In Defense of Lima

Lima

WHERE: Central Peru

WHY: Excellent food, awesome beaches, strong local culture.

TIME: 3 nights

Arriving in Lima after a 14 hour bus ride north from Cusco, I started to understand why others had warned me off spending any time there. Grey, gritty, and uninviting in a way only a metropolis can be, my passage into the city was hardly an inspiring welcome to the third largest city in Latin America. Making matters worse - the omnipresent overcast sky seemed to permeate right down to the city level, casting the drab and dreary bus terminal in deep morbid hues. The buildings around me were uninspiring concrete juggernauts, and the capital seemed to lack any of the flavour that i’d left behind in southern Peru. I’d barely alighted from the bus before I was planning the next bus north, willing myself away from this seemingly unsightly place. Reflecting upon the advice of other backpackers I had met, I felt the sense of chagrin for having stopped here. Why hadn’t I listened? Why was I booked in to stay here for two nights? Questions unanswered I left the station and dragged myself down to my hostel in Miraflores, already planning on cancelling my second night and booking a bus north the next morning. However, a funny thing happened that evening. I was convinced to stay for a week and work in a bar. That week then turned into a month. A month where I fell distinctly in love with this seemingly hard-to-love city. Despite all of the warnings about Lima being ‘boring,’ I found myself being increasingly entranced by Lima as the days wore on. Surprised? So was I. Allow me to argue in defense of Lima, supposed ‘boring’ capital of Latin America.

Miraflores and Barranco

No visit to Lima would be complete without spending ample time in the suburb of Miraflores and its sister suburb, Barranco. Both earn their well deserved reputation as backpacker havens, and neither can claim much in the way of local culture. However, Miraflores and Barranco are worth your time, and after a month living there, I was ready to call them home. Nestled by the endless grey pacific ocean, Miraflores is a stark dot of colour in the otherwise grey garden of Lima. The suburb oozes life; from the cat armies that patrol Parque Kennedy, the lively markets that dot the suburb on weekends, to the surfers carving long breakers down by the beach. Take time to wander the streets here, enter any number of shopfronts to pick up overseas and local goods. Give yourself a break from the ordinary milling crowds of Latin America by the cliff side, overlook the vast ocean below and take a swim if you’re feeling game. Take in the sinuous mosaics and sculptures that line the boardwalk, walking beneath embracing lovers and serpentine figures. Wander amidst the Park of Love (also on the cliff-front), dodging the kissing couples and amorous embraces. For a slightly grittier vibe, Barranco has you well placed for a walking tour. Take in the peeling paint of buildings and sprawling street art, unrivaled by any other location in Peru. Give yourself the space to visit the Mueso MATE - a permamnent art-space in the Barranco district, containing a range of exhibitions covering the fashion photography of the owner, Mario Testino and a rotating roster of exhibitions by other lesser-known local artists. If wishful thinking is more your thing, get yourself down to Puente de los Suspiros, a thin bridge dangling across a narrow canal in the suburb. Rumor has it that if the pedestrian holds their breath whilst they cross the bridge, their wish will be granted. I can confirm that my heartfelt wish of a cold beer was granted (and then some) at the end of the day that I took a walking tour through Barranco, so you never know…

The Food

If you’re feeling hungry, Lima has you covered, containing restaurants ranging from gastronomy all the way down to stunning neighborhood grub. YHou’ll be hard pressed to find a better concentration of restaraunts in Latin America, and some of the food on offer here ranks amidst the worlds best. Wallet feeling a little heavy? Book yourself in for the tasting menu at Restaurante Central (Av. Pedro de Osma 301) the flagship eatery of Chef Virgilio Martínez Véliz. Here you will be taken on a journey through indigenous Peruvian fare given a distinctly modern twist - you’ll find out fairly quickly why Central was awarded best South American restaurant of the year in 2017 (and 3 Michelin stars to boot). Alternatively, give Amaz a run, where superstar chef Pedro Schiaffino creates a sumptuous dining experience, using ingredients including the Giant Amazonian River Snail for a truly memorable feed. Wallet feeling light? The city has you covered on this front as well. Take yourself down to Twist Burger bar in Barranco for a Peruvian take on the American classic. For a taste of Ceviche, book yourself in at El Mercado for an expensive yet glorious take on the national dish. If you’re looking to spend less on ceviche, but are still craving the citrus twang of this glorious staple, take a wander amidst the central fish market at Mercado de Surquillo. Trust your nose here, pull up a stool at the best smelling ceviche spot and eat the tastiest seafood money can buy for less than the price of a coffee back home - trust me, you won’t regret it.

Huaca pucllana

Whilst technically located in the suburb of Miraflores, this pre-Incan archaeological site is worthy of note all on its own. Entering Lima, I had no idea that an archaeological site rivalling some of South America’s very best sprouted out of the earth within one of the city’s busiest and upmarket suburbs. Huaca Pucllana is a great adobe and clay pyramid complex built between AD 200 to 700, predating the mighty Inca empire by several centuries. The site is flabbergasting, awe-inspiring, and utterly jarring all at once. Never before have I been surrounded by something so ancient, yet still in the centre of a bustling city. The experience is anachronistic in the most spine-tingling fashion. The yellowed brick walls surrounding the complex seemed steeped in history, and the gargantuan pyramid standing in the centre has to be seen to be believed. You can walk around and on top of the great seven tiered pyramid with a guide, taking in the the photogenic views that this offers. The history of the site is still shrouded in mystery, with researchers suggesting that Huaca Pucclana was used as a ceremonial site, the great pits to the side of the pyramid perhaps being used as offering sites for fish and shells. While Macchu Picchu will always capture the hearts of the majority of travelers to Peru, Huaca Pucclana affords the motivated visitor to Lima the opportunity to step around and on a site far older than it’s mountainous cousin, all without the 4 day hike or exorbitant entry fee.

Historical CENTRE

I know. The words, ‘Historical Centre’ hardly scream exciting experiences and diversity. However, the central historical zone of Lima gives and gives, and provides one discovery after enough for the curious traveler. Here you can wander amidst buildings that date back to the the first capital of the invading conquistadors, striding beneath vaunted colonial edifices and facades. take time to wander amidst The Government and Archbishop palaces, noting their sheer grandiosity amidst the bustling city centre. One activity that should be on any to-do list within Lima is a thorough exploration of the Church of San Francisco - conveniently located in the downtown area. A tour here will lead the visitor on a deep dive through the sinuous catacombs snaking beneath the old church. Grisly burial pits containing hundreds of skeletal remains dot the passages, and the low lighting only adds to the macabre mood. The tour, however, ends on a thoroughly celestial note - with visitors then being given a walk-through of the adjoining monastery, containing countless religious artefacts and writings from the early years of conquest in Latin America.

Circuito Mágico Del Agua

Magic water park? Ordinarily, count me out. You couldn’t keep me far enough away from something that sounds so banal and family oriented. However, calling the circuit a ‘water park;’ is undoubtedly doing the space an injustice. Take a short taxi ride from Miraflores or Barranco to visit this park at around dusk from Tuesday - Sunday any week of the year. While the park itself ins’t very large, the vibe here is transformation - watch as varicoloured fountains dazzle the air around you, taking in the technicolor light show cast through each fountain. As night descends the light show will intensify, keeping the space stimulating and exciting for young and old. If the day happens to be hot, there are also two fountains that can walk among - the gentle drenching of this interactive show adding a distinctly experiential element to the park.

Reflecting on my time in Lima, I look back on it as one of the fondest few weeks that I spent in Latin America. Whilst Lima’s reputation as being a ‘boring’ capital centre may seem justified on face value, the city is one that will reward that traveler whom scratches beneath the surface. From food that is superlative to any description containing ‘mouth watering’, cultural experiences that rival any big city on the continent, and a populace that is friendly, polite and welcoming, this city is one that has a lot to give, and a lot of reasons to visit.

Missed anything that you can’t miss in Lima? Let us know in the comments below!