The perfect stay in lima: tips from a local

​Where do you even begin to plan for your trip to Lima, let alone Peru? Nowdays there is a wealth of information available like never before and even the most savvy of travelers can get bogged down by the plurality of voices sharing their experiences. The ideal scenario would be to have a local friend  to call on for insider insights, someone whose taste and characterization of a place you could blindly trust. What is perhaps the next best thing? The perspective of an expat who understands the culture, history and nuances of a place, while also bridging the divide through their own native cultural lens. In that sense you would get the best of both worlds, essentially a shortcut to the “meat and potatoes” of a destination through a curated itinerary that would allow you to get the most out of your trip. Today is your lucky day, because that is just what I’m offering you – a way to hack your travel planning to Lima. I’m a Kansas City native who has spent the last 15 years as an expat, the last eight of which have been spent in Peru alongside my Lima-born husband, Lucas, helping visitors discover the best of what the country has to offer.  So, here are my two cents on how to hack Lima and have an unforgettable stay in the City of Kings.
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where to stay in lima

While Lima has 43 districts, or neighborhoods, you can safely narrow your visit down to three or four where you’ll be wandering: Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro and Lima’s historic center. There are a few outliers you may hit along the way but for the most part you’ll be in and out just to see a main attraction or two. The best areas to book your hotel would be, hands-down, Miraflores or Barranco. 
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Miraflores offers a modern view of the city with lots of shops, most of the upscale restaurants and you’ll even find many international chains (sometimes a comfort, but I know you did not come all the way to Peru just to hit up Starbucks). Miraflores is a safe neighborhood where you can walk around and get a feel for how the city has developed over the last 40 years; there are beautifully landscaped parks, the coastal promenade, or malecón in local lingo, bike lanes, paragliding and more.  While you can find internationally recognized hotel chains like the Marriott and Hilton, I’m a believer in getting carried away by the charm of a boutique hotel. A couple of lovely options that are well-located and are a big hit are: Hotel de Autor and La Quinta Miraflores Boutique

​Barranco is the bohemian, romantic and even slightly hipster side of the city. Here you’ll find gorgeous traditional mansions that have been restored and invite you travel back in time. The colors of the neighborhood pop as you walk through the narrow, tree-lined streets and appreciate the eclectic architecture, eye-catching street art and boutique art galleries that are peppered throughout the area. The laid-back vibe and mix of traditional styles infused with a modern twist make this district truly unique and unforgettable. Looks like people have begun to take notice as some amazing boutique hotels have opened recently allowing guests to be fully immersed in Barranco’s hallmark style. Try Casa Republica or Villa Barranco for an extra special stay in Lima.

what to eat in lima

​​If you haven’t tried Peruvian cuisine before now, then there is no better place than Lima. And even if you have, be prepared to be blown away by the freshness of the ingredients, variety of flavors and seemingly boundless fusions. This is undoubtedly the longest section of tips; after all, we do run Lima food tours so we believe this is one of the best ways to get to know Peru. With limited time in the city, you’ll still be able to understand why Lima has been declared the Leading Culinary Destination in the World for the last six years by the World Travel Awards. By now, most people have heard of cebiche and the pisco sour, Peru’s flagship dish and drink, even if you haven’t tried it, however the country’s rich foodie history has so much more to offer.  Let’s take a look:

​top restaurants in lima

​Every year The World’s 50 Best Restaurants publishes a ranking of … well, the world’s 50 best restaurants. Lima is home to three of those highly-acclaimed eateries, a feat only Mexico City, London and New York can also claim. When you stack the contenders against each other, Lima’s restaurants are actually ranked highest, one justifying factor in deeming Lima a culinary mecca. So what are they? Central, Maido and Astrid y Gastón. As you can imagine, these hot spots fill up months in advance so make sure you plan ahead if you want a seat at the table (pun totally intended). If you’ve left your planning to the last minute, no worries, there are options. Just like any restaurant, the top three also get cancellations so depending on how badly you want to get in, it’s always worth a try to head directly to the restaurant to see if you can nab a table as a walk-in if they’ve any received cancellations or no-shows. We’ve found that in many cases, lady luck is on your side and guests end up getting in without prior reservations, just depends.

​other fine dining alternatives in lima

If you didn’t get the reservation at one of the coveted top three, never fear, Lima has other amazing options that are just as good. For molecular gastronomy that turns the dining experience into a full-blown exhibit on artistic expression, IK is the place to be. Guests also tend to book in advance, so if you’re set on IK, try not to procrastinate when making your reservation. 

For a fresh-faced but upscale farm-to-table option, Malabar is an incredible alternative. Peruvian celebrity chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino focuses on the value of local products and experiments with ways to give these ingredients new form and function for the palate. Out of the world’s 113 microclimates, Peru is fortunate enough to enjoy 84 of them and Pedro Miguel’s culinary dexterity is put on spectacular display as he artfully extracts the best qualities from Peru’s abundance.

​Just in case you need one more option to get you through the trip, Rafael is an exceptional choice. Maintaining a fairly low profile on the international scene, this corner has been a chic but classic favorite among locals for years. While the bar is a phenomenal spot to people watch, the restaurant itself provides a cozy atmosphere with refined dishes that pull on inspiration from the world while using primarily Peruvian ingredients to marry local flavors with sophisticated cooking techniques.

what's all the fuss about peruvian fusions

​Like many countries worldwide, over the past few hundred years Peru has welcomed waves of migrants from all over.  Along with the new residents obviously came their cultures, traditions, styles and of course, cuisine. In many countries these influences were welcomed but remained ever separate from the local trends or had only a light influence over all. Peruvians, however, embraced cooking techniques, recipes and ingredients from abroad, “digested” their essence and then over the years have fused these foreign imports with traditional dishes to create completely new and unique delicacies. The principle fusions today are Japanese-Peruvian: Nikkei, Chinese-Peruvian: Chifa, African-Peruvian: Creole, and of course the European influence from mainly Spain, Italy and France.
 
Here are some of our favorite spots to try these famous fusions. Nikkei: Osaka, Hanzo,  Dondoh or Ache are fantastic options. Chifa: Wa-Lok, Kuo-Wha or Chifa Titi will leave you wanting more. Creole: Isolina, la Huaca Pucllana or José Antonio all do the genre justice.
We’re just getting started on the food, but we’ll leave the rest for another post. In the meantime you can check out our some more of our favorite restaurants in Lima or a reduced selection of restaurants in Lima and what to order.

things to do in lima - get you cultural fix

​One of the best ways to get a grasp on Peru’s incredible rich and ancient culture is through a visit to the Larco Museum. It’s one of the top museums in the country, in our opinion THE top, and houses over 40,000 artefacts that give you a glimpse into traditions, history, economy and more over approximately 4,000 years. The museum is beautifully designed and a major plus (besides the enlightening erotic huaco exhibit) is the stunning outdoor café which serves an excellent variety of Peruvian dishes that are expertly executed.
 
The historic center of Lima is also a spot you’ll want to check out if you’re looking to get a feel for what life was like while Peru was under the Spanish empire. The urban planning of this area was designed by conquistador Francisco Pizarro and the buildings reflect a variety of architectural styles that will keep your eyes toward the sky. In the center you’ll find no shortage of places to visit, just to name a few: Lima’s Cathedral, San Francisco Monastery, Santo Domingo Monastery, the Inquisition Museum, Plaza de Armas, Plaza San Martín, the Gastronomy Museum and the birthplace of the pisco sour, Hotel Maury.
 
If you want to do it all in one day so that you get to see a bit of everything at a leisurely pace, a city tour is a great way to cover the highlights. We’ve done the research for you (as well as tested the service), you can check out the itinerary here: Lima City Tour.

shopping in lima

​When you’re out shopping on vacation, especially in a foreign country, it’s understandable that you would want to hone in on the products that are crafted with care, that are unique to the destination and that are going to bring back amazing memories when you get home. If it’s not for you, but a gift you’re planning to bring back, then it’s even more imperative that it be something more than a token keepsake and a present that is representative of where you’ve just been. There are all kinds of options when in Peru, so we’ll try to point you in the right direction depending on what you’re out to get.  The best of the best for souvenirs from Peru are: baby alpaca, silver, organic Peruvian coffee, chocolate, pisco and unique chili pepper mixes. For a curated offer of high-end products by highly lauded Peruvian craftsmen and women Dédalo is an excellent option. If you want to peruse among endless options and perhaps try out your negotiation skills, the Inca Market is where you’ll want to be. If you are specifically looking for baby alpaca, Kuna and Sol Alpaca would work, for silver try Ilaria and for all food goods you can explore a local super market like Tottus or Vivanda. 

want to do it all, but where to begin?

​We’ve thought of that, too! For the last seven years we’ve been positioned as the number one tour in Lima because our routes explore different neighborhoods of Lima, the cultural, historic and socio-economic context of the country you’re visiting and of course – delicious, carefully selected tasting menus so you can have your cake and eat it, too. Check out our city and food tours of Lima for the perfect intro to Peru.

​enjoy lima!