Where to Stay in Lima, Peru

​Where to stay in Lima is likely one of the first orders of business to sort out while planning your trip to Peru. No doubt that a city of 10 million inhabitants spread across 43 diverse districts can render a city overwhelming to navigate, even for the seasoned traveler. Having served over 10,000 clients that have had the pleasure to discover the city, we are happy to pool their insights together with our local knowledge to give you a few tips that will hopefully make this part of the planning stage less daunting. Out of the 43 districts mentioned above, we can safely narrow it down to two that beat out the other 41 contenders: Miraflores and Barranco. So let's take a look at what they have to offer:

MIRAFLORES · LIMA, PERU

Miraflores has been the center of tourism in the city for decades. Located on a gorgeous stretch of the Pacific coast, this neighborhood has it all. It's a lively district with plenty of dining options (among the top restaurants in the world) and nice walks along the coast. Whether you want something quiet or activities in a more "happening" area, you'll find it here. Another bonus is that most of the hotels are located in areas where you can easily walk from one place to another, and nothing in Miraflores is more than a 10 minute taxi ride away. It has something for everyone: surfing, cultural tours of Lima that include visits to pre-Incan temples, paragliding, food tours, shopping, and even wifi-enabled public parks. Here's our breakdown

ATTRACTIONS IN MIRAFLORES

Outdoor Attractions in Miraflores

• Malecón de Miraflores, or the clifftop boardwalk that runs through the district
• Surfing in Miraflores, jump right in or take surf classes in Miraflores
• Paragliding along Lima's coastline
• Rent a bike and explore Miraflores on two wheels

Emblematic Parks of Miraflores

• Kennedy Park, the central park of Miraflores
• Parque del Amor, with its mosaics and sculptures by Victor Delfin and Marcelo Wong
• Parque Maria Reiche, landscaped gardens of the Nazca Lines along the coast
• Reducto No. 2 Park, where you'll find artillery and a historic train caboose

Cultural Attractions in Miraflores

• Tour pre-Incan ruins at the Huaca Pucllana
• Visit the Amano Museum

Shopping in Miraflores

• Larcomar, a seaside mile embedded in the cliff
• Inca Market, an outdoor market with several stalls selling artisanal handcrafts
• La Paz Avenue, a street peppered with antique and silver items

RESTAURANTS IN MIRAFLORES

Miraflores has established itself as the mover and shaker of the foodie scene in Lima, until Barranco started gaining steam (which we'll cover below). Get your reservations squared away with plenty of time in advance as space is limited. However, if you prefer winging it, there is no shortage of options. Some of our favorites include:

Maido: Nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese fusion)  one of the world's best restaurants many times over 
Huaca Pucllana Restaurant: get the terrace seating for spectacular views of the pre-Incan site
Xoma: creative and artistic renditions of Peru's finest ingredients
El Mercado: Amazingly fresh seafood with a consistently fun and vibrant ambience
Limaná: For fans of sustainability as well as vegans and vegetarians

MIRAFLORES AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Traffic in Lima can be chaotic and unpredictable. If you are trying to catch a flight, you don't want to leave it to luck. Usually rides from anywhere in Miraflores to the airport will take you from 45 minutes to one hour. If you are making the trek early on a Sunday morning you can shave 15 minutes off of that estimate, but on a Friday night, if you hit the really bad traffic, it can take you up to 90 minutes.

BARRANCO · LIMA, PERU

If you are looking for an authentic and eclectic step back in time, Barranco is the place to be. Many buildings and areas are officially protected as part of the cultural heritage, therefore the Republican and colonial facades give the district personality that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. This district is considered to be the bohemian, romantic and artsy center of life in Lima and there is no shortage of fascinating art galleries, shops with unique, hand-crafted goods and an emergence of hip bars and restaurants to give Miraflores a run for its money. ​

ATTRACTIONS IN BARRANCO

Cultural Attractions in Barranco
Bridge of Sighs
Barranco's main plaza
Bajada de los baños
Mirador (lookout) at Barranco

Museums in Barranco
Pedro de Osma Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC)

Art Galleries in Barranco
Jade Rivera Gallery
Dédalo Gallery
80m2 Livia Benavides Galler

RESTAURANTS IN BARRANCO

Barranco is a very walkable district and due to the stunning architectural heritage and graffiti art masterpieces, it would be a shame if you missed it by opting to move round by car. The district abounds in tiny restaurants that offer varied cuisine, Barranco having leveled up (some would say surpassed) Miraflores in terms of its foodie scene. Here are a few of our favorites:

Central: another pick among the world’s best restaurants, sustainable and artistic
Kjolle: and again, another global favorite, with the chef Pia Leon at the helm
Isolina: yet again, another worldwide winner dishing up Peruvian comfort food
Siete: boutique, under-the-radar kind of vibe with the freshest dishes around
Mérito: pushes the envelope in terms of creativity while offering impressive flavor

BARRANCO AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Barranco is the next district over from Miraflores, in the opposite direction of the airport. In terms of actual, physical distance, the difference isn't much, but with traffic you can add 10 minutes to the Miraflores estimates, so on average, 55 minutes to an hour and 10 minutes.

HOTELS IN LIMA

In Lima you'll find everything from large international chains, like the JW Marriott, to quaint B&Bs like Second Home Peru. While luxury chains can run you a couple hundred dollars a night, you can find some amazing charmers that feel just as luxurious for around $100 per night. Our faves in terms of boutique hotels include Casa Republica, Villa Barranco, and Hotel B, and as for the chains, you can't go wrong with Marriott (both JW and AC), the Hilton, Aloft or Casa Andina.

Now, if you just want to sit back and relax and leave it to the pros, you can check out our Lima food and city tours which cover both districts plus San Isidro, the main sights, some hands-on activities and was designed for people who have limited time in Lima but who want to see the city and taste the best dishes in one day.

THINGS TO DO IN LIMA

Here's a map of some of our favorite places around Lima. ¡Buen viaje!