PART I: LIMA
Back in the winter of 2018, I organized a trip to Peru with my parents and brothers. That’s the only time of the year all 5 of us could get off from work/school/life, so we made it happen. We spent about a week or so and visited three major spots–Lima, Cusco, and Lake Titicaca. Each city presented such a unique vibe.
We did 2 days in Lima, 3 in Cusco (to acclimatize to the altitude), 2 in Lake Titicaca, and then back to Lima for 1 day for New Year’s. Sharing our experience and thoughts on each. Keep reading this 3 part series–one for each city we visited.
Lima is the capital of Peru and is pretty much like any other metropolitan city in the world. The only difference is the depth of history this beautiful city exudes. The city is also home to one of the oldest universities in the world–the National University of San Marcos, which was founded around 1551. Lima also boasts home to two of the top 50 Restaurants in the World (Central [No. 6] and Maido [No. 10]). Unfortunately, both of those restaurants were closed on the days we were there so we weren’t able to check them out. Make sure you check the dates on the restaurant websites, and make reservations well in advance, as they book up quickly.
WHERE TO STAY. We made most of our hotel bookings on Booking.com. The reviews are helpful and they give you a lot of info on walkability (which is very important to us) and safety (also important). We ended up staying at Hotel Antigua Miraflores. We picked it because it was in the Miraflores area, which was central to everything we wanted to do. The staff there was really helpful with guiding us on the basics–where to eat, how to get there, etc.
We got lucky and had two of the big rooms on the rooftop so we had our own private rooftop patio, where we played Taboo, Code Names, and Werewolf.
TRANSPORTATION. So now you have a place to stay; how do you get around? Lima didn’t have much of a public transportation system, but Uber was pretty easy to use and cheap as well. We avoided taking cabs (especially ones that didn’t have a running meter).
THINGS TO DO IN LIMA. There’s so much to see, so much to eat, and so much to love about Lima! Here are some highlights from our trip:
- Centro Historico. A square surrounded by beautiful yellow architecture for you to stare at in awe.
- Plaza San Martin. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1988 by UNESCO, this square will have you dancing in circles staring at the beautiful architecture.
- Barranco. The hipster part of Lima. Visit the Bridge of Sighs for cool city views. Great neighborhood to walk around in. Check out the Municipal de Barranco Park. We went for dinner in Barranco to Isolina Taberna Peruana. Peruvian food was very reminiscent of Pakistani food, with its spices and heavy doses of lamb and goat.
A view of the Pacific Ocean from Larcomar mall in Lima 
Here’s me posing in the Centro Historico 
My brothers and I, acting like we own the place 
Centro Historico de Lima
Day 8: New Year’s Back in Lima
We came back to Lima (after Cusco and Lake Titicaca) to ring in 2019. We were able to make reservations at amaZ which was rather amaZing, if I do say so myself. Most of their ingredients are from the Amazon and you could tell every aspect of each dish was well thought out in terms of flavors, textures, and experience. Below you’ll see my favorite dish of the lot (fried fish that tasted like chicken!) and the dessert (which tasted like ice cream in between stroopwafels). Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what the dishes were because I am old and forgot. Plus, they were seasonal dishes with a pre fixe menu, so likely won’t be there when you go. But I can tell you to check amaZ out next time you’re in Lima! You won’t regret it!
My beautiful family, celebrating a birthday, family, life, and New Year’s in Lima.
Picarones. Essentially, Peruvian donuts. These are a must try at some point when you’re in Lima. They’re essentially made of squash and sweet potato but the texture is that of donuts. I got mine with chocolate sauce (pictured) but you can do them with powdered sugar or honey (or all of the above)!
Wait, we didn’t own the place? Love the detail! Want to make my next travel itinerary?
I would love to! It’s always so much fun planning for a trip and trying to squeeze everything in. Thanks for the love on my post!