca Puccllana; Skeleton of sacrificed female unearthed at Puccllana.

If you plan on going out again in the nighttime to check out Lima’s nightlife, just walk a couple of blocks back to Kennedy Park. In the evening, it gains an almost festival-like atmosphere, because it’s ringed by restaurants, cafés, and clubs. Club and bar hoppers will often gather here, as well as street performers.

Photos: Live performers in Kennedy Park- street performers and live band.

The best part is that since Kennedy Park is so central, after a night of partying with locals and other travelers alike, you’ll still only be a few blocks from our Miraflores hostels, so you can crawl into one of the comfy beds before sunup and be ready to begin it all again the next day! Remember that the fun-loving Pirwa Lima team is already ready to help you out with sightseeing, transport, and nightlife recommendations, so just ask and we’ll be happy to help!