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3 Days in Lima: Itinerary 2026
Start your first day in Lima's Historic Center, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, and the Cathedral of Lima, which opens daily f… 🗺️ Day 1: Historic Center
Start your first day in Lima's Historic Center, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, and the Cathedral of Lima, which opens daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (entry 15 soles). Then walk to the Monastery of San Francisco to see its catacombs, open until 5:30 PM (entry 15 soles).
🍽️ Lunch in Barrio Chino
Head to Barrio Chino (Chinatown) for a cheap and delicious lunch at Salón Capón, a food court with dozens of stalls serving chifa (Peruvian-Chinese cuisine). Expect to pay around 15-25 soles per dish. It's a 10-minute walk from the Monastery of San Francisco.
🎨 Afternoon in Barranco
Take a 30-minute taxi (about 30-40 soles) or Uber to the bohemian district of Barranco. Stroll along the Bajada de Baños to the Bridge of Sighs, then visit the MAC Lima (Museum of Contemporary Art), open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (entry 20 soles).
🌅 Sunset at the Malecón
Walk along the Malecón de Barranco, a cliffside park with stunning ocean views. Grab a seat at a bench or a cafe like La Bodega Verde (Av. Pedro de Osma 200) for a coffee or pisco sour. The sunset around 6:00 PM is spectacular.
🍸 Dinner in Barranco
For dinner, try Central (Av. Pedro de Osma 301), one of the world's best restaurants, but book weeks ahead. A more casual option is Isolina (Av. San Martín 101), serving traditional Peruvian dishes like lomo saltado for around 50 soles. Both are within walking distance.
🏛️ Day 2: Miraflores & Huaca Pucllana
Spend your second day in Miraflores. Start at Huaca Pucllana, an ancient adobe pyramid in the middle of the city, open daily 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (entry 15 soles). Then walk to the Larco Herrera Park and the Indian Market for souvenirs.
🛍️ Shopping at Larcomar
Head to Larcomar, a shopping center built into the cliffs, with stores, restaurants, and a cinema. It's a 15-minute walk from Huaca Pucllana. For lunch, try Tanta (Av. José Larco 1235) for ceviche and other Peruvian classics (around 40 soles).
🚲 Paragliding or Biking
In the afternoon, you can go paragliding over the coast from the Miraflores cliffs (about 200 soles for a 15-minute flight) or rent a bike at the Malecón (30 soles per hour). Bike along the Costa Verde path to Barranco and back.
🌮 Day 3: Surquillo Market & San Isidro
On your last day, visit the Surquillo Market (Mercado de Surquillo) in Miraflores for a food tour. Try fresh fruit juices, anticuchos, and ceviche at stalls like Cevichería La Sirena (around 20 soles). It's open daily 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
🏙️ San Isidro's Business District
Take a 15-minute taxi to San Isidro, Lima's financial district, to see the Huaca Huallamarca pyramid (entry 10 soles) and the Parque El Olivar, a peaceful olive grove. For lunch, try Astrid y Gastón (Av. Paz Soldán 290), a fine-dining experience (set menu from 200 soles).
🎭 Evening in Miraflores
End your trip with a night out in Miraflores. Catch a movie at Larcomar or a play at the Teatro Británico (Jr. Bellavista 527). For a final dinner, head to La Mar (Av. La Mar 770) for exquisite ceviche and seafood (around 80 soles per person).
This is a solid plan. One thing I'd add is that on Day 1, the Monastery of San Francisco catacombs can get a long line by 11 AM. I went on a Thursday and still waited 40 minutes. If you can swing it, get there right when it opens at 9.
For Day 2, instead of the Indian Market for souvenirs, walk a few blocks to the Mercado Indio on Petit Thouars. It is more of a sprawling maze with better prices and less pressure to buy. The stuff at the park is marked up for tourists.
On Day 3, the Surquillo Market is fantastic but go early, around 8 AM, before the lunch rush. The fruit vendors will let you try anything. Grab a lucuma smoothie from the stall near the entrance, it is sweet and creamy like nothing else.
Yeah this looks great. One thing I'd add is for Day 2, if you're at Larcomar around sunset, grab a drink at the bar on the cliff edge at the back of the mall. You get this insane view of the sun dropping into the ocean and paragliders flying right past you. Costs like 25 soles for a pisco sour but the view is free. Also, for Day 3, skip Astrid y Gastón if you're on a budget and hit El Mercado nearby instead, same chef but way more casual and dishes start around 30 soles
Solid plan! For Day 1, if you are into photography, the viewpoint from the top of the Cathedral tower is worth the extra 10 soles, you get a killer shot of the whole plaza from above. On Day 2, if you bike, watch out for the cobblestone path near the Bridge of Sighs, I nearly wiped out on a rental bike there last year.
Things to Do in Lima (2026)
Start your Lima exploration in the Plaza de Armas, where you'll find the Government Palace and the Cathedral. Join a free walking tour from the plaza at 10 a.m. to learn ab… 🏛️ Historic Center Walk
Start your Lima exploration in the Plaza de Armas, where you'll find the Government Palace and the Cathedral. Join a free walking tour from the plaza at 10 a.m. to learn about the city's colonial past and see the balconies of the Archbishop's Palace.
🎨 Museums and Art
The Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre houses an impressive collection of pre-Columbian art, including erotic pottery. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., admission is 30 soles. Don't miss the on-site café overlooking the garden.
🍴 Culinary Hotspots
Lima is a foodie paradise. Book a table at Central in Miraflores, ranked among the world's best, or try the more affordable Astrid y Gastón. For a casual ceviche, head to La Mar in Miraflores, where a lunch portion costs around 50 soles.
🌊 Coastal Views
Walk or bike along the Malecón in Miraflores for stunning ocean views. Paragliding over the cliffs is a popular activity, with tandem flights starting at 200 soles. The Love Park (Parque del Amor) is a perfect sunset spot.
🏘️ Hidden Neighborhoods
Explore Barranco, Lima's bohemian district, known for its street art and colorful houses. Visit the Bridge of Sighs and browse local galleries. On weekends, the open-air market at the Municipal Park offers artisan crafts.
🚌 Getting Around
Use the Metropolitano bus system for quick travel along the main avenues; a single ride costs 2.50 soles with a rechargeable card. Taxis are affordable but always negotiate the fare before getting in. Uber and Cabify are also widely available.
🌙 Nightlife and Culture
For a lively evening, head to the Barranco district where you'll find salsa clubs like De Rompe y Raja. Catch a live peña show at La Dama Juana, featuring traditional music and dance. Cover charges are typically 20-30 soles.
🛍️ Local Markets
Visit the Surquillo Market for fresh produce and local snacks. Try a jugo de naranja (orange juice) for 3 soles. For souvenirs, the Mercado Indio in Miraflores offers alpaca sweaters and silver jewelry at negotiable prices.
tbh the larco museum tip is good but id also say check out the mali museum in barranco if you're into more modern stuff. it's smaller and less crowded, entry is like 15 soles and they have this cool rotating exhibit of contemporary peruvian artists. the building itself is an old mansion so the architecture is worth seeing too
for the markets part, surquillo is great but if you want a more chaotic experience go to the gamarra district. it's like lima's version of a massive textile market, everything from knockoff clothes to real alpaca stuff for way cheaper than mercado indio. just keep your wallet close and be ready to haggle hard, they start high with tourists
also the guide mentions central and astrid y gaston but honestly for a mid-range option that still feels fancy try isolina in barranco. it's a restored house with a courtyard and they do these tasting menus of traditional peruvian dishes for like 60 soles. the lomo saltado there is the best i've had in the city
the barranco recommendation is solid but most people miss the rooftop bars tucked away on the side streets. there's one called ayahuasca in a restored mansion that has a killer view of the bridge of sighs at night. drinks are like 25-30 soles so not cheap but the atmosphere is worth it
for the malecón walk i'd actually suggest starting from barranco and heading north towards miraflores. you get the best ocean views and pass through a quieter stretch where locals jog. the paragliding guys set up around 3pm when the wind picks up so that's the time to book
one thing the guide skips is the huaca pucllana ruins in miraflores. it's a pre-inca pyramid right in the middle of the city and they do night tours with lights. 15 soles entry and you can see it from the restaurant next door if you just want a drink
honestly the historic center walk is great but if you're there on a sunday they close some streets to traffic and the whole vibe changes. way more chill for photos without cars honking at you
also for the food part i'd add that you should try a sanguche de chicharron from a street cart near the plaza. it's like 10 soles and way more authentic than anything in miraflores. just look for the one with the longest line of locals
larco museum is worth the 30 soles for sure but go later in the evening when it's less crowded. their garden cafe is a nice spot to sit after looking at all the pottery, the view is better around sunset