Destinations / The best capital cities in the world / Lima

 

  Lima is the capital of Peru and the largest city of the country. It has a perfect location overlooking the Pacific Ocean to the West. Lima is the 5th largest city in Latin America, after Mexico, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. While in the country, almost all tourists make a stop in Lima, which is the cultural and business center of Peru. Lima runs at a slower pace than other metropolis in South America. Its rhythm is more traditional, and its people are more calm and peaceful.

 

 

The atmosphere that covers the city is slightly dreamlike, mostly due to the Garua, a mist that settles over the city between May and October. At this time, the inhabitants of Lima meet at the bars, that offer folk music, go  shopping at the open marketplaces, or have  dinner at the most celebrated restaurants of the city. The south part of Lima is beautifully decorated with long white beaches, washed by  cold waters of the Southern Pacific. Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador, in January 1535. The people in Lima are very friendly and hospitable, and the capital has to offer so much entertainment, historical sites, treasured museums, chic restaurants, and the tourists will be gladly impressed to admire all these things. Lima is now populated by many nations and ethnic backgrounds.

 

 

 

  The majestic anthropological and arcaeological National Museum comprises excellent exhibits reflecting the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations and offers splendid overview of the archaeological patrimony of the country. It is the largest and the most important museum of the country and the chronological events are taking easily the visitors through the complicated ancient history, highlighting the conquering cultures and achievements . It gives a deep view over the art and history of the ordinal inhabitants to the Inca Empire. The National Museum was opened in 1990 and contains impressive mock-ups of pre-Columbian archaeological sites, with an ingenious replica of the Chavin stela, which represents a huge carved stone idol.

 

 

  The museum is housed in a fortress like a building, and includes safety rooms filled with treasures from the Inca civilization and from their predecessors. There is a  large collection of gleaming gold, precious jewellery and objects, that attract everybody’s attention. It includes the famous golden Tumi, which is the symbol of Peru. The rest of the museum is also fantastic featuring thousands of exquisite tapestries, pre-Incan weapons, wooden staffs, masks, mummies, and other valuable items. There is also an interesting display of antique weapons and uniforms, that remind of the tumultuous past of Peru. The museum also houses a private collection with some fine arts and artifacts.

 

 

  The church is the most veritable colonial churche from Lima, and is a striking white and yellow structure with twin towers and a stone façade. The church was built in 1674 and is considered the best example of the “Lima Baroque”architectural style. The pretty carved portal would later be an influence on other churches, including the Iglesia de la Merced. The central nave of the structure is famous for its amazing ceilings painted in a delicated style known as mudejar. It is one of the most buildings which survived after the devastation of the 1746 earthquake and is famous for its unique underground catacombs that include bones and skulls of over 70,000 people.

 

 

The interior of the church is designed with arches and columns, beautifully decorated with mosaics tiles and a remarkable carved Moorish style wooden ceiling, located above the staircase leading to the cloisters. The magnificent church also houses an  overwhelming 17th century library that contains thousands of antique texts and a special room that includes painted works made by Reubens, Van Dyck and Joraens. The church of San Francisco is a great masterpiece that overwhelms every tourist with its majestic exterior and interior, and with its treasured collections of sacred works.

 

 

  The Pisco is a small port and fishing village, well- known for its fiery white grape brandy that has the same name. It also includes the origins of one of the major ancient civilizations in Peru, the Paracas culture, who left a stunning collection of antiquities that are displayed in the museums of Lima. The wonderful area is definitely visited as a base of wildlife of the nearby Paracas National Reserve, being the ideal home to a remarkable diversity and a large concentration of marine birds and animals. The locals are proud of it and call it the Peruvian Galapagos, and the most important place to be visited while making a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands. The islands are the best attractions for people but the boat tour offers a nice scenery over the wildlife. The rocks are really gorgeous with thousands of migratory sea birds like flamingos, pelicans, penguins, red boobies and terns. The shores are lined with huge colonies of barking sea lions, turtles, dolphins, and  even  whales can be admired there sometimes.

 

 

  Nazca is a small and beautiful desert town, named after the Nazca civilization, that came soon after the Paracas culture. The town is a delicate attraction because of the mysterious presence of the lines and diagrams graved into the surrounding desert floor. It also houses some interesting museums and archaeological places, like the Chauchilla Cemetery, with 12 displayed underground tombs that include skeletons and preserved mummified forms that are truly spectacular. The most beautiful attraction in the town is an aerial flight over the Nazca Lines, that are scattered over the miles of the marvelous desert floor. The dimensions of these immense figures, geometric designs, straight lines or spirals are so huge that the only opportunity to view them is from the air. The pillots will show you the intriguing bird and animals representations, for example the hummingbird, monkey, condor, spider. These figures were designed by removing sun-darkened stones from the desert floor to show the lighter colored stones below, and date back to the last century. The Nazca Lines are among the greatest and unrepeatable sights in the country, an exquisite legacy left by the ancient people of the Nazca culture, and one of the most splendid misteries of South America.

 

  The Plaza de Armas is the best starting point to discover and explore Lima. The tourists can stand in the middle of this spacious and pretty square, near the 17th century bronze fountain, leaving the impressions that you are in the very heart of a historic city.  The Government Palace is located in the northern part of the city. The building was  completed in 1938, and  it suffered a lot because of the dictators of Peru. The eastern side of the square is highlighted by a beautiful cathedral, which was renovated after the powerful earthquakes. The interior of the cathedral is austere and extremely large.  The Municiplidad de Lima, the town hall is situated opposite to the cathedral. The harmonious interior has a gorgeous library.

 

 

  Miraflores is a district –neighborhood of Lima that is characterized by the modernity of its buildings, and services. The most important hotel establishments, restaurants, casinos, shopping centers, theatres, banking and commercial systems are concentrated nowadays in Miraflores. Despite its modernity, the district has a rich history and cultural wealth, preserving significant landmarks of the pre-Columbian culture. Miraflores opens an outstanding view over the Pacific Ocean, including also well kept parks, quiet and safety streets, making it one of the most beautiful traditional and historical district of Lima. Among the main touristic attractions that can be seen in Miraflores are the Huaca Pucllana, the Kennedy Park, seawalls, the Avenue of the Pizzas, the Church”Milagosa Virgin”, Love Park, besides exciting nightclubs, green and wonderful gardens, exclusive art galleries, restaurants, travel agencies, hostels and other masterpieces that  are worth to be visited.

 

 

  The district of Chorrillos  was a small fishing village that  developed during the time, and became a wealthy beach resort. Today Chorrillos is a spectacular destination, just  to take a walk or relax on the incredible Malecon, and enjoy a stunning view over the whole bay of the city of Lima. You can also enjoy a delicious meal at the magnificent restaurant, which is specialized in typical Peruvian coastal food. The district of Chorrillos was officially founded on 2nd January 1857. It is located directly on the Pacific Ocean, just south from the Miraflores and Barranco.

 

 

  La Tarumba was constructed in 1984 with the idea of combination between theatre, circus and music, but at the same time to educate and give some fun. This is the most recognized Circus Theatre in Peru, and now presents two yearly innovative and amazing shows that enchant the guests. Not only its artists show their impressive skills, but also the dance, circus and theatre groups that come from different countries and offer unrepeatable spectacles. La Tarumba opens its doors for fantastic workshops, classes in music, theatrics, clowning and everything regarding circus. It regards hard work but also offers great fun. The circus gives classes and workshops for children from 3 to 15 years, and are truly exceptional, a fascinating mixture of theatrical, music juggling and acrobatic lessons, offered by the most qualified artists. La Tarumba is a perfect spot for relaxation,  to enjoy one’s time watching exciting tricks.

 

 

  Lima is a city of a particular interest for the tourists that travel in Peru. A very special attraction in the city is the Historic Centre of Lima. The city’s collection of historic buildings were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988, because it houses a large number of buildings that date back to the Spanish colonial era. If you are not interested in the city’s history there are many alternative opportunities for entertainment. Numerous private and public beaches are available in Lima, such as Santa Maria del Mar, Punta Hermosa, Punta Negra, San Bartolo, Pucusana, which are picturesque destinations where one can  spend pleasant moments, in a very peaceful ambiance.

 

 

But if you like the celebrations and festivals, Lima will never let you down. The city has one major celebration per month, and when the Peruvians have a party, they party hard, spending exciting adventures. One example of festival is the famous Pacific International Fair which features a veritable view over the Pacific countries that participate at the event. No matter what  your main interest is, Lima will charm and entertain  for your entire stay. Lima has a rich legacy of precious art that is worth to be appreciated, offering a very dynamic and enchanting life, never disappointing its tourists.

 

 

Lima with its tremendous districts creates a very elegant destination for art enthusiast or for the nature lovers. It has the most trendy boutiques, the most luxury hotels in the country, being a magnificent place where to spend your vacation.  There is no man who would say that he was bored while in Lima, because the city offers glamorous spaces to enjoy the best nightlife, living your best experience, with unforgettable memories. The town of Lima can be easily associated with the most famous and grand attractions in the world.

 

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