Lima is a typical South American metropole. Big, messy and noisy. The capital of Peru is full of life at day and night. The city isn’t really an eye-catcher, but it is a great spot for meeting other backpackers, trying the best cuisine in South America and planning your Peru route.
Our Must see’s:
- Barranco (a district full of art, music and culture)
- Historical city center
- China town (Peruvian and Chinese culture go way back)
Our Must do’s:
- Eat out (Lima has some of the best restaurants in Latin America, we recommend Canta Rana highly, the Ceviche there is simply the best we ever tried)
- Drink piscos
- Visit the markets (especially the central one)
As you can see our must do’s have to do with food mainly. The reason for that is that Lima has simply a very, very good cuisine. Eating out can be pricey if you choose fancier restaurants. The fancier the place, the closer you come to European prices. If you want to treat yourself for a change then Lima is the place, but you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune in order to eat exceptional. The markets are truly amazing and you can get superb lunch, like “Arroz Chaufa” or “Ceviche” for 2-3€.
Where to stay:
We recommend Barranco, because of it’s art scene and nice architecture. The majority of hostels are in Miraflores, that’s where most tourists stay. Miraflores is very modern, close to nightlife and therefore pretty busy. Both districts are safe. When it comes to prices for accommodation, Lima is probably the most expensive place in Peru. It is very hard to find any private room for under 20€ or dorm bed for less than 10€.
Worth mentioning:
Lima lies directly at the Pacific Ocean, therefore it has a large coast- and beachline. Due to the strong pacific waves, Lima is a super surfing spot. It is also known for it’s great marine biodiversity, because of the Humboldt current that creates a temperature perfect for marine life. But due to global warming, this is changing. We experienced the beach rather dirty (a lot of trash) and the water is supposed to be full of plastic particles. After talking to a couple of locals, who confirmed that the coast is in a crucial state, we avoided swimming and surfing in Lima.
Sustainable living and the preservation of the biodiversity needs to become more and more a central topic, not only in places like Lima, but worldwide. Lima is supposed to have roughly 20% of the population living in poverty, so we cannot blame them if sustainability isn’t their first concern. In our opinion especially the further developed countries need to set stronger examples, implementing sustainable standards, so that later on the lesser developed countries can follow.