Lima 7-day itinerary

Walk the Malecón de Miraflores — a 10km clifftop boardwalk above the Pacific with paragliders overhead and surfers below. Pass Parque del Amor, Parque Kennedy (cats!), and the lighthouse at Faro de la Marina. Breakfast at La Lucha Sanguchería for a chicharrón sandwich (S/ 12–20) — pork, sweet potato, and salsa criolla in fresh bread.

Visit Huaca Pucllana (S/ 15) — a 1,500-year-old adobe pyramid in the heart of Miraflores. The guided tour explains the Lima culture that built it. Walk to Parque Kennedy for people-watching and browse the crafts market (daily from 5pm). Lunch at Punto Azul for excellent affordable ceviche (S/ 22–35) or grab empanadas from La Lucha (S/ 6–10 each).

Walk or Uber to Barranco — Lima's bohemian arts district. Cross the Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs) then explore street art along Bajada de Baños down to the ocean. Dinner at Canta Rana for no-frills ceviche (S/ 25–40, cash only) or Isolina for criollo comfort food (S/ 30–55). First pisco sour at Ayahuasca Bar in a gorgeous restored mansion (S/ 20–30).

Metro to Centro for colonial Lima. The Plaza Mayor is flanked by the Cathedral (S/ 35), Government Palace, and the Archbishop's Palace. Visit the Convento de San Francisco (S/ 15) for the catacombs — 25,000 bones arranged in eerie geometric patterns. Walk through the ornate Palacio de Torre Tagle (exterior only) and the beautiful Casa de Aliaga — the oldest colonial house in the Americas (since 1535).

Walk to Barrio Chino (Chinatown) through the ornate gateway on Jirón Ucayali. Lima has the largest Chinese population in South America, creating chifa — Peruvian-Chinese fusion cuisine. Lunch at Wa Lok or Salón Capón for arroz chaufa (fried rice, S/ 15–20) and tallarin saltado (stir-fried noodles, S/ 15–22). Browse the shops for Asian ingredients and curious imports.

Start at the Gran Hotel Bolívar bar on Plaza San Martín — birthplace of the Cathedral pisco sour (S/ 25–35, serves two). Walk to the historic Queirolo bar in Pueblo Libre (S/ 12–18) for their version in a setting unchanged since 1880. Dinner at Tanta for everyday Peruvian dishes by Gastón Acurio (S/ 25–40) — the causa limeña and lomo saltado are outstanding.

Visit Mercado No. 1 de Surquillo — the market where Lima's top chefs source their ingredients. Tropical fruits, highland potatoes in a dozen colours, Amazonian fish, and every chilli pepper imaginable. Book a cooking class (S/ 100–180) that starts with a market tour and ends with you cooking ceviche, causa, and lomo saltado. Try lucuma ice cream (S/ 5–8) — a uniquely Peruvian flavour.

Walk to MATE Museum in Barranco (S/ 30) — the former home of fashion photographer Mario Testino, now a gallery of his work and rotating contemporary exhibitions. The building and garden are beautiful. Continue through Barranco's galleries — Revolver, Dédalo, and the street art on Pedro de Osma. Lunch at Mérito for creative Peruvian cuisine (S/ 35–60).

Experience a peña — a traditional evening of live criolla music, Afro-Peruvian rhythms, and dancing. De Rompe y Raja in Barranco is one of the best (cover S/ 20–40). The music moves from melancholic vals criollo to explosive festejo — and the crowd dances. Dinner at the venue or eat beforehand at El Rincón que No Conoces for home-style criollo food (S/ 20–35).

Uber or colectivo 30km south to Pachacámac (S/ 15) — a massive pre-Inca complex overlooking the Pacific. Occupied for 1,500+ years, the Temple of the Sun sits dramatically on a cliff. The on-site museum houses the original Pachacámac idol. Rent a bike (S/ 15) at the entrance to cover the vast site — the painted adobe temple is the highlight.

Return to Lima and Uber to the Museo Larco in Pueblo Libre (S/ 30) — Peru's best privately owned museum in a beautiful 18th-century mansion. The pre-Columbian gold and silver collection is jaw-dropping. The famous erotic pottery room (yes, really) is unforgettable. The garden cafe serves excellent lunch (S/ 25–40). Walk to nearby Queirolo bar for a pisco (S/ 12–18).

San Isidro is Lima's upscale financial district with excellent restaurants. For a splurge, Maido (ranked among the world's best, tasting menu S/ 550–700) serves extraordinary Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) cuisine. More accessible is Fiesta for northern Peruvian food (S/ 35–60) — the ceviche de conchas negras and arroz con pato are outstanding. Walk through Olivar Park — olive trees planted by the Spanish in 1560.

Uber to Callao — Lima's port district undergoing a massive street art revival. The Callao Monumental project has transformed entire buildings into galleries and murals. Walk through the converted warehouses housing contemporary art spaces. The Real Felipe Fortress (S/ 10) is a massive 18th-century star fort. Callao is gritty and gentrifying — go with a guide or in a group.

Walk or Uber to the Costa Verde — the clifftop road connecting Lima's coastal districts with views of the Pacific. Stop at Chorrillos fishing village to watch the boats come in and eat at a local cevichería — ceviche mixto for S/ 15–25 with the freshest fish in the city. The Pantanos de Villa wetlands (S/ 5) are a surprising natural reserve with flamingos and migratory birds.

Lima's street food scene peaks at night. Walk Avenida 28 de Julio in Miraflores for anticucheras — women grilling beef heart skewers over charcoal (S/ 5–8 each) with ají sauce. The smoke, the sizzle, and the flavour are extraordinary. Pair with a chicha morada (purple corn drink, S/ 3–5). End at Barranco bars — Juanito's for cheap beer (S/ 5–8) or Dada Bar for cocktails.

Visit the Museo de la Nación (free) in San Borja for the Yuyanapaq photo exhibition — a powerful documentation of Peru's internal conflict. It is the most important museum about modern Peru. Alternatively, the MAC (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, S/ 10) in Barranco has rotating contemporary exhibitions in a beautiful modernist building overlooking the Pacific.

Explore Mercado de Magdalena — a neighbourhood market without tourists. Fresh fruit juice (S/ 3–5), ceviche from a market stall (S/ 10–15), and excellent menú del día (set lunch, S/ 8–12). Walk through the residential streets of Magdalena and San Miguel — middle-class Lima with parks, bakeries, and a pace that feels nothing like the tourist circuits.

Visit the Circuito Mágico del Agua in Parque de la Reserva (S/ 4) — a park with 13 illuminated fountains set to music and coloured lights. It is surprisingly beautiful and popular with local families. Dinner nearby at Panchita for traditional Peruvian comfort food (S/ 25–45) — anticuchos, tamales, and picarones (sweet potato doughnuts with fig syrup). One of Gastón Acurio's most accessible restaurants.

If you have not yet, paraglide off the Miraflores cliffs (S/ 250–350 tandem, 10 min). The flight soars along the coastline with views of the city, the Pacific, and the green parks below. No experience needed — just courage. If not paragliding, one last Malecón walk with coffee from Pan de la Chola (S/ 10–15) and a quiet morning absorbing the ocean view.

Final ceviche at La Mar (closes 5pm, S/ 35–60) — widely considered the best in Lima by Gastón Acurio. Or keep it humble at a Surquillo market stall for S/ 10–15. Pick up souvenirs — alpaca wool scarves at the Indio Market in Miraflores (S/ 30–80), Peruvian chocolate from Cacaosuyo, or pisco from a liquor store (S/ 30–60 for a good bottle).

Watch the sunset from the Malecón one last time — the Pacific turns gold as paragliders drift above. A farewell pisco sour at Huaringas Bar (S/ 20–28) or splurge on dinner at Central by Virgilio Martínez — frequently ranked the world's best restaurant, exploring Peru's ecosystems through tasting courses (S/ 700–900, book months ahead). Lima is a city you will miss the moment you leave.