How many days in Lima? 3 days, planned around lunch
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Lima is usually a one-night stop on the way to Cusco, which is a waste of one of the best food cities in the world. Give it three days: one for the colonial Centro Histórico, one for the clifftop districts of Miraflores and Barranco, and one for the pre-Inca past at Museo Larco and Pachacamac. Plan the days around lunch, the main meal, when ceviche is served.
Short answer
Two days covers the historic centre and Miraflores with Barranco. The third day adds Museo Larco, the Magic Water Circuit at night, and the adobe temples of Pachacamac.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The Centro Histórico
Morning. Take an Uber from Miraflores, about 30-45 minutes in traffic, to the Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas), part of the UNESCO-listed centre. Visit the Cathedral of Lima, where Francisco Pizarro is buried (about S/30), and watch the changing of the guard at the Government Palace around 11:45-12:00.
Afternoon. Walk 5 minutes to the San Francisco Monastery for its library and the catacombs, where the bones of some 25,000 people are laid out in patterns (guided tour about S/15-20). Then see the carved wooden balconies on Jirón Ucayali and the Casa Aliaga, lived in by the same family since 1535.
Evening. Return before dark. Have a pisco sour at the bar of the Gran Hotel Bolívar on Plaza San Martín, known for its oversized 'catedral' pisco sour, then dinner in Miraflores. Peru celebrates the drink on National Pisco Sour Day, the first Saturday of February.
Lima traffic is heavy: allow an hour between the centre and Miraflores at rush hour, or use the Metropolitano bus lanes from Benavides to the Colmena station.
Day 2: Miraflores and Barranco
Morning. Visit Huaca Pucllana, an adobe pyramid of the Lima culture from around 500 AD, in the middle of Miraflores (about S/15 with a guide). Then walk the Malecón, the clifftop parks above the Pacific, to the Parque del Amor and Larcomar shopping centre, built into the cliff.
Afternoon. Lunch on ceviche, then take a 10-minute taxi or a 40-minute clifftop walk to Barranco. Cross the Puente de los Suspiros, the wooden Bridge of Sighs, walk down the Bajada de Baños to the sea, and visit the MATE gallery of photographer Mario Testino (about S/30).
Evening. Barranco is Lima's evening district: bars in old mansions, peñas with Afro-Peruvian music, and restaurants such as Isolina for home-style criollo cooking.
Paragliders launch from the Miraflores cliffs at Parque Raimondi; a tandem flight of about 10 minutes costs roughly S/250-300.
Day 3: Museo Larco, Pachacamac and the Magic Water Circuit
Morning. Visit Museo Larco in Pueblo Libre, an 18th-century mansion over a 7th-century pyramid, with 3,000 years of pre-Columbian art, gold and the famous erotic ceramics gallery (about S/40). Its garden café is a good breakfast.
Afternoon. Drive about 1 hour south to Pachacamac, a sanctuary used for 1,000 years before the Inca, with adobe pyramids and the Temple of the Sun overlooking the coast (about S/15, plus the site museum).
Evening. On Wednesday to Sunday evenings, go to the Circuito Mágico del Agua in the Parque de la Reserva, with 13 lit fountains and a laser show at about 19:15, 20:15 and 21:30 (around S/4).
If you prefer the sea, a boat from Callao to the Palomino Islands lets you swim with sea lions (about S/150-200, 4 hours).
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do the centre on Day 1 and Miraflores with Barranco on Day 2, adding Museo Larco on the way back to the centre.
Got extra days?
A 4th day can go to the Ballestas Islands and the oasis of Huacachina near Paracas (3.5-4 hours south by bus), or be spent at a cooking class and the Surquillo No. 1 market.
Where to stay in Lima
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Miraflores hostels / Barranco | Safe districts with good transport and cafés. | S/120-200 |
| Mid-range | Miraflores near Parque Kennedy | Central, safe and walkable, with restaurants on every block. | S/250-450 |
| Mid-range | Barranco | Boutique hotels in old houses near the bars and galleries. | S/300-500 |
| Comfort | Miraflores Malecón / San Isidro | Ocean-view hotels on the cliffs, or the business district's olive grove. | S/700-1,500 |
Getting around
Use Uber, Cabify or InDrive; rides within Miraflores and Barranco cost S/8-15, to the centre S/20-35. The Metropolitano bus line costs about S/3 and runs on its own lanes. Jorge Chávez Airport is in Callao, about 45-90 minutes from Miraflores depending on traffic; official taxis cost roughly S/60-90, and the Airport Express Lima bus runs to Miraflores. Do not hail unmarked taxis in the street.
What to eat in Lima
Order ceviche at lunch only, as Limeños do: raw fish cured in lime with chilli, onion, sweet potato and corn, about S/35-60 in a cevichería. Try causa (layered potato with chilli and chicken or crab), lomo saltado (stir-fried beef with fries, a Chinese-Peruvian dish), anticuchos (grilled beef heart) and ají de gallina. Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) and Nikkei (Peruvian-Japanese) cooking are local styles in their own right. The famous tasting menus at Central and Maido cost S/1,000 or more and are booked months ahead. Drink pisco sour and purple-corn chicha morada.
Best time to visit
December to April, Lima's summer, is sunny, around 26-29°C. From June to November the city sits under the garúa, a grey sea mist, at 15-19°C, with almost no rain. It is a fine time to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu, which are in their dry season.
Month-by-month weather for Lima →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | S/70 | S/180 | S/400 |
| Food & drink | S/50 | S/120 | S/300 |
| Sights & tickets | S/30 | S/70 | S/150 |
| Local transport | S/15 | S/40 | S/90 |
| Total per person, per day | about S/165 | about S/410 | about S/940 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Peruvian soles (about S/3.7 to US$1); upscale restaurants add 18% IGV tax and often a 10% service charge.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Lima safe for tourists?
Miraflores, Barranco and San Isidro are generally safe, day and night, with good policing. The historic centre is fine by day around the main squares but quieter after dark. Use ride-hailing apps instead of street taxis, keep phones out of sight in crowds, and avoid districts such as La Victoria near Gamarra unless with a local.
How many days do I need in Lima before Cusco?
At least two, ideally three. Lima is at sea level, so it is a good place to rest after a long flight before going up to Cusco at 3,400 metres. Flights between Lima and Cusco take about 1h20 and run many times a day.
Why is the sky in Lima always grey?
From about June to November, the cold Humboldt Current cools the air over the coast and creates a low layer of cloud and mist, the garúa. It almost never rains properly; Lima is a coastal desert. From December to April, the sun comes out and the beaches fill.
Do I need to book Lima's famous restaurants?
For Central, Maido, Kjolle and Mayta, yes, often two to three months ahead for dinner. Lunch slots are sometimes easier. Good cevicherías such as La Mar or Punto Azul do not take bookings for small groups; arrive by 12:30, as they close in the afternoon.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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