A Day In Ciudad De Los Reyes: Exploring The Peruvian Capital, Lima

Pacific beach

The city sprawls along the Pacific Coast, making it a fantastic place to dip your toes in the water or sit back and read a book. The shores of these beaches are pretty rocky, yet offer many places to take a seat and watch surfers catching waves in the setting sun. If you enjoy the water, grab a wetsuit, rent a board and join the surfing crew to ride some waves yourself. The sound of the waves makes the oceanfront beaches a fantastic place for meditation, yoga or a quick getaway from the hustle of the city streets.

Oceanfront parks

If you prefer to see the ocean from a distance, the ocean is also lined with beautiful parks. The parks are connected through a chain of paved paths for walkers or bike riders. There are plenty of benches and green spaces to sit and relax, read or practice yoga. The parks are also full of a wide variety of interesting plants, shrubs and trees, bringing a bit of nature to the city. These parks are a little bit closer to the city and great for a quick sunset or meditation. They also are perfect when travelling by foot or by bike in between coastal districts. The parks are a great alternative for those looking for a quick ocean view or for those who love the ocean but not the beach.

Peatonales

In Peru, there are streets without cars called peatonales. Here you can find street performers, artisans, street food and little stores. Give your senses an authentic Peruvian experience. Enjoy local finger foods while you appreciate live music, dancers and jugglers. There are benches to sit back and watch those passing, making peatonales a perfect place to relax, people watch, and be entertained. When you are ready to get moving, browse the local and traveling artists. Here you can find jewelry, accessories, souvenirs, paintings and more. The peatonales are a wonderful place to slow down and learn about Peruvian culture through observation and live interaction.

Magdalena Market

If you are looking for a traditional Peruvian dining and shopping experience visit the Magdalena Market. It is one of the larger district markets in Lima and has everything from fruits and vegetables to clothing and fabrics. Here you will find many unique amazing fruits that are native to Peru. The broad range of climates in Peru provides a large variety of delicious treats. Passionfruit (maracuya in Spanish), camu camu and aguaje grown in the jungle, granadillas and mangos grown at the coast, and cherimoya and cactus tuna grown in the mountains. If you want a sweet dessert-like fruit, grab a cherimoya. If you are looking for a sour taste, make a juice out of passionfruit. If you want a sweet, light fruit with a gooey texture, pop open a granadilla. If you try a cactus tuna be very careful to avoid the fuzzy looking hairs, as they are really cactus spines and can leave an uncomfortable sensation in your mouth and on your hands if accidentally brushed against.

Aside from the fruit and produce the market has to offer, here you can also eat prepared Peruvian dishes. From choclo, one of the many varieties of corn, prepared boiled on the cobb, to tarwi, a mashed bean blend with mild spices, the market is swimming with opportunities to eat local specialties at competitive prices as low as 1 USD (~3 PEN). Stepping away from the local food stands, the market also has isles full of local plant extracts that can be used for first aid purposes and as holistic medicines. Look for sangre de grado (dragon’s blood) for a plant-based resin that can close open wounds, or aceite de copaiba, a tree resin that can be used to keep bacteria out of healing wounds and prevent scarring. Bring a Spanish speaker to learn even more about the Peruvian plant and food culture present in the Magdalena Market.

Barranco District

If you are looking for an eccentric layout and a creative energy, head to the Barranco District, a unique Lima neighborhood adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. The layered streets of Barranco are set up with many walkway bridges and hidden balconies. From the elevated portions, there are awesome views of Lima and of the Pacific Ocean. El Puente de los Suspiros, Spanish for the Bridge of Sighs, is one of Barranco’s most popular sites. This wooden bridge, built in 1876, offers visitors a fantastic landscape. Traveling to the ocean, Barranco is home to several beaches such as Playa Barranco and Playa los Pavos. Here you can enjoy relaxation, surf and sunsets.

Wandering through the Barranco streets visitors will find a wide variety of street art and murals. In addition to the vibrant streets and fantastic vistas, Barranco has plenty of cafes, hangouts, hostels and restaurants, making it a gathering point for travelers and Peruvians alike. Here you will also find museums like the Museo de Electricidad (Electricity Museum) and Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (Museum of Contemporary Art). The aura of Barranco is full of collaboration, expression and culture.

The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Tuesday through Sunday and costs ~3 USD (10 PEN) for regular admission and ~2 USD (6 PEN) for students. The Museo de Electricidad is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Sunday and offers free entry!