Lima
Situated on the Pacific coast, Lima is the capital of Peru and is home to over 9 million residents. Founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Fransico Pizarro, Lima was once the most powerful city in South America, and was the main trading point and governing city for the Spanish Viceroyalty. The city fell into decline when the Spanish created a rival vice regency in Rio de la Plata (River of the Silver), which later became supremely rich though the mining of Silver.
In recent years Lima has shown strong economic growth and (reasonable) political stability, making it once again one of South America's leading cities. Although many of the outlying districts are still developing, inner-city areas like Barranco, Miraflores and San Isidro have seen extensive investments becoming expensive and desirable places to live and work.
Many visitors to Peru opt to skip Lima and travel directly onto the more historic attractions like Cusco and Machu Picchu, but we think that Lima is now more appealing than ever and is certainly worth investing 1 or 2 days to explore on a tour of Peru.
Lima still boasts some of Americas' finest Baroque and Renaissance buildings, Mansions, Churches and Palaces, and a half day tour of the city really gives the visitor a good introduction to the incredible past of this unique country. Other popular attractions in Lima include Pachacamac an archaeological site from the Huari Empire, the Museo Arqueologico Rafael Larco Herrera and Circuito Magico the largest public-fountain display anywhere in the world.
Lima is a progressive capital, it's dynamic and cosmopolitan way of life are reflected in the many great eateries and restaurants around the city. The gastronomic culture has exploded over the last few years with a new wave of highly skilled, dedicated and ground-breaking chefs. Their love and passion for combining traditional Peruvian flavors and ingredients, with modern cooking techniques has caught the world by storm. For this reason, Lima's restaurant scene has flourished, and the streets of the city are literally littered with great restaurants.
Most of our set tours of Peru include a tour of Lima. For more information on the Lima and our selection of Peru Vacations, contact a travel advisor today.
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Enjoy a tour to Peru in style with one of our Machu Picchu Luxury Tours, and discover the best of Peruvian hospitality with exclusive hotels, luxury trains and the personalized guided tours of the Inca heartland. Browse our selection of Machu Picchu Luxury Tours or contact a native English speaking travel expert today.
