Whether you're a history buff, cultural explorer or a traveller looking for an interesting time, Lima has many stories to tell. In 1535, Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the Ciudad de los Reyes (City of Kings), strategically located on the banks of the Rio Rimac and close to the port of Callao. This is the site of modern Lima. Today, it is a huge metropolis, where modernity and ancient civilisations dwell cheek by jowl. The warmth of its people, excellent museums, good value Lima hotels and great cuisine are reason enough to explore this historical city.
Lima offers up a fine mix of history and a multicultural ethos that's quite irresistible.
It is said that in this part of South America the most valuable treasures of the new world were found. Cusco, Huancavelica, Jauja among others, were cities where the interests of the Spanish crown focused on for its wealthy, vast and commercial routes. Afterwards, when "The City of the Kings" was founded, the principal port activities were performed in what later would be known as the Callao port, making Lima the nerve centre of the country. For all this and more, the city of Lima has witnessed events that are reflected in its architecture, gastronomy, and the peculiar cultural mix of its inhabitants.
Much of Lima's storied past lives on in its Incan ruins and imposing Spanish architecture which are ideally visited on a Lima tour. A massive earthquake in 1746 destroyed ancient Lima. The city was carefully rebuilt; the wide roads, sprawling plazas and filigreed balconies that visitors see today have survived from that period of restoration. The historical downtown of Lima was named in 1988 as cultural patrimony of humanity by the UNESCO. It has rambling vice royal houses, balconies, old churches, streets and squares of great beauty and interest that can be appreciated either day or night since these monuments of "Cercado de Lima" district are beautifully lit up at night.
Lima is a melting pot of cultures and customs, ethnic arts and handicrafts. Visitors to Lima are treated with great warmth and hospitality at the many Lima hotels and Lima restaurants. You can even use our Lima map to choose your hotel in Lima based on its location.
Lima lacks picture postcard charm, but there is still plenty to see and do in Lima. As the country's business, administrative and cultural hub, Lima is a modern and busy city. There are huge contrasts, from the shanties housing immigrants to plush business complexes and elegant suburban homes by the sea. Yet, this is the gateway to Peru's awe inspiring natural and archaeological heritage and increasingly, a city in a hurry to catch up with more developed counterparts elsewhere in the world.
Barrios Altos is an old district that holds the first monumental cemetery of Latin America, inaugurated in 1808. It was called "El Presbítero Maestro" in honour of the priest, painter and Spanish architect Matías Maestro, who lived in the eighteenth century. There are current nocturnal Lima tours to this cemetery where the most distinguished personalities of the country are buried.
In each one of the ten provinces of Lima you can find flora and fauna that represent an impressive biodiversity, from its beaches and coastal hillocks to rough and winding roads, snow capped mountains, cascades, gullies, and Andean valleys. The pampas, hillocks and plateaus that begin in the seaside and are projected to the limits of the Andes mountain range and is precisely the area where the most important touristic potential of Lima can be found, since this area has various natural and cultural resources that are not frequently visited by tourists.
The surrounding areas of Lima have a large number of islands and islets where varied sea life can be appreciated, such as seals and Humboldt Penguins. You can also find innumerable migratory birds that arrive in La Punta, a historical district of Callao. Lima is a popular city to practice bird watching activities and has several wetlands and RAMSAR (Convention on Wetlands International Importance) in places such as the famous "Pantanos de Villa".
Today, Lima's fortunes are on the upswing. An ongoing urban renewal programme has reinvigorated the city centre; it has restored Lima's public spaces, museums, gardens and some shanty towns. Law enforcement is also more effective and taking a Lima tour is safe and interesting.
Being locally based, we know all there is to know about Lima! Check out our recommended hotels in Lima and tours in Lima and let us help you plan your ideal Lima holiday. Also, we can help you to plan a Peru holiday, because we know all the most interesting areas and sightseeing spots in our country.
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Hola y Bienvenido! Hello and welcome from Local Tours Peru...your local connection in Lima, Peru. We are located here in Lima to help you with all your travel needs to the capital of Peru. Whether you are staying long-term in the "City of Kings," or passing through on your way to another one of Peru's many stunning destinations, we can assist you in making a custom itinerary or answering any questions you may have. We look forward to meeting soon!
