First time in Lima — what locals actually recommend
If it's your first weekend in Lima, this is the locals' shortlist — the sights worth the queue, the food you can't skip, and the neighbourhood walks that show you the place.
Top spots in Lima
Barranco
CultureBarranco
Bohemian district — Bridge of Sighs, street art, boutique galleries.
Huaca Pucllana
CultureMiraflores
1,500-year-old adobe pyramid lit at night — restaurant on-site.
Larco Museum
CulturePueblo Libre
Pre-Columbian gold + the famous 'erotic gallery' — café in the garden.
Costa Verde Surf
OutdoorsMiraflores
Year-round surf at Makaha — beginner schools right on the beach.
Malecón Miraflores
OutdoorsMiraflores
10 km of clifftop park over the Pacific — paragliders launch at sunset.
Where to eat
Central
$$$$Contemporary Peruvian · Barranco
Virgilio Martínez's altitude-themed tasting — World's #1 in 2023.
Isolina
$$$Peruvian criollo · Barranco
Family-style platters, no reservations Sundays, lomo saltado the way grandma made it.
Maido
$$$$Nikkei · Miraflores
Mitsuharu Tsumura's Japanese-Peruvian tasting — Latin America's 50 Best #1.
La Mar Cebichería
$$$Ceviche · Miraflores
Gastón Acurio's lunchtime ceviche temple — closes 5pm sharp.
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Malecón Miraflores, Larco Museum, Barranco. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Lima and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.