Lima Travel Guide

When to visit Lima: December–March is Lima's warmest, sunniest stretch, unlike its famously grey winters

When is the best time to visit Lima?

Avg Temp

19–26°C

Rainfall

Very low, ~1mm/month (Lima summer is dry season, coastal desert climate)

Best Time

December–March is Lima's warmest, sunniest stretch, unlike its famously grey winters

Packing Tips (4)

Show in

Local currency: PEN

Central
Contemporary Peruvian · $$$$
Virgilio Martínez's restaurant built around Peru's ecosystems by altitude, consistently ranked among the world's best.
Maido
Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) · $$$$
Mitsuharu Tsumura's Nikkei restaurant blending Japanese and Peruvian techniques, famous for its multi-course tasting menu.
La Mar Cebicheria
Seafood/Peruvian · $$$
Gastón Acurio's high-energy cevicheria in Miraflores, known for its classic ceviche and tiraditos at communal bar seating.
El Mercado
Seafood/Peruvian · $$$
Rafael Osterling's seafood restaurant built around a lively market-style setting, known for its causas and rice dishes.
Panchita
Peruvian · $$$
Gastón Acurio's anticuchería focused on Peruvian grilled classics like anticuchos and pork belly.
Isolina Taberna Peruana
Criollo Peruvian · $$$
Restaurant in Barranco reviving old-school criollo home cooking with generous shared plates.
Amaz
Amazonian Peruvian · $$$
Restaurant showcasing Amazonian ingredients rarely seen elsewhere in Lima, from jungle fish to native fruits.
Ayahuasca
Cocktail bar
Cocktail bar and lounge in a restored Barranco mansion, one of the neighborhood's most photographed nightlife spots.
Santos Bar
Bar
Long-running bar in Barranco near the Puente de los Suspiros, popular with a young crowd for drinks and live DJs.

Museo Larco
Archaeology
Museum in an 18th-century vice-royal building famous for its pre-Columbian ceramics and its dedicated erotic pottery gallery.
Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI)
Art
The city's main fine arts museum, spanning 3,000 years of Peruvian art from pre-Columbian to contemporary.
Museo Nacional de Arqueología, Antropología e Historia del Perú
Archaeology/History
Peru's oldest state museum, holding key pieces documenting the country's pre-Inca and Inca civilizations.
Huaca Pucllana
Archaeology
Adobe and clay pyramid ruin from the Lima culture (c. 500 AD) standing in the middle of the Miraflores district, with an on-site restaurant overlooking the ruins.
Cineplanet Alcazar
Popular multiplex cinema in Miraflores near Parque Kennedy showing current releases.
Fiestas Patrias (Peruvian Independence Day)
July 28-29 (just before summer)
National Independence Day celebrations with parades, fireworks, and flag displays across the city.
Verano en Barranco
January–March
Summer cultural program in the bohemian Barranco district with outdoor concerts, art walks, and film screenings.

Playa Waikiki
Surf beach · In town (Miraflores)
Miraflores surf beach below the malecón, popular with longboard surfers and one of Lima's most consistent breaks.
Playas de Asia
Resort beach · ~100 km south
String of upscale beach resorts and clubs south of Lima, a popular summer weekend escape for residents.