Use registered airport taxis (Taxi Green, Taxidatum) or rideshare pick-up zones; avoid street hails at Jorge Chávez Airport. Miraflores and Barranco are safest bases—walkable with bike lanes and coastal parks.
Ceviche Routine
Cevicherías close after lunch; book lunch at La Mar, El Mercado, or Pescados Capitales. Arrive on the early seating (noon) for better service. Always confirm if leche de tigre contains shellfish if you have allergies.
Fine Dining
- Central, Maido, and Kjolle require reservations months in advance and deposits via WebPay.
- Mérito in Barranco offers creative tasting menus with shorter waitlists.
- For budget yet excellent menus, try Panchita or Isolina for Peruvian comfort food.
Historic Center
Take the Metropolitano bus to Jirón de la Unión and visit Plaza Mayor, San Francisco Catacombs, and the Archbishop's Palace. Carry minimal valuables; the area is busy but petty theft happens. Combine with Chinatown's Mercado Central for dim sum at Salon Capon.
Barranco Walk
Stroll the Bajada de los Baños, check art galleries (MATE, MAC Lima), and watch sunset from the Barranco cliffs. Street art tours operate morning and afternoon—book through certified guides who donate to local collectives.
Day Trip: Pachacamac
Book a half-day tour or take a taxi 40 minutes south (arrange roundtrip fare). The adobe ruins date back to 200 CE. Wear hats, bring water, and stick to marked paths; the desert sun is intense even in winter.
Safety
- Only withdraw cash inside malls or bank lobbies.
- Use hotel safes and carry photocopies of passports.
- Tap water isn't safe; hotels provide filtered dispensers—refill reusable bottles.