how
To Get There
International Airport Jorge Chávez is located 10 miles from the center of Lima and a taxi ride will cost approximately $25. Take a registered taxi and agree on a price in advance. Visas are not required for citizens of most countries in the Americas and Western Europe. Travelers must pay a $28 departure tax at the airport.
To Get Around
Lima’s San Isidro district features many of the city’s finest restaurants, hotels and concert halls. Despite the building boom, San Isidro still has something of the aristocratic atmosphere for which this suburb was known for at the beginning of the century. This can be still felt clearly seen in the area of El Olivar, the centuries-old olive grove that has kept many of its original trees that stud this popular park. In recent years, the district has become a major financial quarter as many banks and businesses left downtown Lima to set up their headquarters in modern office blocks.
where
To Stay
The Park Plaza (Av. Malecón de la Reserva 1035, Tel: 511-242-3000, www.mira-park.com), part of the Orient-Express hotel group, combines luxury sea views with the top-of-the-line amenities. The hotel is located in one of Lima’s exclusive neighborhoods.
At the Country Club Lima Hotel (Los Eucaliptos 590, San Isidro, Tel: 511-611-9000, www.lhw.com) an outstanding hacienda-style building features antique furniture, marble baths and the latest amenities. It is next to the San Isidro Country Golf Club.
To Eat
La Eñe (Av. 2 de Mayo 220, Miraflores, Tel: 447-4807), a very recent addition to Lima’s excellent selection of restaurants, offers great food and nice atmosphere.
La Huaca Pucllana (in Miraflores at the corner of General Borgoño and Tarapacá, near Avenida Arequipa ) sits on a 4th century pre-Incan archeological ruin and offers not-to-be-missed views as well as great Peruvian food.
La Gloria (Atahualpa 201, Miraflores) serves top-notch Mediterranean cuisine in an upscale, intimate setting. Located on a quiet street one block from Avenida Pardo, the restaurant is popular with Lima’s business and cultural elites. Call ahead (Tel: 446-6504).
Astrid & Gaston (Cantuarias 175, Miraflores) is an extremely popular and trendy restaurant that offers nouvelle cuisine with a French flair and to-die-for desserts. Reservations are required (Tel: 444-1496).
To Drink
El Cordano is a 90-year-old tavern situated next to the Presidential Palace where even President Toledo himself has been seen. Las Brujas de Cachiche also is a pleasant, comfortable bar. We also recommend the bars at La Eñe and La Gloria.
To Unwind
More than 460 years have passed since its founding as a Spanish city, and Lima today is a hotbed of Peru’s mestizo or mixed-blood heritage. This alchemy of influences is most clearly seen in the city’s innovative cuisine, which gourmets rate among the world’s finest. Lima offers superb archaeological and natural attractions, museums, art galleries and theater productions. Its gold museum, Museo de Oro (Avda de Molina 1110, Monterrico, Tel: 345-1271), is a must-visit to see treasures and magnificent crafts from pre-Columbian times. El Olivar, a centuries-old olive grove that has many of its original trees, is a favorite spot for a walk in the park. The Museo de La Inquisición, near the Congress, is where the Inquisition ran its reign of terror in South American from 1584 to 1820. Don’t miss the tribunal’s dungeons and gruesome torture chambers.
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To Buy
Silver jewelry of modern design by Peruvian artist Ilaria Ciabatti (Av. Larco 1325, Tel: 511 444-2347). Visit Museo-Galería Popular de Ayacucho (Av. Pedro de Osma 116, Barranco) for Peru’s finest handicrafts. For a more colorful experience head to Artesanía Galerías Santo Domingo in front of Santo Domingo convent (Conde de Superunda y Camaná).