Lima Central

Central is the heart of Lima the capital city of Peru. Central Lima is comprised of four areas; Centro Historico (historic center), Barrios Altos, Barrio Chino and Santa Beatriz. To the east of the Historic Center are Barrios Altos and Barrio Chino. To the south of the Historic Center is Santa Beatriz.

Centro Historico (Historic Center) of Lima is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are a number of important sites located in the historic central, most notably the Plaza de Armas, the birthplace of Lima. Surrounding the plaza on the north Palacio de Gobierno del Peru (the Government Palace), to the east is Palacio Arzobispal de Lima (Archbishops Palace) and Catedral de Lima (Lima Cathedral). Within a few blocks are Basilica de San Francisco (San Francisco Basilica) and Palacio Torre Tagle (Torre Tagle Palace). Mercado Central (Lima Central Market) is located on Jiron Huallaga five blocks southeast of the plaza. On the southeast corner of the market, you will see Arch China which leads to Chinatown.

In the historic center, Jirón de la Unión (Union Street) is of importance when navigating. The historic center is divided east and west by Jirón de la Unión (Union Street), from which Cuadras (blocks) are numbered (for example Cuadra 4 will have street numbers in the range of 400 to 499).

Miraflores

Located along the Pacific coast, Miraflores is an upscale district with privileged residential areas upscale shopping district south of downtown Lima. Miraflores consists of many hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and department stores and is one of the main tourist attractions in Lima. Established as San Miguel de Miraflores, it was founded as a district in 1857. As a result of the Battle of Miraflores fought during the War of the Pacific, Miraflores received the designation of Ciudad Heroica (Heroic City).

Points of interest located in Miraflores include Miraflores Indian Market, Parque Central de Miraflores (Miraflores Central Park), Parque Kennedy (Kennedy Park), Parque de Amor (Lovers` Park), Huaca Pucllana, El Malecon, and Larcomar.

Barranco

Barranco district is thought of as the city`s most romantic and bohemian, being the home and working place of many of Peru`s leading artists, musicians, designers, and photographers. In the 1800s, it was a very fashionable beach resort for the Limeño aristocracy and many used to spend the summer here and in neighboring Chorrillos. Today, Barranco beaches are among the most popular within the worldwide surfing community and a marina completed in 2008 provides state-of-the-art services for its yacht club.

Barranco consists of many houses in the colonial and republican style (casonas), flower-filled parks and streets, and appealing beachfront areas. The district includes a variety of restaurants, nightclubs, discos, bars and peñas, where one can enjoy the Peruvian music shows. On Pedro de Osma Ave., some tracks remain from the former streetcar (between Chorrillos/La Herradura and Downtown Lima) can be seen.

A number of important sights are located in this bohemian district including Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), Bajada de Los Banos, La Dama Juana, Barranco Plaza, Parque Reducto No. 2 (Reducto No. 2 Park), The Contemporary Art Museum (The MAC), and Museo Pedro de Osma.

San Isidro

San Isidro is a district of the Lima Province in Peru, and one of the upscale districts that comprise the city of Lima. Officially established in 1930, San Isidro has become a major financial quarter in recent years, as many banks and businesses left downtown Lima to set up their headquarters in modern office blocks. It is inhabited by mostly upper-class families.

Nestled amongst the taller buildings is an archeological gem Huaca Huallamarca from the Lima culture period, an adobe pyramid that dates back to 200-500 AD. Huaca Hullamarca is a great example of the pre-Incan period complete with a museum with a mummy.