Day tour options from Lima
More than 400 years ago, the Spanish conqueror ("conquistador") Francisco Pizarro named Lima the City of the Kings ("Ciudad de los Reyes"). Nowadays, that same city, which rose from the lands of the native chief Taulischusco, is a metropolis of over 8 million people who proudly preserve the colonial convents and mansions which are symbols of their traditions. Lima, the capital of Peru, was founded on January 18, 1535. It is now a modern city which, while constantly expanding, has also managed to maintain the elegance of its Historic Center. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Center, due to the large number of artistic monuments found there, Historic Lima is an enchanting haven of a period long gone.
Lima is one of the most interesting and challenging cities in South America with a huge archaeological, historical and cultural past. Long before the Common Era until the arrival of the Spaniards numerous highly advanced cultures settled the area of today's Lima. Even nowadays they amaze us with their complex skills in construction, agriculture and arts. The Spanish colonists added to this legendary cultural legacy. This completely different culture with European and Moorish influences are mixed with the indigenous cultural and religious inheritance. In the last couple of hundred years immigrants from Africa and Asia added their part. The fusion of so many different cultures and traditions makes Lima to what it is today. A reflection of this complexity can be found in an incredible number of museums spread around the city. They display the richness and diverse facets of Lima's and Peru's culture. There is something for everyone: archaeological, cultural and historical museums, art and popular art museums, museums dedicated to famous Peruvian personalities, technology and military museums, natural history and earth science museums and many others.
PACHACAMAC & LURIN VALLEY
Travel south out of the city along the coast to the Lurin Valley. First stop is at Hacienda Mamacona (or similar) to see their facilities for viewing Peruvian Paso horses. Then you travel into an agricultural area for a tour of a working “lucuma farm”, which grows the lucuma fruit, native from Peru and great for ice creams and desserts. Afterwards is lunch at La Gloria Del Campo. The large open air, bamboo construction dining room is decorated with highflying whimsical birds and sits surrounded by the restaurant’s huerta, or large organic garden. The dining room and bar are built on a raised platform, affording diners with a view of the expansive gardens and outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen includes several massive brick ovens, charcoal grill and smoker. Most of the cooking is done in the brick ovens. The area is alive with cooks baking bread, pizzas, braised dishes and roasted meats to in these wonderful brick ovens.
Afterwards is dinner at La Casa Don Cucho, which is in the refurbished Hacienda Casa Blanca built in the 1800’s. It is owned by Cucho La Rosa, known as Don Cucho, an extremely popular Lima-based chef who has a long running radio show called Divinas Comidas on Radio Programas del Perú. The restaurant is famous for its traditional dishes and styles of cooking. Return to Lima in the evening after rush hour traffic dies down.
DOWNTOWN LIMA
After breakfast at the hotel, your private guide (English and Spanish speaking unless otherwise requested) will meet you at the hotel for a tour of the city Francisco Pizarro named the City of Kings on in 1535. Taking advantage of the lesser traffic on a Sunday, we will explore downtown or Central Lima. After a quick stop at a local market for fresh fruit juice, we head to the Main Square, called the Plaza Mayor or Plaza De Armas. Lima's Plaza Mayor is the "heart" of the city, lively and Creole to the core, a "heart" which started to beat the very day the city was founded. More beautiful than ever due to its recent renovation, its bronze fountain stands out; with its statue of the Angel of Fame holding a clarion in its left hand and its right a flag bearing both Lima's and the Crown's coat of arms.
Next stop is the San Francisco Convent, arguably the greatest architectural complex of its kind in Latin America. We’ll explore a network of underground galleries and catacombs that were a cemetery in colonial times. This church and monastery of St. Francis (circa 1674) catacomb’s may contain the remains of more than 70,000 people. It also houses a magnificent library with thousands of antique texts. Next we walk around the Plaza de Armas, surrounded by such grand and important buildings as the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s house, the Cathedral and City Hall.
MERCADO SURQUILLO & LARCO HERRA MUSEUM
Today starts with a visit to the recently renovated Mercado Surquillo in Miraflores. It is Lima’s premier and largest food market. The market contains a wide variety of well stocked of breads, fruits, cheeses, fish, meats, potatoes, dried beans, nuts, seeds, herbs, flowers and many of the natural products from all over the country of Peru. Your local guide will explain the unknowns - how they taste, and are prepared. Of course you may want to sample for yourself as you go by the many vendor stalls. It is normal to see women from the country wearing the colorful skirts of their region selling local products. The three floors have independent vendor stalls, small restaurants for take-out foods and craft shops. It is the market of choice for the gourmet chefs of Lima. The market includes an incredible range of meats, fish, and seafood. Upstairs in one of the restaurant stalls is a great place to view (and maybe taste) some of the many kinds of fresh ceviche. This combination of marinated fresh seafood is one of Peru’s most famous dishes.
BARRANCO & PUCLLANA
After breakfast is a morning walk through the artsy and bohemian Barranco neighborhood, including the famous Puente de los Suspiros, or Bridge of Sighs. Then after a short ride on a historic street car across from the Museum of Electricity, you tour the Museo de Arte Colonial Pedro de Osma, located in the Palacio de Osma. This private museum, located in a historic, ornate Barranco mansion, focuses on colonial Peruvian art from areas that were among the most distinguished cultural centers of the day, including Cusco, Arequipa, and Ayacucho. The house is extraordinary, and the collection of religious art, including polychrome sculptures, retablos (altarpieces), and paintings from the Cusco school, are exceptional for a small, private museum. Out back, across the gardens, is a separate building with an amazing collection of 16th to 19th century silver.
COOKING CLASSES
A chance to learn how to prepare some of Peru’s most popular recipes. One of the popular places for classes is the unique SkyKitchen in Miraflores. http://www.yurac.de/ There is a three hour Lunch Class with three dishes and a four hour Dinner Class with four dishes. You not only watch the chef preparing the food, but everybody prepares their own food. Afterwards you eat your self-made dishes together with the other participants and the chef. All that on a rooftop terrace with a great view over Lima. Custom classes can be arranged according to interests, skills and available time.
PALOMINO ISLANDS
WATER PARK
The Park of the Reserve or the Parque de la Reserva in Spanish is a park located in downtown Lima, in Peru. Built in an irregular shape, it is located between two of the city's principal streets, the Paseo de la Republica expressway and Arequipa Avenue.The Magic Water is currently the world record holder for the largest fountain complex in the world, consisting of 13 distinct fountains, many of which are interactive. All of the fountains are lighted at night, many with continuously changing color schemes.
Afterwards you can enjoy dinner and a folkloric show.
CANTA
The peaceful and picturesque town of Canta, Capital of the Homonymous Province, is located 104 kilometres northeast from the City of Lima, on the left bank of the Chillón River.The vision of its narrow and steep little streets, and its big old houses with their traditional two slope roofs, transport travellers in time and turn them into the main feature in a customary postcard. The province extends from the heights of the Cordillera de La Viuda (The Widow) down to the limits of the province of Lima. It comprises the districts of Arahuay, Huamantanga, Huaros, Canta, San Buenaventura, Lachaqui and Santa Rosa de Quives. The remote culture of Atavillos flourished in the zone. Then, in the beginnings of the XVI century, it was subdued by the Inca Pachacútec during his march to the north. The Spanish conquistadors found a prosperous locality in Canta. It was handed to Nicolás de Ribera, El Mozo (The Young), as a commendation. Its inhabitants gave great support to the cause of freedom during the campaign for the independence from the Spanish crown. For this reason it was proclaimed "Heroic Town" in the year of 1839.
Nearby the city, between the creek of Yanacocha and the town of Huaros, there are two woods of Puyas of Raimondi, a native cactus species that has its natural habitat at over 3000 metres above sea level. The plant reaches 10 metre heights, and it usually lives for up to 100 years, then it drops its seeds and finally dies slowly. It produces the most inflorescence of the world: an average of 17000 flowers at a single time. It carries the name of its discoverer, the illustrious naturalist of Italian ascendance, Antonio Raimondi, and it is an endangered species nowadays.
Canta is at 2942 meters above sea level and the sun shines all over the year in the area. The rainy season is from October to April. One of the culinary specialties is the trout, which is bred in a series of modern breeding-ponds. Other attractions in the area include:
SANTA ROSA DE QUIVES: At 65 kilometers from Lima, there is a beautiful and bucolic small town that bears the name of the Saint Patron of America, Santa Rosa of Lima. The saint resided in those premises along with her parents. She received the sacrament of confirmation from the hands of Archbishop Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo in the year 1597. Santa Rosa de Quives was born as a district when it detached itself from the district of Arahuay. The town of Santa Rosa de Quives, which was called either Quives or Quivi, was added to the new administrative unit as an annex. It is currently one of the favorite destinations for the people from Lima who run away from the noise and pollution of the city. It offers its visitors a nice and warm weather all year round at 900 meters above sea level.
ROCK ENGRAVINGS OF CHECTA: They are located in the district of Santa Rosa de Quives, at half way of the road between Lima and Canta. It is a group of about 450 images engraved on rocks with an antiquity of 1500 years approx. The rock engravings represent animals, astral maps, flora species and fantastic creatures.
ARAHUAY: The beautiful locality of Arahuay is located 22 kilometers away from Santa Rosa de Quives, at over 2300 meters above sea level, and pierced over a small valley. The small town is surrounded by pre-Inca archaeological remains and a cluster of blue lagoons. The place is ideal for hikes and horseback rides.
OBRAJILLO: The small and quiet town of Obrajillo stands two kilometers away from Canta, at 2764 meters above sea level. Obrajillo was the scenario of a bloody battle during the campaign for the Peruvian independence from the Spanish crown. It is currently true paradise for campers, for there are nice and flowery places on the riverbanks which are ideal for camping. There are beautiful colonial houses standing around its main plaza which communicate through small snaky streets and old balconies.
CANTAMARCA: The archaeological site of Cantamarca is found at 3500 meters above sea level, and 15 kilometers away from Canta. The compound shows the remains of what once was a fortified city that belonged to the Atavillos culture. An aqueduct and four chullpas (a sort of Inca cemetery) are kept in the zone. The locals celebrate the Festivity of the Cross during the first three days of the month of May in the area.
THE FORTRESS OF SINCHIPAMPA: A fortified site; its buildings are comprised by fortified towers, advantage points and defensive precincts.
FULL DAY TOUR TO THE ANCIENT CITY OF CARAL
Caral is a large settlement in the Supe Valley, near Supe, Barranca province, Peru, some 200 km north of Lima. Caral is the most ancient city of the Americas, and is a well-studied site of the Caral civilization or Norte Chico civilization. The urban complex is spread out over 150 acres and contains plazas and residential buildings. Caral was a thriving metropolis at roughly the same time that Egypt's great pyramids were being built. The main pyramid covers an area nearly the size of four football fields and is 60 feet (18 m) tall. Caral is the largest recorded site in the Andean region with dates older than 2000 BCE and appears to be the model for the urban design adopted by Andean civilizations that rose and fell over the span of four millennia. It is believed that Caral may answer questions about the origins of Andean civilizations and the development of the first cities.
You depart Lima early and drive the Pan American Highway north to Vegeta. The road to Caral cross canals for plantations in the desert growing bean-growing areas, sugar cane, maize, cassava, etc. Once you arrive to the city of Caral we take our guided tour. You will see the different constructions: 7 monumental pyramids, two of which can meet the architectural layout of the first Peruvian civilization and America. These buildings include an amphitheater, barbecue offerings in a circular, central squares, residential areas and religious centers. Then continuing with our tour we return to Huacho, where we meet the main square, church, the old casino and the enchanted lake, then have lunch at Casa Blanca Restaurant. At 5:30pm, you return to Lima and back to your hotel.
HUACAS OF LIMA
In the ancient Peru, a Huaca could either be a river, a tree or a mountain to whom magical powers were conferred in the belief that there dwelled some divinity or ancestor. In the area of the coast, that designation was specifically used to name some scaled pyramids.
In the heart of the district of San Isidro stands the archaeological complex of Huallamarca. Hualla in the quechua tongue means "uneven" and marca stands for "village", because in its first times this complex presented a structure sustained over spiraled ramps. In the year of 1999, several pieces of pottery were unearthed, possibly indicating a near-by burial of some important character. An aspect that is common to almost all the important Huacas of Lima is that there are many young archaeologists still working on them, along with some non professional people that voluntarily offer their time and efforts. That is the case of the Huaca Pucllana, nowadays a Historical and Cultural Park, located in the District of Miraflores. This complex was the ceremonial and administrative centre of the Lima culture (around 400 A.D.) which held the control of the valley. The evidences at hand point out that many activities of religious cult, rites and sacrifices to worship their gods took place here. It is also possible that the residences of the governing priests were located in this place. The Pucllana Historical Park includes a museum and areas of research, preservation, restoration and cultural promotion, the latter with the task of motivating the community, starting from childhood, to create a conscience of respect and pride for their natural and archaeological patrimony.
Also worth a visit is the "Archaeological Complex Maranga" is located in the "Parque de las Leyendas". The park houses not only the zoo and botanical garden of Lima but as well a big part of Lima's most extensive ancient city and one of the most important pre-Hispanic complexes at the central Peruvian coast.
MUSEUMS OF LIMA
The fusion of so many different cultures and traditions makes Lima to what it is today. A reflection of this complexity can be found in an incredible number of museums spread around the city. They display the richness and diverse facets of Lima's and Peru's culture. There is something for everyone: archaeological, cultural and historical museums, art and popular art museums, museums dedicated to famous Peruvian personalities, technology and military museums, natural history and earth science museums and many others.
There are about 65 museums in Lima. For a full list you can review Museums in Lima, Peru - LimaEasy (c).
Below are some of the more popular:
- Larco Museum (Museo Larco)
- Gold Museum & Weapons of the World (Museos Oro del Peru & Armas del Mundo)
- Lima Wall Museum
- Japanese Immigration Museum
- Miguel Grau House-Museum
- Morro de Arica soldiers Museum
- Museum of Natural History, Lima (Museo de Historia Natural)
- Museum of the Nation (Museo de la Nación)
- National Museum of the Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of Peru (Museo Nacional del Arqueología, Antropología, e Historia del Perú)
- Presbítero Maestro cemetery
- Ricardo Palma House-Museum
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