Discover The Many Things To Do In Lima, Peru

June 17, 2019

As the capital as well as being the largest city in Peru, there are lots of attractions and things to do in Lima. Peru is a country full of amazing cities and historical sites, such as the city of Lima. Between the tours, the food, and the music, it’s easy to find new and interesting things to do and experience when visiting Lima, Peru.

Malekon of miraflores in lima peru

The problem with having so many options for activities to do is that it can sometimes be hard to decide just what to do first. To help we’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular things to do in while you’re visiting Lima.

Top Things To Do In Lima, Peru

There are more than a hundred different things to do in Lima, in order to save you time, we have condensed the list into our favourite 8 things to do in Lima.

Free Walking Tour Of Lima

One of the best ways to experience and get to know Lima is on foot. The city of Lima offers visitors a chance to go on a free and informative walking tour of the city. The tour explains more about the vibrant city and its historical roots. In all, the tour takes about 3 hours to complete your exploration of the fifth largest city in South America.

In order to take part in the free tour, you’ll first need to sign up with the Tourist Information Center. Along with a guided explanation of the historical sites that you’ll see, you’ll also get a free tasting of chocolate and liqueur. The tour starts outside of the Tourist Information Center in the morning. After a few introductions, you’ll be off to tour the great city of Lima.

Pucllana Temple

Another popular thing to do in Lima is to visit the Huaca Pucllana ruins. The Huaca Pucllana ruins is a giant adobe and clay pyramid that was built around 500 AD. This sacred temple was used for spiritual ceremonies and sacrifices. The temple now sits in a residential area of the Miraflores district. For those interested in stopping by, the cost is 12 soles for daytime and 3 soles for night tours. Taking tours at night you can give you a unique perspective of the temple when it’s lit up.

Pucllana-Temple in lima peru

Lima, Peru Bicycle Tours

If three hours of walking and exploring sounds a little exhausting, then perhaps upgrading to a bicycle tour will offer more comfort. There are a number of operators offering multiple bike tour packages of Lima. The prices range from $40 to $90 for a few hours or a full day.

Some of the bicycle tours that you can take include rides through the center of the city or urban areas, riding along the cliffs and bicycle and surfing packages. The bicycle and surf package comes with surfing lessons if you don’t have any experience. Taking a bicycle tour gives you plenty of different things to see and do while you’re in Lima.

Kennedy Park

If you are an animal or cat lover, one thing to do in Lima is to stop by Kennedy Park. This park is where around sixty cats call home. The appropriately nicknamed, “Cat Park” is located in the center of the Miraflores district. You can find the cats napping or playing on benches, sidewalks, and even the grassy areas. No one knows for sure how the cats all seemed to end up at this park. The cats, however, have been a part of Kennedy Park for over 20 years.

Lima, Peru Islands Tour

If you’re looking for a break from the city consider taking a tour of the local islands. Located right off of the coast of Lima, Peru lies the islands of Palomino, Cabinzas, and El Frontón. The popular island to stop at is Palomino, which is home to sea lions as well as Humboldt penguins.

You can take eco-tours that allow you to swim with the sea lions off the island. Quite often Palomino is referred to as the “little Galapagos of Lima”. As for the other islands, Cabinzas is home to pelicans, gulls, boobies and other birds. El Frontón, on the other hand once served as a quarantine stop in colonial times and later as a maximum security prison. You can find a tour that visits using the popular tour comparison website Find Local Trips

Go Inside a Submarine

Experience history and see what life was like as one of the 33 crew members of aboard the submarine Abtao. Abtao’s launch occurred in 1953. The following year the submarine was handed over to the Peruvian Navy which operated the submarine for about 48 years. During that time period, the sub completed over 5000 dives. Today the submarine serves as a naval museum.

Pool Paradise Lima

If your idea of things to do in Lima, Peru involve laying out in the sun by the pool, then you’re in luck. Pool Paradise, is a new hostel in Lima and is also the only hostel with a pool. With new rooms that include a 12-bed dorm as well as private bedrooms, Pool Paradise is a great option for somewhere to stay cool while visiting Lima, Peru.

pool paradise lima

El Malecón of Lima, Peru

Looking for something relaxing to do in Lima, Peru, then simply enjoy a leisurely stroll along the El Malecón. EL Malecón is a set of paths and parks that run along the seafront cliffs. From there you can see the beautiful Lima coastline that stretches for miles. As you stroll along the paths, you’ll be able to enjoy the various sculptures created by various famous Peruvian artists. Some of the notable works that you can see include the “Intihuatana” sculpture by Peruvian artist Fernando De Szyszlo. You can also see the popular “El Beso” (“The Kiss”) sculpture by Victor Delfín.

Food In Lima

South America is known to have some of the most delicious and exotic food known to the world. Trying out some of the local food like anticuchos, churros and picarones is a great way to experience truly authentic Peruvian dishes. You can also find local restaurants La Mar, Chez Wong or Pescados to get some of the most delicious ceviche in town.


The city of Lima, Peru has no shortage of activities available to tourists. You can try restaurants with exciting foods or take tours of old historic homes and neighborhoods. Relax and lounge by the pool or take an adventure and go inside a submarine. Lima, Peru really does offer its visitors a number of fun adventurous and interesting things to do.

Did you know - The Lima Walking Tour leaves from the Tourist Information Center at 799 Avenida Jose Larco in Miraflores every day at 10:15 am. Visit our Blog for more information!

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