Lima, Peru Is a City
That Surprises You
Every Single Time.
Lima is the kind of city that doesn’t look like much from a travel feed but gets you the moment you land. Old and new exist right next to each other — ancient culture woven into a city that’s actively building itself into something. And yes, the potatoes are real. There are more than 4,000 native varieties grown in the Peruvian mountains. That alone is worth the flight.
We only had two days here before heading to Cusco. This is everything I’d tell you to do with that time.
5 Things Worth Your Time in Lima
This is an open-air shopping mall built right into the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. The stores are fine. The real reason to come is the view — the cliff edge drops straight down to the ocean and during sunset it’s hard to look anywhere else. Walk around, grab something to eat, and just stand at the edge for a while.
Jade Rivera is one of Lima’s most recognized artists and this museum is the right place to start. The work is unlike anything I’d seen before — detailed, layered, and very specific to this city’s identity. After the museum, look for his murals around Miraflores and Barranco. The street art scene in Lima as a whole is worth paying attention to.
It’s loud, it’s packed, and it is absolutely worth it for the food. Lima’s Chinatown is one of the oldest in South America and the restaurants here have been doing this for generations. I ordered beef lo mein and received what I can only describe as a mountain. By the time I was full it looked like I’d barely touched it. Come hungry.
Lima’s main square is the kind of place you go to slow down. The colonial architecture surrounding it is worth seeing — the Cathedral of Lima and the Government Palace face each other across the plaza. It’s also one of the best spots in the city just to sit and watch. One thing I noticed and had to look up: Lima has a significant stray dog population. You’ll see them everywhere around the city, including here.
Kennedy Park is famous for one thing: cats. There are dozens of them. They roam the paths, sleep under the trees, and seem entirely unbothered by the people around them. The park is also surrounded by food stalls and sits right in the middle of Miraflores, Lima’s most walkable neighborhood.
I looked up the stray dog situation while we were still in Lima because I kept seeing them everywhere and couldn’t figure out if it was normal. Turns out Lima has thousands of community dogs — some estimate over 400,000. They’re not aggressive, they’re not strays in the way that word implies neglect. The city just kind of… coexists with them. That’s the kind of thing travel teaches you that no article prepares you for. You just have to be there.
Two Things You Can Skip
The legend says if you hold your breath crossing it, your wish comes true. My mom made it. I didn’t. The bridge itself is small and the area around it is fairly underwhelming. Worth a quick look if you’re already in Barranco, but don’t make a special trip.
The name sounds better than it is. It’s choreographed fountains with colored lights. If you’re traveling with younger kids it might land differently, but for most people it’s a one-time thing that doesn’t need to be on the priority list.
Add a Day Trip to Cusco
Lima is about a one-hour flight from Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. If your schedule allows even a single extra day, fly to Cusco and use it as a base for a Machu Picchu day trip. The two cities together are a completely different Peru than either one alone.
4 Places Worth Going To in Lima
Lima has a reputation as one of the best food cities in the world. Two days is not enough time to scratch the surface, but these four didn’t miss.
I didn’t expect to love it. It’s hot, it’s loud, and the traffic is genuinely something. But it’s also welcoming in a way that’s hard to explain — people here will stop and help you if you look lost, and the food makes it worth every confusing minute of navigating the city.
If you get two days, use them like this. If you get more — good. There’s more to find.