LIMA
The starting point of most trips to Peru will probably be the nation’s capital Lima, which with 8 million inhabitants also is the largest city of Peru. Although some travelers are not so positive about Lima, we actually found it to be quite cool. The historic city center is filled with beautiful colonial buildings and has been declared UNESCO world heritage. As such, it is definitely worth a visit. Besides there is some good and cheap shopping to be done in the city center, for example in Calle Jirón de la Unión which is always filled with loads of people. But only stay around the center during the day, as it gets a bit creepy after dark.
There are also a lot of very interesting museums, for example the Museo de la Nación , the Museo de Rafael Larco Herrera, or the Museo del Oro y de las Armas (gold and weapons museum). In the summer Peruvians rush to the Ocean side to enjoy the summer sun.
The nicest area to sleep is Miraflores which really is a lot nicer than the city center. There are some excellent restaurants in this neighborhood and good nightlife options in la Calle de las Pizzas or in the nearby neighborhood of Barranco. If you’re up for a good party plan to arrive in a weekend as this is when Lima gets pumpin.
All together Lima is definitely worth a visit. Spend one or two days her before moving on to the next destination.
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