Lima, Peru

Shopping Tour in Monterrico

In the same way that the hotel infrastructure has undergone dramatic development in the last few years, the shopping scene in Lima has become much more diverse and sophisticated. Whilst quality and price usually reflect the type of establishment where goods are sold, this is not always the case in Lima and even in the most exclusive stores you can find quality goods for a reasonable price.

This residential area lately has become an important addition to the shopping scene. The Jockey Plaza is the focus, named due to its location within the perimeters of a race course. Opened in 1997, it is one of the largest and most comprehensive shopping centers in Lima, containing huge department stores like Ripley and Saga Falabella, as well as stores that sell a wide range of shoes, books, clothes for men, women and children, accessories, surf equipment, household goods and gifts stores.

The Avenida Caminos del Inca is not only known for being one of the largest streets in Monterrico, but also for the shopping center of the same name. The Caminos Del Inca shopping mall is smaller than the Jockey Plaza, but still has plenty of boutiques, shoe, and music and gifts.

Another famous avenue for shopping in this district is El Polo, where the El Polo shopping center is located. The center is in front of the U.S. Embassy and is characterized as being small but having a tremendous diversity of clothing stores for women, men and children, as well as a Pharmax store where you can find medicine, gifts and books, even wine and deli products.

Shopping in Miraflores

In the Larcomar Shopping Center you can enjoy a beautiful view of the beach and find, in addition to some fun and good food, gift shops, compact discs, toys and accessories. A more casual alternative in this district that you will find is the small Romeo and Juliet Gallery which has alternative fashion stores and two movie theaters.

On Petit Thouars Avenue in this district, you can find several Artisan's Markets which contain a large variety of art from around Peru. It is normal to haggle with the vendors since they will usually offer their wares at a higher price with the intention of reaching an accord somewhere in the middle. Yachaywasi is another artisanal store that also has an interesting selection of souvenirs for tourists.

Alpaca textiles are the product of ancient tradition and are well known for their excellent quality, softness and beauty. The Casa de la Alpaca has a large selection of clothes for everyone. Another important chain specialising in this fabric is Alpaca 111, which has a nice selection of sweaters, fabrics and textile accessories made out of Alpacas and Vicuñas. There are also many shops in the Indian markets, which sell products made from a variety of different fabrics, such as wool, alpaca, vicuña and cotton.

Peruvian crafts and fine metalwork are of a very high standard, especially the silverwork, which is recognized worldwide. The market ranges from items for the small budget to more expensive elaborate works. One of the most prestigious chains of shops in this field is Camusso, which has been established for many years offering a large selection of silver jewelery. Another good place for silver work is Juan Banchero.

Shopping in San Miguel

In the densely populated San Miguel district is the recently refurbished shopping center of Plaza San Miguel, containing a large selection of clothes boutiques, toy and gift shops and more. The centre also has a branch of Saga Falabella and Ace Home Center, which sells hardware, garden tools, DIY and home fittings.

Among the most popular tourist purchases in Lima are the many Peruvian arts and crafts, which represent the various people, regions and traditions of the Peruvian cultures. The Gran Mercado Inca can be found in the Avenida la Marina, which has many outlets offering different crafts from across the country.

Shopping in Barranco and Chorrillos

Las Pallas, in Barranco, offers a variety of one-off pieces from all of Peru. One of Lima's best-known jewelers is Esther Ventura, who produces jewelery in silver, based on pre-Inca designs, as well as more original creations. Her jewelery is available in her workshop located on the seafront of Chorrillos.

Temple of Pucllana

Lima's archaeological legacy includes some wonderful treasures from the various cultures, which have inhabited parts of the capital for 4,000 years. A good place to start an archaeological tour of Lima and its surrounding areas would be in the capital itself, where coastal cultures such as the Chavín and the Wari have left the marks of their civilizations.

Visitors can begin their tour in the well-known district of Miraflores, where they can find the Huaca de Pucllana. This huaca was part of an old feudal administration that was said to be an oracle which attracted people looking for answers to the problems in their lives, which were given in the Quechua language by a man named Rimac. The oracle had such a great influence in the valley that it ended up being named after the counselor, later renamed Lima by the Spanish conquerors.

Temple of Huallamarca

You can continue on to the neighbouring district of San Isidro to Huaca Huallamarka, built in the early 20th Century. This sacrosanct monument is a kind of truncated pyramid with a ramp rising from the ground, which the priest and his followers must have ascended, in order to carry out their rituals. The structure of this building is reminiscent of similar ones in Mexico, which were left by the Aztecs, only smaller and made from different materials. This one was constructed with clay and tiny pebbles—of the sort one would find on a riverbed—which have been laid out symmetrically.

This huaca has a museum on site where the Momia de los Cabellos Largos, "Long-haired mummy" is one of the exhibits. This mummy could have been the Princess of the feudal administration to which the temple belonged. Archaeologists have yet to discover everything about this temple; some studies suggest the existence of an old citadel buried underneath it, dating from the year 800 BC.

After visiting these two interesting pre-Columbian temples, visitors can take a bus toward the interior (the sierra) along the Carretera Central de Lima as far as Kilometer 7.5, which exits at Ate-Vitarte. This is the site of the pretty constructions of Puruchuco, the remains of which are in very good condition. This construction has a museum on site where the mummy of the Señor de Puruchuco is on show along with the remains of various ceramics and fine cloths, among other things.

Citadel of Huachipa

At Kilometre 12.5, you will come to a minor road, which takes you in the direction of Huachipa. The road is in rough shape, but will take you to Cajamarquilla, the main citadel of the coastal Wari culture. It was constructed in brick and housed more than 15,000 people. It seems to have been a vital centre for coastal commerce and played an important role in fulfilling the basic administrative principals of reciprocity and redistribution between the settlements of the coastal area. Religious festivals, at which offerings of produce to be redistributed later were made, reinforced these principles.

Ancient Pachacamac

The Wari Empire collapsed in 1100 AD and this city was supplanted by the fortress and religious center Pachacamac, henceforth the administrative laws became more aligned with cultures such as the Inca. This major religious and administrative center is the most important in Lima. Its remains stand as testimony, and are the most visited in the capital.

Pachacamac is situated at Kilometre 31 of the old Southern Pan-American Highway, in Lurín, and is accessible by public transport or under your own steam. Admission is 10 soles and it is recommended to hire a guide to best appreciate the significance of the 11 buildings constructed on this yellow hill opposite the sea. The site has remains from ancient cultures, like the Huaca de Adobitos, which originated from the Maranga culture, around 650AD.

The complex also has Inca constructions such as the Casa de las Escogidas, or Acllawasi, where Inca concubines were educated. One thing that stands out in this construction, of a design recalling Cuzco, is the large square with niches where chosen women would make offerings to the Gods and carry out their ceremonies. The pools were used to keep multi-colored fish.

The Pachacamac temple is in a very poor state of repair, but one can still tour this ancient brick structure, which used to have a wooden beam in the center of the temple that all the pilgrims from along the coast would worship like a god. This beam can now be found in the site museum. The Templo del Sol is the largest and most important construction at Pachacamac, situated at the highest point of the hill, looking out to sea. Inside there are niches where the ceremonies of the sun cults were performed.

A tour around Callao and La Punta

Well before the arrival of the Spanish conquerors, the Chalacos (the Quechua name for the local inhabitants of Callao) were famed for their festiveness and friendliness, which is why the area has always been so popular among visitors.

Some of the suggested stop-offs of Callao are the following:

Carmen de la Legua Church

Located in Colonial Avenue, this is a beautiful church, which was constructed toward the beginning of the 18th century. Inside, you can see an ancient image of the Virgen de Carmen.

Callao Bay

From the beginning of the 19th Century onwards, many immigrants from Asia and Europe, especially Chinese and Italians, arrived in the Bay of Callao. A boom in guano exports (a natural fertilizer, derived from the accumulated droppings of an estimated 40 million seabirds, over the course of millenniums) had merchant seamen racing to fill their hulls with the odorous cargo. They would sail back and forth from the northern to Southern Hemisphere and many of the sailors ended up as residents of the local port. This particular migratory flow came to an abrupt end with the economic crisis that started in the early 1880's.

San Lorenzo and the Frontón Islands

Easily seen from land, these are the first islands to offer a welcome to passing visitors. San Lorenzo Island used to be a pirates refuge in the Spanish colonial days, and El Frontón today hosts a penal colony for those sentenced for terrorist offenses.

Royal Felipe Fort

Located between the port and the navel lighthouse, this was one of the largest forts built by Spain in the 18th Century. In 1952, the Royal Felipe Fort was declared a National Monument and today houses an interesting museum and an army unit.

Naval Museum

Located a few blocks from the Royal Felipe fort, the Naval Museum offers a display of many valuable documents related to Peruvian Navy History, as well as other relics from the 1879 War of the Pacific against Chile, and belongings pertaining to Miguel Grau, one of Peru's military heroes. From here, a short boat tour can be arranged, offering the visitor the chance to admire the most important places around the bay.

La Punta

At the end of the 19th Century, La Punta was one of the top summer resorts, especially among Lima's upper classes. However, over the years, and due to the city's southerly expansion, this beautiful place has gradually become less popular, but continues to be a pleasant area to walk along the boardwalk.

Local Chalaco Restaurants

Fish and shellfish are the main ingredients of the dishes on offer. We suggest the typical Cebiche (fish marinated in lemon juice); Parihuela (a spicy soup with lots of shellfish and fish), or the exquisite Corvina a la Chalaca (sea bass Chalaca- style). Recommended local eating-houses are Maguila, La Casa de Domitila and Franchesco.

Lima Beaches

The Lima seaboard is popular not only for its hearty culinary offerings of a tasty selection of fish and shellfish dishes to choose from, but also for the diversity of its beaches, ideal for all surfers. The main city districts come to an abrupt end by the high cliffs that border the shoreline. At the base of these is found a coastal highway—known locally as the "Costa Verde", (The Green Coast), which skirts the edge of all the principal beaches. Most of these beaches are rocky and have a regular flow of waves, a condition that makes them an excellent spot for surfing. The most popular beaches are found in the Miraflores. district.

Makaha Beach is characterized by smaller waves and visited mostly by surfboard beginners. However, further out one finds La Reventazón (The Blowout), which are bigger waves that offer much better conditions for all those fond of long-board surfing. Pampilla Beach is often included in the tour circuits of national surf championship competitions. With a regular flow of waves that vary in size from medium to large, offering better conditions than Makaha beach. Surfers are able to use both short- and long-boards. At Punta Roquitas Beach, here, the waves that sweep in from the ocean don't run as far as those found on Pampilla beach, but they are much faster, as well as being more consistent throughout the whole year.

Herradura Beach is in the Chorrillos district you will find La Herradura beach, with a stony seabed, and located on the left side of a large rock escarpment. The waves that break along this part of the shoreline can swell up to four meters in height.

To the south of Lima there are a greater variety of beaches to choose from, with access via and linked by the southbound Pan American highway, and mean water temperatures and climate that obviously change according to the season. At Señoritas Beach, this is a beach with a stony seabed and fast, tubular waves that sweep in from the south, swelling up on their northern flanks. The recommended surfboard sizes are the same as for Caballeros beach. Pico Alto Beach, as its name (High Peak) indicates, this beach features some of the tallest waves in the Lima district, which can rise up more than seven meters in height. It is located 28 miles down the Pan American highway, in the Playa Norte resort on Punta Hermosa. The surfboards used here are nicknamed Picoalteras (High-peaks) and are usually eight feet in length or more.

Punta Rocas Beach is located 30 miles down the Pan American highway, this is a well known beach on the international surfboard circuit thanks to the championships that are hosted here. The beach is sandy and the waves sweep in from both the right and left over a stony seabed. Puerto Viejo Beach is a big sandy beach located 44 miles down the Pan American highway. Puerto Viejo features a quick tubular wave with an attractive sweep than can break with a height of up to two meters. These waves can be surfed on boards of six feet and longer. The use of a wetsuit is recommended in winter.

The Cerro Azul Pier is an old port characterized by a long jetty, used nowadays by local fishermen. A beautiful landscape blends well with a long, perfect wave sweeping in from the left, which is also good for long-board surfers. There are good swells on the right hand side of the jetty, where an average, tubular formed wave breaks, which, although of a shorter run, has all the necessary attributes. Here surfboards of six feet or more, including long-boards, can be used.

Calendar of Local Festivals

Peru is a country with a rich cultural tradition, often expressed by local festivals, held throughout the year, according to the customs of each town and village. During the last week of February, Lima hosts its well-known Carnival, where you will be able to see many colorful and vibrant dresses. One month later in Ica, a hot, picturesque province to the south of the capital, The Grape Harvest starts. During this colourful pageant a queen is elected, who doesn't only have to demonstrate her charm and beauty, but also part of her ancestral inheritance to "tread grapes." This custom has been carried out in Ica since the days of the Spanish colony. At the beginning of April (as well as December), the National Horse Dressage Competition is held in the town of Pachacámac (found to the south of Lima).

And on May 3rd, the traditional Festival of the Cross is held in Punta Hermosa, a beautiful beach resort also close to Lima. Another very interesting event is the Festival del Pisco. It should be mentioned that this rather potent spirit was created in the town of the same name, found to the south of Lima. Pisco is made from an elaborate process using grapes, which can be seen in the local haciendas dedicated to this task. The Pisco Festival is held in the province of Cañete, in the Pacarán district, on May 5th.

July is a month full of patriotic significance. On July 28, 1824, the Argentinean General José de San Martín, obligingly proclaimed Peru's independence from the Spanish Crown. This date has since been made a public holiday, and the Fiestas Patrias are passionately celebrated around the whole country. Even though each particular celebration is an important event for those in the town or village that hold it, undoubtedly the Señor de los Milagros Procession is one of the most transcendental religious events in the whole country. Another traditional albeit controversial celebration, is the Señor de los Milagros Bull Festival that starts on the first Sunday in October and then continues on each successive Sunday.

On October 29, in the port of Callao, the well-known Verbena Criolla (Creole Carnival) is held, bringing together local artists who offer a musical homage to the Master of the Seas. When speaking about Peruvian cultural traditions, music and song, how not to mention the National Song Day held on October 31. Throughout the capital, well-known artists and important local musicians pay tribute to our country's vibrant musical and cultural heritage.

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Museums

Lima has quite a considerable array of museums, including art, archaeology and history. The Museo de Arte de Lima, situated in the centre of Lima, was the city's first museum of art and houses Peruvian art spanning more than 3,000 years, from the pre-Inca cultures to contemporary art.

The Museo de la Nación has a permanent collection, which covers all of Peru's archaeological and ethnographic regions and in addition, a replica of the royal tombs of the Señor de Sipán. The largest private collection of Mochicha art in the world is to be found in the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera along with the famous erotic huacos (ceramic relics). Visit the Museo Amano to admire the wonderful collection of pre-Hispanic textile arts. The Pedro de Osma Museum is a museum housed in an old mansion and contains pieces of art in every textile imaginable, even metal and glass. This museum not only has local artists from Peru but art from throughout the world. To witness a piece of history about the Spanish Inquisition, visit the Museo de la Inquisición, where you can venture below to the dungeons and see all of the torture instruments that the conquistadors used against infidels.

Galleries

Lima has an interesting stable of artists and every two years the Bienal de Arte is held when various galleries and large buildings in the center of Lima open to the general public with exhibitions of works by Peruvian and foreign artists.

The most popular galleries include the Galería de la Municipalidad de Miraflores and Galería Forum, which can both be found in Miraflores. In the district of Barranco you can find the Praxis Gallery and in San Isidro there are always interesting exhibitions in the Galería Cecilia González and in the Centro Cultural de la Universidad Católica.

Folk & Salsa Clubs (Peñas & Salsódromos)

Peru is very rich culturally, in dance, music and tradition. Las Peñas are folk clubs to gather together to the rhythms of Criolla (Creole) or traditional music. Lima has several Peñas such as the well-known Sachún, and El Eslabón in San Borja, where they also stage Folkloric Ballets like Así es Mi Perú (That's My Peru), as well as some more tourist traps such as Manos Morenas, offering dining, situated in Barranco.

The Peña folklórica held at Brisas del Titicaca affords unforgettable performances of Andean song and dance—especially from the Puna district. The lively ambiance invites all to join in along with the cast of professional performers. It is without a doubt the best spot in town of its kind. No video cameras are allowed, still cameras permitted.

A stop over at a Salsódromo (salsa club)in order to be able to dance salsa, meringues, or any other variation of Afro-Latin-Caribbean music is a must. These venues specialize in these musical styles and normally showcase numerous live bands, which, in most cases, play until the early hours. The best-known Salsadromes are Bertolotto in San Miguel, and the popular Kimbara.

Bars, Clubs & Discotheques

Miraflores is a great choice to have a good time. El Parque Central was rebuilt in the early '90s and since then has become the ideal place to go for a stroll. The park has an amphitheater where you can enjoy free shows, which start in the early afternoons, and may be music, theater, mime or dance. Also to be found in the park is the Rotonda de los Artesanos, where you will find on show and for sale all types of goods including antiques.

Larcomar is a recently built shopping and entertainment center, which has a privileged location on the seafront. It has a selection of restaurants, ice-cream parlors, and shops selling accessories, books and gifts as well as a multiplex cinema, bowling alley. It also has charming jazz bars and some exclusive discos such as Gotica and Aura.

Barranco, an old health spa, also has its own special character. It is situated in one of the most beautiful districts in the city for its cathedrals and scenic neighborhoods from the old Lima. However, Barranco is also known for its active nightlife, which is dominated by the many live shows of Peruvian jazz, rock and blues bands performing at La Noche and El Dragón.

Cinema & Theater

For cinema-lovers, there are a huge number of multiplex cinemas, which have sprung up all over the city. They mostly show Hollywood blockbusters. The state of the art cinemas, are at Larcomar and the Pacífico Cinemas, both located in Miraflores, as well as the multiplex at the Jockey Plaza mall in Monterrico. For those who prefer less mainstream, independent films, there are Filmoteca de Lima, which is in the Museo de Arte de Lima, El Cinematógrafo de Barranco, and the cinema at the Centro Cultural de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú in San Isidro, and where once a year they hold the Latin-American Film Festival where you have the opportunity to see films that represent Latin-America.

Lima is not really known for its theater, but from time to time there are a few interesting plays and shows. The City of Lima and the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano are two institutions that organize annually very good international festivals, in which you can enjoy the best dance companies and local theater, as well as renowned groups from other parts of the world.

For those who enjoy light comedy, one of the oldest and best-known comedy theaters is the Teatro Marsano in Miraflores. The theater at the Centro Cultural de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú stages a varied repertoire of works from a diverse range of dance and theater companies, usually of a very high standard. Teatro Larco has a fine reputation, and throughout the year presents both contemporary and classical plays.

The in-house theatre of Teatro de la Casa Yuyachkani is one of the most alternative theatre spaces in Lima, where the Yuyachkani theater group continuously presents shows which usually mix theater with dance and movement.