Anyone who visits Peru will inevitably pass through Lima at some point or another. Whether you’re flying into or out of the country, odds are that you’ll have a layover in the Peruvian capital. However, Lima is much more than just a transfer point.
On the contrary, the city is home to a vibrant culture, a storied history, and some of the best architecture in Latin America. There’s so much to experience in Lima that you would truly be doing yourself a disservice by skipping it.
But what if you’re in a rush? What if you have to hightail it through Peru so that you can be back to the cubicle by Monday?
Although I wouldn’t recommend for anyone to rush a trip to Peru, sometimes it’s the only option. With this being said, let’s take a look at how to spend one day in Lima, Peru.
Lima Overview
Knowing a bit about the city that you’re visiting is always a good idea.
Lima was founded on January 18th, 1535 by conquistador Francisco Pizarro, some three years after the beginning of the Spanish Conquest of Peru. It was originally named Ciudad de los Reyes/City of Kings before this name fell out of favor.
The word Lima is derived from the Rimac river that passes through the city and empties into the Pacific Ocean. Native Peruvians often referred the region surrounding this river as “Limaq” as they had difficulties pronouncing the “r”. Eventually the Spaniards dropped the “q”, which they in turn had difficulty pronouncing, and adopted the name Lima.
Today the Peruvian capital is home to approximately 9 million people, which makes it the largest city in Peru and the third largest city in the Americas. For reference, Mexico City is the second largest and New York is the fourth largest as of the 2015 consensus. This ranking only applies to the population of the cities themselves and does not include the surrounding metropolitan areas.
Things To Do In Lima
Seeing as though Lima is an immensely large city, you may need to take a taxi or bus to move between some of the various locations listed below. However, there are many tours of Lima that will cover most of these activities.
With so much to do and so little time, let’s jump right into the top things to do in Lima, Peru in one day.
Walk Around Lima's Plaza De Armas
Plaza de Armas is a term that references the central plaza in most Latin American countries. The name Plaza de Armas roughly translates to Weapons Square and was named in this manner due to the fact that it would be used as refuge should any given city come under attack. In Central America, this same location within a city is often referred to as Parque Central.
Lima’s Plaza de Armas, also known as Plaza Mayor, is surrounded by important buildings such as the Basílica Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, and the Municipal Palace. That’s a whole lot of palaces!
The first benefit of visiting Lima’s central plaza is that you’ll be able to take some pretty cool pictures of the architecture. Another benefit is that you can walk inside of the Basílica Cathedral and witness the grandeur of this 16th century Spanish church.
Watch The Changing Of The Guards
Speaking of palaces, you should absolutely watch the changing of the guards ceremony at the Government Palace. This fascinating ceremony is performed daily at noon so you’ll be able to witness it no matter what day of the week you’re visiting Lima.
You can watch as these soldiers draw their swords, kick their feet in the air, and march back and forth in a stoic fashion, all while holding the Peruvian flag. There’s often a crowd surrounding the gate so you might want to secure a spot early in order to have an unimpeded view of the ceremony.
Tour Lima's Diverse Museums
Seeing as though Lima was once the most important city in South America, it only makes sense that there would be numerous museums around the Peruvian metropolis.
I would recommend visiting one or two total if you only have one day in Lima. My top recommendation would be the Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima, which is located only one block away from Peru’s Plaza de Armas. The museum is composed of a church and a monastery but it also contains a library and catacombs. Interestingly enough, the catacombs held over 25,000 bodies at one point and they weren’t rediscovered until 1943.
Below you’ll find some of the top rated museums in Lima:
- Museo Larco
- Museo Pisco
- Museo Amano
- Lima Art Museum
- Museo Pedro de Osma
- MATE Mario Testino Museum
- Basílica y Convento de San Francisco de Lima
- National Museum of the Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of Peru, Lima
Explore Lima's Miraflores District
Miraflores is undoubtedly the most popular and upscale district in Lima. It features a shopping mall that overlooks the Pacific Ocean as well as a world-class malecon, which is a term that refers to a long stone path overlooking a body of water.
The district is also home to various parks that are worth exploring. You can visit Parque del Amor/Lover’s Park and see a famous sculpture called El Beso/The Kiss. I’m sure you can imagine what the sculpture consists of. This park is located along the malecon so if you walk parallel to the water you’ll inevitably stumble upon Lover’s Park at some point.
Another desirable park in Lima’s Miraflores district is Parque Kennedy/Kennedy Park, which is named after former US President John F. Kennedy. The park is home to tens if not hundreds of stray cats that just walk around and purr at tourists. Supposedly the cats are quite controversial as many locals think that they constitute a health and/or cleanliness problem with regards to the surrounding area.
Finally, there are tons of wonderful restaurants located within Lima’s Miraflores district. I would recommend finding one that serves authentic Peruvian cuisine and then enjoying a nice meal with a sweeping ocean view on the side.
Pizza Hut In Lima?
I bet you didn’t see that one coming.
However, perhaps to your disappointment, I’m not actually recommending that you eat at a Pizza Hut while visiting Lima. I just wanted to point out the hilarious fact that Peruvian’s love Pizza Hut and there are, by my count, nineteen pizza huts in Lima!
I guess they got tired of eating ceviche every day.
The City Of Kings
From its sweeping architecture to its historic museums, Lima is a fascinating destination that deserves your attention. Wherever your trip takes you, make sure that you have at least one full day to experience the City of Kings.
Plan Your Trip To Peru
Accommodations: We recommend using Booking.com and Hostelworld for reserving accommodations. Both of these booking sites are easy to use and they feature a wide range of options. You can compare prices, view photos, and read reviews to help you find the perfect accommodation.
Flights: We recommend using Kiwi to find cheap flights. Their interface is user friendly and they help you find the best deals on flights to any destination.
The closest airport to Lima is the Jorge Chavez International Airport:
Travel Insurance: We recommend purchasing travel insurance from World Nomads. They’re one of the most trusted travel insurance providers and their plans cover a wide range of claims from overseas medical care to emergency evacuation. World Nomads will even allow you to purchase a plan if you’re already traveling abroad.
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Wow brilliant! What history! Funny that when I think of Peru I don’t think of Lima!
Thanks for reading! Yes most people just think of Machu Picchu but Lima is actually quite interesting.
Love the look of that library (as an ex librarian!) I have heard that Lima is quite foggy for 9 months of the year, is this true?
I agree that the library is a nice sight. And yes Lima is very foggy! I’m not sure about 9 months out of the year specifically but there was a lot of fog while I was there and I heard that it was common.
I’ll admit Pizza Hut really through me lol For some reason that made me laugh. Peru looks gorgeous though! My friend recently went and backpacked through the mountains and it looked amazing!
I’m glad that the Pizza Hut section made you laugh! Yes it is quite a beautiful country. Thanks for reading!
Great overview of the top things to do in Lima in a day! I enjoyed the history info you shared. Peru is on my bucket list!
Thanks for the nice comment! I hope that you’re able to visit at some point.
Love your posts I am always interested in the history of a place, how fascinating the way Lima got its name. Great read as always
Thank you so much Lyn, I really appreciate this comment! Yes it’s very important to know the history of the places you visit. I think that it helps you see how that city got to be what it is and it can also help you connect with and understand the locals.
I always want to visit Peru. I have a friend of mine that went to Lima and there was an antique car show and she ends up driving in one of those vintage cars also Peruvian foods are the bomb!
Michelle| brokebutflawless.com
Oh wow I would love to drive an antique car in Lima, that sounds very exciting! Thanks for stopping by.
Lima is so beautiful! I’ll definitely have to add it to my list of places to visit. Also, was genuinely surprised at how many branches of Pizza Hut there are out there! Lastly, love that photo of you with your parents. The gift of travel is better spent with loved ones!
Eena ☼ cabin twenty-four
It is very beautiful and I hope you’re able to visit someday. Thanks for the thoughtful comment Eena!
Lima is also really known for the food, right? I would probably just eat the whole day. 🙂
Yes it is! It’s famous for Ceviche, among other items.
Awesome article! I love the pictures. Lima looks very interesting!! Thank you for sharing! Pizza Hut? I would never have guessed!!
Thanks Kim! Yes I had to throw in the Pizza Hut fact as I thought it was both relevant and hilarious. I appreciate the continued support.