Day 1 in Lima

Welcome to Lima! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There are many exciting things to explore in Lima.

Start the afternoon with a hop on hop off tour of Lima which takes you to 7 of Lima`s finest attractions. The 3-hour tour begins at Larcomar Mall. Enjoy a little shopping or a bite to eat before hopping on the bus. First, you will see the scenic Parque Kennedy located in the Miraflores district. Next, you`ll see the archeological landmark Huaca Pucllana which is a pyramid from the pre-Incan period (200 AD -700 AD). Next, you`ll pass through Plaza Grau which features a monument of Peru`s revered hero Admiral Miguel Grau. Continuing on, you`ll take a peaceful drive through Plaza de Armas and take in the most splendid buildings in Lima, including Government Palace and Municipal Palace.

In the evening visit the Parque de la Reserva and be awed by the Magic Water Show, a dynamic display of eruptions combined with laser lights and music.

Day 2 in Lima

Start your day in Miraflores at El Parque del Amor (Lovers Park) which opened on Valentine`s Day, 1993 and is intensely popular among couples. Moving to Lima center, you will appreciate the Cathedral of Lima a magnificent building still in use. Then head by foot to San Francisco Church, which stores an impressive collection of ancient books and has a network of catacombs open to the public. Then continue to the Casa Aliaga (Aliaga House) an ancient viceregal house delivered by Francisco Pizarro for his captain Jeronimo de Aliaga, after founding the city and its construction started in 1535.

Finally, take a taxi to the Larco Museum, located in the traditional district of Pueblo Libre. It was founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926 and is located in a colonial mansion built over a 6th-century pyramid. You will find here a complete collection of Pre-Hispanic pieces of gold, silver and erotic art. More than 45,000 archaeological pieces are witnesses to three thousand years of Peruvian history. Afterward, enjoy a succulent dinner at Cafe del Museo Larco.

Day 3 in Lima

Transport by taxi from your hotel to Barranco, to visit the Osma Museum where you will see an extensive collection of Peruvian colonial art. Then you will take a short walk to the Mario Testino Art Gallery (MATE), where the famous Peruvian photographer displays his best photography which has become known worldwide. Then visit Las Pallas, a craft and traditional folk art hop, where you will be astonished by the wide and colorful variety of pieces brought from artisanal communities all over Peru. Finally, you will take lunch at a restaurant along Bajada a los Banos in Barranco (the path that leads to the ocean) for lunch, followed by a scenic walk through the romantic Bridge of Sighs, which inspired the great Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda to compose one of her most iconic songs (La flor de la Canela).

Additional Days in Lima

Enjoy a full day at one of the archaeological sites just outside of Lima. Just a short distance south of Lima is Pachacamac, a religious compound built about 200 AD and features giant pyramids of the sun and the moon. To the North of Lima is religious center Caral which has six pyramids surrounding a square. Caral was inhabited from about 2600-2000 BC and is considered the oldest urban center in the Americas.

Take a ride down the south coast to Paracus National Reserve. The water is clear and blue and the rocky cliffs are shaded yellow and Orange. The reserve is teaming with wildlife such as Humboldt penguins, sea lions, pelicans and too many birds to mention. Nearby are several beaches Playa de la Mina (Mina Beach) and Yumaque Beach.

Another day trip is to take an airplane flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines and view the geoglyphs which are thought to have been created by the Nazca culture between 500 BC and 500 AD. They were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.