Lima 3-day itinerary

Walk the Malecón de Miraflores — a stunning clifftop boardwalk stretching 10km above the Pacific with paragliders overhead and surfers below. Stop at Parque del Amor for its mosaic benches, then Parque Kennedy where friendly cats own the gardens. Breakfast at La Lucha Sanguchería (S/ 12–20) for a chicharrón sandwich or Pan de la Chola for sourdough and specialty coffee (S/ 15–25).

Visit Huaca Pucllana (S/ 15) — a 1,500-year-old adobe pyramid right in the middle of Miraflores, illuminated at night and surrounded by modern restaurants. The guided tour explains the Lima culture that built it. Walk to Larcomar — a shopping centre built into the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Lunch at a nearby cevichería — Punto Azul for budget ceviche (S/ 22–35) or Rafael for refined Peruvian cuisine.

Barranco is Lima's bohemian heart. Walk across the Puente de los Suspiros, then explore the street art along Bajada de Baños to the ocean. Dinner at Isolina for criollo comfort food — tacu tacu, lomo saltado, and arroz con pato (S/ 30–55). Drinks at Ayahuasca Bar in a gorgeous colonial mansion (pisco sours S/ 20–30) or Bar Piselli for a more intimate cocktail experience.

Metro to Centro for Lima's magnificent colonial core. The Plaza Mayor features the Cathedral (S/ 35, Pizarro's tomb), Government Palace (changing of the guard at noon daily), and the Archbishop's Palace with stunning wooden balconies. Visit the Convento de San Francisco (S/ 15) for the catacombs — bones of 25,000 people arranged in geometric patterns. Remarkable and slightly eerie.

Walk to the Mercado Central de Lima — a sensory explosion of Peruvian ingredients. Try fresh juices (S/ 3–5), ceviche from a market stall (S/ 10–15), and anticuchos (grilled beef heart skewers, S/ 5–8) from the vendors outside. Continue to Chinatown (Barrio Chino) for chifa — Peruvian-Chinese fusion cuisine. Wa Lok or Salón Capón for arroz chaufa and tallarin saltado (S/ 15–25).

Peru invented the pisco sour — and Lima is the place to drink it. Start at Hotel Bolívar's bar on Plaza San Martín — the legendary birthplace of the Cathedral pisco sour (S/ 25–35 for a huge glass). Walk to Queirolo in Pueblo Libre for their classic version (S/ 12–18) at a bar that has been pouring since 1880. Dinner at Maido for Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) cuisine if you splurge, or Tanta for everyday Peruvian fare (S/ 25–40).

Take a colectivo or Uber (30 min south) to Pachacámac (S/ 15) — a massive pre-Inca archaeological complex overlooking the Pacific. Occupied for 1,500 years by successive cultures, the Temple of the Sun sits on a cliff above the ocean. The on-site museum explains the site's role as the most important oracle in the Inca Empire. Far less crowded than Cusco ruins and equally impressive.

Return to Lima and visit Mercado No. 1 de Surquillo — the market Lima's top chefs use. Stalls overflow with tropical fruits, Amazonian fish, highland potatoes in every colour, and ají peppers. Try lucuma ice cream (S/ 5–8) — a fruit unique to Peru. If time allows, book a Peruvian cooking class (S/ 100–180) where you shop the market then cook ceviche, causa, and lomo saltado.

Last dinner at a proper cevichería — La Mar by Gastón Acurio for the city's best ceviche (S/ 35–60, closes at 5pm) or El Mercado for a more relaxed setting. Walk the Malecón for a final Pacific sunset — the sky turns orange over the ocean while paragliders drift above. A farewell pisco sour at Huaringas Bar in Miraflores (S/ 20–28) caps the perfect Lima trip.