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A Weekend in Lima

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Lima's vast area stretches for thousands of square kilometres, an urban sprawl that contains numerous districts and neighborhoods, each with their own character and attractions. The city offers a bewildering number of points of interest and its size can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, it is relatively easy to group most of Lima's highlights and see the best of what the city has to offer in just a few days. This guide breaks the city's attractions down into three main areas: the cultural districts ofBarranco and Miraflores, the colonial center and the pre -Colombian ruins that are dotted around the city. Taxis are an easy way of traveling quickly through the city, but be sure to negotiate the price before you get in. As a general rule, it should cost around 5 soles betweenMiraflores and Barranco , and no more than 15 to central Lima. Ask in a restaurant or a shop if you're not sure what the reasonable price might be. Although central Lima has most of the colonial attractions,Miraflores is the more comfortable district and so this guide returns to the area for evening meals and hotels.

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Author: Matthew Barker

Day 1 - Lima

Begin your weekend in the pleasant districts of Miraflores and Barranco, which border each other to the south of central Lima. Miraflores has a lot to offer besides shopping malls and cafes: take a romantic stroll though Parque del Amor and take a look through some of the many art galleries that dot the neighborhood before stopping in at the Museo Amano for a sample of pre-Colombian lifestyles or Trapecio for some impressive modern art. Stop for a traditionally Peruvian lunch at Senorito del Sulco before hopping onto a bus south to the artistic neighborhood of Barranco. Spend the afternoon exploring the pleasant, leafy streets and drop in at one of the many local art galleries. Rest your legs onBarranco plaza and watch the locals shoot the breeze before crossing the Bridge of Sighs - hold your breath and make a wish according to local tradition. Have dinner inPuerta Cerrada, a traditional restaurant housed in a delightful original building of classical Republican design before heading back to Miraflores and enjoying a folk performance at the Asociacion Cultural Brisas del Titicaca.

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Miraflores

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Miraflores
Costa central
Lima 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 6177272

Parque del Amor

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Malecón Cisneros, cuadra 8
Lima 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 315 5000

Sala Luis Miró Quesada

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Avenida Larco, esquina con Diez Canseco
Lima 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

51 1 617 7264

Galería del Banco Continental

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Avenida Larco cuadra 6 esquina Tarata
esquina Tarata
LM 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 444 0011

Forum

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Avenida Larco 1150
LM 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 446 1313

Borkas

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501 Colón
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 445 2114

Corriente Alterna

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Renán Elías 500
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 242 8482

Museo Amano

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Calle Retiro 160
Miraflores
Lima 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 441 2909

Trapecio

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Avenida Larco 743
LM 18 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 444 0842

Señorío de Sulco

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1470 Malecon Cisneros
Lima, Peru

Phone:

51 1 441 0183

Barranco

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Barranco
Costa central de Lima
Lima, Peru

Pedro de Osma Museum

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Avenida Pedro de Osma 423
\ Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 467 0063 / +51 1 467 0141

Puente de los Suspiros

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Puente de los Suspiros
Calle Ayacucho y Bajada a Los Baños
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 315 1300

A Puerta Cerrada

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Avenida Del Ejército 695
Lima, Peru

Phone:

511 2223790

Asociación Cultural Brisas del Titicaca

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Wakulski 168
Lima1 Lima, Peru

Phone:

51 1 715 6960

Antigua Miraflores Hotel

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Avenida Grau 350
Miraflores
LM 18 Lima, PE

Phone:

511 241 6116

Day 2 - Lima

Take a full day to enjoy the city's colonial heritage. The City of Kings was once the most important Spanish settlement in the Americas and this was reflected in the city's splendid grandeur and design, some of which still remains. You can base your day around the central Plazade Armas , around which many important buildings are located: the President's palace, the Cathedral and, a few minutes away, the church of San Fransisco, where the remains of thousands of people are laid out in huge, eerie patterns. Have lunch inWa Lok, one of the most popular Chifas (Chinese restaurants) in the city before continuing your tour around Lima's old town. Plaza Bolivar is an impressive monument to the famed liberator whilePaseo Colon offers some beautiful original architecture. The museum of the Spanish Inquisition is well worth a visit, if not just for the morbid wax works and scenes of torture. On your way back toMiraflores, stop in at Antigua Taberna Queirolo for one of the best Pisco Sours in the city. Finish your day with a delicious meal at Si Senor Mexico in Miraflores and spend the evening exploring the bustling streets.

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Plaza San Martín

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Avenida Nicolás de Piérola,
cuadra 9
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 574 8000

Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas )

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Plaza Mayor
Centro Urbano
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 315 1300

Catedral de Lima (La)

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Plaza Mayor
Lado este de la Plaza Mayor de Lima, Jirón Carabaya
Lima 1 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 427 9647

Palacio de Gobierno

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Plaza Mayor
LM 01 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 444 3027

Iglesia de San Francisco y Museo

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Plaza de San Francisco
Lima 1 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 4271381

Wa Lok

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Jirón Paruro 864
Barrio Chino
Lima, Peru

Phone:

51 1 427 2656

Alameda Chabuca Granda

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Alameda Chabuca Granda
LM 01 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 315 1300

Plaza Bolívar

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Plaza Bolívar
Avenida Abancay, cuadra 2
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 574 8000

Museo del Congreso y Antiguo Tribunal de la Inquisición

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Junín 548
Plaza Bolívar
Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 311 7801

Santa Rosa de Lima

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Tacna, block 1
, cuadra 1
Lima 01 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 574 8000

Paseo Colón

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Esquina Avenida Wilson y Avenida 9 de Diciembre
LM 01 Lima, Peru

Phone:

+51 1 574 8000

Antigua Taberna Queirolo

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Avenida San Martin 1090
Lima, Peru

Phone:

51 1 460 0441

Sí Señor México

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Jiron Bolognesi 706
Lima, Peru

Phone:

51 1 445 3789

Day 3 - Lima

On your final day in Lima, uncover what went on before the Spanish arrived. You can take a bus to the ruins at Pachacamac where a good museum paints a fascinating picture of pre-Colombian civilization. Or else, stay closer to home with a visit to Huaca Huallamarca, a pre-Incan pyramid in the wealthy San Isidiro district. Huaca Pucllana is a nearby restaurant which serves up a delightful menu of traditional Peruvian food in the shadow of the pyramid. After lunch, take your pick from the best of Lima's museums documentingpre-Spanish life in the area including its legacy of art, textiles and archaeological remains. Museo Javier Prado offers a wonderful selection of natural history exhibits along with some of the region's native flora and fauna species. Have one last typical meal in Astrid y Gaston (one of the finest restaurants in town with an astonishing menu to choose from) before saying goodbye to Lima's party crowd in the permanently kickingBartini.

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