3 days in Lima

Day by day

1. Day 1: Plaza Mayor and Monastery of San Francisco

   Plaza Mayor, Monastery of San Francisco and Cathedral of Lima, then Huaca Pucllana in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Plaza Mayor

      Lima's main square, where Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535, is lined by the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace with its carved wooden balconies, the Government Palace and the City Hall.

   2. Late morning

      Monastery of San Francisco

      Visits are by guided tour; join one in English and allow time to wait for the next group at busy times.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ceviche

      Cevicherías across Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro and Surquillo; many close by late afternoon.

   4. Afternoon

      Cathedral of Lima

      Rebuilt several times after earthquakes, the cathedral on the Plaza Mayor holds the tomb of Francisco Pizarro, carved choir stalls and a religious art museum.

   5. Evening

      Huaca Pucllana

      Return in the evening for dinner on the restaurant terrace when the pyramid is lit.

2. Day 2: Larco Museum and Malecón de Miraflores

   Larco Museum, Malecón de Miraflores and Barranco and Puente de los Suspiros, then Magic Water Circuit in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Larco Museum

      Have lunch or dinner at the museum's garden café, among the bougainvillea.

   2. Late morning

      Malecón de Miraflores

      A chain of parks, gardens and paths along the clifftops of Miraflores, about 80 metres above the Pacific.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Leche de tigre

      Cevicherías, often as a starter.

   4. Afternoon

      Barranco and Puente de los Suspiros

      Visit in the late afternoon, then stay for a pisco sour and dinner nearby.

   5. Evening

      Magic Water Circuit

      Go in the evening for the light show, and bring a change of clothes if children want to play in the fountains.

3. Day 3: Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI) and Convent of Santo Domingo

   Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), Convent of Santo Domingo and Barrio Chino, then Barranco in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI)

      In the Palacio de la Exposición, built for an exhibition in 1872, the MALI traces Peruvian art from pre-Columbian textiles and ceramics through colonial painting to the 20th century.

   2. Late morning

      Convent of Santo Domingo

      It is a short walk from the Plaza Mayor; visit before the San Francisco catacombs.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lomo saltado

      Criollo restaurants and menu lunches everywhere.

   4. Afternoon

      Barrio Chino

      Lima's Chinatown, around Calle Capón behind the Mercado Central, is the heart of the city's Chinese-Peruvian community, with chifa restaurants, bakeries and shops.

   5. Evening

      Barranco

      Bars, live music, peñas with Afro-Peruvian music and clubs around the Plaza de Armas de Barranco.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in Museo Pedro de Osma (Barranco): Visit in the afternoon, then walk to the Puente de los Suspiros for sunset.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Miraflores keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Barranco ($$$) suits couples, nightlife, culture and food lovers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–17 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.4 hours in June to 12.8 hours in January.

More or fewer days

• One day in Lima
• 2 days in Lima

Questions travellers ask