HOW TO MAXIMISE 24 HOURS OR LESS IN PERU’S CAPITAL, LIMA
Last Updated on 21st February 2026 by Bejal
As this is technically the first post from my South American adventure, I wanted to include a map of our plans in Peru. This is a 7 day itinerary including some time to acclimatise to the altitude of Cusco and the surroundings.
If like me, one of the only reasons why Lima is included in your Peru itinerary is because it’s your point of entry in the country (i.e. direct flight from UK!) then think again! Apart from giving you a bit of a rest from the long – haul trip, it is a destination which really needs to be explored and delved into further and after all it is the foodie capital of Peru and one of South America’s foodie hubs! This apart, the city has a lot to offer culturally.
We had just over 24 hours in the city and tried to pack in as much as we could. Read on to see how we maximised our time in Peru’s cultural and foodie city, Lima.
Make sure you start the day with a hearty breakfast at your hotel. We stayed at The Belmond Miraflores Park Hotel and breakfast was served many floors up with a perfect view of the Pacific Ocean and the Malaçon.
THE HISTORICAL CITY
PLAZA MAYOR
This is the main square and is located in the centre of Lima’s colonial past. It was created in 1536 by the city’s founder Francisco Pizarro. It is also known as Plaza das Armas or Plaza Armada. It is a UNESCO world Heritage site. Back in it’s colonial past it was used for bull-fighting and markets however today it’s a popular people watching spot for tourist and locals alike and the square is surrounded by the Presidential Palace and Lima cathedral. The square is also where in 1821, Peru was declared Independent.
Location: between the streets of Jiron Junin, Jiron Huallaga, Jiron Carabaya and
Jiron de la Union in the centre of Lima.
PLAZA SAN MARTIN
Plaza San Martin is Lima’s second most important public space, after Plaza Mayor. It was inaugurated in 1921 to mark one hundred years since Peru’s independence. It was named after General Jose de San Martin, a key leader in South America’s struggle.
The square is laid out with beautiful gardens, marble benches and bronze lamps. The famous Spanish sculptor Mariano Benliure designed the towering centre statue, depicting Jose de San Martin crossing the Andes on horseback.
Location: in Lima City Centre, on the ninth block of Avenida Nicolas de Pierola.
CASA Dr ALIAGA
Built shortly after the foundation of Lima in 1535, the Casa de Aliaga mansion was presented to Captain Jeronimo of Aliaga and Ramirez, a friend of Francisco Pizarro’s. Since then, seventeen generations of descendants of Captain Aliaga have retained ownership of this beautiful pristine colonial building. Such a statistic makes Casa de Aliaga unique among others.
The house has withstood five centuries of Limeñan history. It was reconstructed and remodeled after earthquakes devastated many buildings in the city, but has always remained loyal to the original interior. The inside is a delight to witness, with beautifully designed wood carvings, a neo-baroque Golden hall with Louis XVI furniture and an interior patio surrounded by wooden columns with a fountain in the centre.
Visitors also have the option of dining at Casa de Aliaga. Jeronimo de Aliaga’s passion for cooking started at fifteen years of age. Having studied at the Cordon Bleu in Peru he has worked in restaurants all over Lima and abroad.
Entry Fee There is a 30 soles entry fee per person.
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 09.30 and 17.00. A reservation in advance is required. Please note that a guide in Spanish is available from Sunday to Friday. reservas@casadealiaga.com or by calling (+51) 427-7736.
Location: at Jirón de La Unión 224, just one block from the Plaza Mayor.
LIMA CATHEDRAL
The cathedral was built in the late 16th century on the site of the Puma Intipre-Hispanic Temple as a celebration of the triumph of Christianity. It was re-built in 1746 after being destroyed in an earthquake. The cathedral contains 16 chapels including that of the city’s founder, Francisco Pizarro. The cathedral houses some interesting religious art including paintings and sculptures.
Entrance to the cathedral is free. If visiting the Religious Art Museum, an entrance fee of 10 soles is charged.
The cathedral is open to visitors from 9.00am until 5.00pm Monday to Friday, and from 10.00 until 1.00pm on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays.
Location: Lima Cathedral is in the centre of the city, on the Plaza Mayor.
MUSEUM ANS MONASTERY OF SAN FRANCISCO
I’m going to recommend that this is a must-see in Lima! It consists of two of the Franciscan churches as well as a beautiful courtyard. If you’re a bookworm, there are well over 25,000 books in the convents library. In the choir, visitors can view the two tiered baroque style choir stalls with baroque style wood carvings. There is also plenty of colonial artwork to feast your eyes on here.
The last part of the museum ends at the crypts, which is where thousands of bodies were laid to rest until the opening of the city cemetery in the early 19th century.
Entrance Fees: Visitors pay an entrance fee of 7 soles which includes a guided tour.
Opening Hours: The Museum and Convent of San Francisco is open between 9:30 and 17:45 Monday to Sunday.
Location: Jirón Lampa, Distrito de Lima
MIRAFLORES
This is the more European area of Lima, where you see tourists, as a lot of the hotels and upmarket restaurants have therefore been established here. There are stunning apartments and handbag dogs everywhere! I guess it’s the Beverly Hills of Peru! It has an ideal location, adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and the beach. Just walk along the Malacon, take in those views to the left of you of the ocean and you’ll stumble across all the recommendations below as we did!
Miraflores offers a wealth of outdoor activities to visitors. For those seeking an adrenaline rush (or peaceful panorama, depending on how you look at it!), paragliding off the cliffs provides you with spectacular views all along the coastline and over the city. A little bit closer to the ground, you can surf the waves at Playa Makaha…
Here are some of my favourites in Miraflores, which you can explore in a couple of hours, as you’ll most probably be based in this area.
PARQUE KENNEDY
If you’re not too taken aback by the sheer number of cats around the place, the park offers a pleasant tranquility in the middle of the various shops, restaurants and hostels. The enclosed area is relatively small, but decked out with beautiful lawns, flowers, trees and a centre fountain. Every evening there is a mini market in the centre of the park, with locals selling traditional Peruvian accessories.
Parque Central and Parque Kennedy unite to one big park in the heart of Miraflores. At daytime it’s a beautiful place to have a little break and enjoy yourself. Here you find the Municipality of Miraflores, the main church “Virgen Milagrosa”, a small information point (unfortunately they mostly only speak Spanish), a playground for the little ones and some nice restaurants and street cafes. Vendors sell yummy typical Peruvian sweets like “picarones” (a kind of dougnut prepared with yam or squash flour seasoned with cinnamon, anisette and salt and fried in oil).
PARQUE DEL AMOR
This is one place where you can have the most stunning ocean view, sit back on the beautiful lawns and gardens, whilst listening to the ocean roaring in front of you. The monument in the middle, titles El Beso, is representative of the park’s name, with two lovers embracing one another. This beautiful monument was designed and created by Victor Delfin. The park was aptly opened on Valentine’s Day in 1993.
MALAÇON
Take a walk along the Malaçon or promenade stretching at the top of the cliffs for several kilometres. At regular intervals you will find outdoor exercise bars and machines, while there are numerous tennis courts and front on (squash) walls. Even if strenuous exercise is not your cup of tea, the area is a perfect setting for relaxing in the outdoors.
SHOPPING
If shopping takes your fancy then Miraflores is the place for you. All along Avenida La Paz you can find jewellery stores, as well as several antiques dealers. There are also numerous stores selling Alpaca material. The Larcomar is a beautiful shopping mall along the seafront. It is unique in that it is built into the cliff and is quite easy to miss as you walk along the coast. Additionally this is the place to grab some lunch or dinner if you fancy it. I would recommend Mango, which serves traditional Peruvian cuisine but also European food. Grab a seat outside if it’s not too windy and you’ll get a perfect view of the Pacific whilst you devour you ceviche! By the way, If you like your seafood, the Ceviche is the best in Peru, everyone raves about it quite literally!
DINNER AT PANCHITA
I had heard good things about the Panchita Restaurant in Miraflores and managed to pre-book a table for us. It’s basically a steakhouse but with a difference. I’m actually a veggie but the place actually has plenty of veggie and pescatarian options. I never knew there was so many dishes that can be made from corn until I tried the menu at Panchita! It serves up Peruvian specialties such as cochinillo (roast suckling pig) with tacu tacu (mixed rice and beans) and a sampling of six traditional dishes called the jarana criolla, which is enough food for two people.
The airy dining room has minimal decoration, with a huge salad bar in the middle and the colorful bar in the corner has a wild collection of statues and handblown glass. The service is first-rate, and the desserts are to die for.
Calle 2 de Mayo 298
Miraflores 15074
Peru
Tel: +51 1 2425957
The destinations for our South American adventure were my ideas however we used peruforless to co-ordinate and compile the logistics for us. The Lima City tour was booked through our Travel Advisor, Laura Olds at Peru for Less. All our tours were private with the services of transport and a guide natice to that particular destination in South American. I cannot recommend the customer services and out of hours service of this company enough-they are truly beyond professional.
Well I’m sure the 24 hours are well and truly over by now and you’re probably on a flight to Cusco, just as I was.
If you’re planning a stay in Lima, I hope you find my suggestion useful and if you need to know anymore or simply want to share some Lima inspo, get commenting below!
Read the next blog post in my South America series :
My love affair with the ancient Incan city of Cusco
À Bientôt…
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