20 UNIQUE THINGS TO DO LIMA, PERU & FACTS

20 LIMA, PERU FACTS AND UNIQUE THINGS TO DO, including Top 10 things to do in Lima, South America's most majestic capital: plazas, churches, museums, pyramids

20 Lima, Peru Facts are most Interesting

With close to 10,000,000 inhabitants, Lima, Peru's capital, is the largest city of Peru, and the third largest of the Americas.

The lands of what is now the capital, were inhabited by several ethnic groups under the Ychsma leadership. With the rise of the Incas, they became incorporated into the Inca empire by the fourteen hundreds. This was the situation that Francisco Pizarro found when he landed there in 1532. Appointed governor by the Spanish King of the lands he conquered, he and his conquistadores sat out to conquer what is now called Peru. A few years later he chose the Rimac Valley as the capital of the new territory in 1535.

The capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru grew in importance and in 1543 it became the seat of the Real (Royal) Audiencia. It set up a profitable trade network thus integrating Lima with the rest of the Americas, Europe and the Far East. As other colonial nations, like the Netherlands and England as well as pirates attacked the city at a number of occasions, between 1684 and 1687, a wall was built to defend the city, of which very little has survived until the present day. When in that same year a massive earthquake destroyed many of the city's buildings, many were rebuilt in Spanish Baroque style, and subsequently, new buildings arose in Spanish Neoclassicism and Spanish Colonial styles.

Generating about 55% of Peru's GDP, Lima is the industrial and financial center of Peru and many companies are based in the city, producing more than 2/3 of Peru's industrial output and most of  the country's services sector. With More than 7000 factories, Lima spearheads the nation's industrial development with products including textiles, clothing food, chemicals, fishmeal, leather and oil derivatives. Industries are found west of downtown to the airport in Callao. In fact, Callao has developed into the principle port - both marine and air -, not only for Lima but for the entire country. It also is the most important fishing harbor.  Lima has the largest export industry in South America, and is a regional hub for the cargo industry. The financial sector is San Isidro. With the Jorge Chávez International Airport, important museums, a colonial old town, ancient pyramids, visiting Lima is a must to understand Peruvian culture.

But poverty in Lima is still widespread in the peripheral areas. Many people have moved from the Andes  to find work in Lima, often with little success. When heading to your hotel after having flown into Lima are the poor neighborhoods of the outskirts of the city.

Lima also is the seat of many national offices of the national government, including the executive branch headquartered in the Government Palace on the Plaza de las Armas. The Congress of Peru has its seat in the Legislative Palace, while the Supreme Court has its seat in the Palace of Justice. All the ministries have their headquarters in Lima.

Visiting Lima is an absolute must. Its historical center, or old town Lima, is a UNESCO World Heritage site where many pre-Colombian and majestic colonial buildings dominate the cityscape. The oldest buildings are the Huacas, archeological pyramid sites found both within and around the city. Foremost, it is home to many old colonial churches, cloisters and monasteries, all of the publically accesible and beautifully restored. Examples of Lima's early colonial architecture include the Monastery of San Francisco, the Cathedral of Lima and the Torre Tagle Palace. Like in the rest of the world, architecture in the 1800s shifted to  neoclassical and Art Nouveau styles and many grandiose buildings are have been built in that style, including many government buildings and cultural institutions.

The National University of San Marcos, founded in 1551, is the oldest continuously functioning university of the Americas. It is located in the Parque Universitario, where one can also find remnants of the colonial city walls.

The best museums of the country are found in Lima, and some of them arte of world-class quality, like the Museo Larco showcasing Peru's pre-colombian history varying from ancient coastal - the Moche, Chavin - to more recent Andean civilizations - the Incas - and many local civilizations.

For staying overnight, Miraflores, the neighborhood of the more affluent population, is among the safest areas to be, and one finds many reasonably priced restaurants there. Another good neighborhood is Barranco, with some of the more romantic restaurants and a nice pedestrian street leading to the beach, but a bit further away from old-town. Both neighborhoods are right on the coast, which can be reached on foot.

20 Unique Things to Do in Lima Peru

In Old-town, everything is centered around the Plaza Mayor or Plaza de las Armas.

Plaza de las Armas.

Beautifully maintained with flowerbeds and pots, it is surrounded by Lima's grandest buildings.

Breathtakingly beautiful, Lima's cathedral had to be rebuilt after a major earthquake in the nineteenth century.

No doubt the Archbishop's palace is the most beautiful building on the Plaza Mayor.

Left above: the interior of the Lima Cathedral.

Above, Pizarro's mausoleum in the Cathedral.

Left: a detail of the impressive church doors of the Cathedral.

Above left: Fenced off by a wrought iron gate, the Presidential Palace, breathes dignity and beauty.

Above: The palace has important wings at each side.

Left: The Palace is guarded by a guard of honor.

At the Western and Southern sides of the Plaza de las Armas are yellow palace-like buildings, like this Palace Union Club building.

Beautifully illuminated, the Plaza de las Armas is a must to see at night:

The Presidential Palace at night.

The Municipal Palace at night.

The Archbishop's Palace at night.

The Lima Cathedral at night.

Top left and right and middle left: The Old Lima Post Office and shopping gallery.

Above: the former Desamparados Railway Station.

Left: Restored and amplified, the Rima Bridge dates back to the 1500s.

Left above: Casa Aguera.

Above: Colonial houses of Lima.

Left: The Peruvian Linguistic Academy is housed in the largest colonial mansions, the Casa de Osambela or Oquendo.

The Torre Tagle Palace houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the Nineteenth century, Lima started flourishing again and many new monumental buildings were errected in neoclassical style, like the Palace of Justice (top left), the Comercio Building (top), the Peru Stock Exchange (middle left). More in a neo-renaissance is the Rimac building (left).

Plaza San Martin.

The second most famous square in Lima is the Plaza San Martin, surrounded by gorgeous neoclassical buildings.

Lima's oldest structures are the Huacas, pre-Colombian pyramids sites within and around the city, several of which beautifully restored.

Huaca Juliana Pyramid.

The Huaca Juliana is probably the best-known huaca, facilitating an excellent lunch restaurant at its premises.

Huaca Mateo Salado Pyramid.

Less known, but more interestingly shaped is the Huaca Mateo Salado Pyramid, which however is not always open to the public. It is amazing that such place can still be found in the middle of Lima.

The Nazarenas Church.

La Merced Church is one of the more exuberant baroque churches.

Just a block away from the Plaza Mayor is the Santo Domingo Church and Convent.

The San Agustin Church.

The San Francisco Church and convent is built in early colonial style.

A less well know but nice church is the San Pedro Church.

The Corazon Maria Magdalena de la Mar Church, is outside the common route and built in a totally different style, more representing the style of the Orthodox churches. 

Remnants of the old city wall are found near the Parque Universitario.

The San Marcos University in Lima is the oldest permanently functioning university of the Americas.

A fantastic old restaurant, serves excellent sandwiches and wines.

The Plaza Francia.

Barranco is the outgoing part of Lima. Clubs and bars with folkloric music are everywhere, particularly Afro-Peruvian and Criollo music. On weekends, restaurants serve "Taste of Barranco" on outside terraces from tables filled with all sorts of dishes, while prices are very reasonable.

Left above: path to the coast, lined with restaurants and clubs.

Above: Train restaurant.

Left: Barranco San Francisco Church.

Left under: Barranco overlook.

Below: pedestrian bridge of the sighs or suspiros.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE LIMA, PERU & CLIMATE

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE LIMA, PERU & CLIMATE: CLIMATE DATA ON WEATHER, RAINFALL & SEASONS. Graphs: hours of sunshine, overcast, rainfall, temperatures, etc.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE LIMA, PERU & CLIMATE

Lima, peru, has a rather peculiar climate. Despite being in the tropics, daytime temperatures may be as low as 18 °C in winter (June - September) on a chilly day and 29 °C at a hot day during the summer (January - April); in other words, never very cold nor very hot. Nights vary from 14 °C in winter and 20 °C in summer. Rainfall is minimal, 1 - 60 mm per year, but in spite of that, the skies are usually overcast, except during the winter, which has the most hours of sunshine. Humidity is high throughout the year. During the winter, the skies may be blue, so winter is the best time to visit Lima but Machu Picchu is a different story, where the best weather coincides with the vacation time of North America and Europe.

All this is due to the cooling effect of the cool Humboldt current coming from the Antarctic, bringing cool air on land, where the relatively higher temperatures prevent the formation of rain.

However, during Nińo years, when the sea temperatures rise from around 18 °C to above 25 °C. With the water temperature, also the atmospheric temperatures rise and rainfall drastically increases. On the other hand, during Nińa years, temperatures drop below average and rainfall is practically absent.

Lima lies at an elevation of about 100 m and has the following climate data:

In fact, Lima, Peru, Jorge Chávez International Airport is the primary port of entry into Peru.

20 UNIQUE THINGS TO DO LIMA, PERU & FACTS