Lima, Peru Overview Introduction Lima, Peru, is a dynamic, vibrant city full of contrasts. Modern skyscrapers stand beside pre- Incan pyramids that cover entire city blocks. The City of Kings was formerly just a stopover en route to the tourist mecca of Cusco and the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, but visitors to Lima are now spending more and more time soaking up the cosmopolitan atmosphere in Peru's capital city, where fine museums and world-class dining combine with thousands of years of history. Whether you are shopping in designer boutiques and posh malls, partying until dawn in a nightclub facing the Pacific, or sampling seafood in the city's best cevicherias, there is something for almost everyone in Lima. Highlights Sights—The sights of Colonial Lima, including Barrio Chino (Chinatown); the ossuary, convent and architecture at the Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco; the changing of the guards at the Government Palace; the cliff-side bohemian neighborhood of Barranco. Museums—Pre-Columbian artifacts at the Museo Arqueologico Rafael Larco Herrera; authentic Incan gold at the Museo Oro del Peru. Memorable Meals—Stunning pyramid views from Huaca Pucllana Restaurant; Gaston Acurio's trendy criollo dishes at Panchita; novo-Peruvian delicacies at Malabar. Late Night—The city's best nightclubs at Larcomar Shopping Center; dinner and drinks at a pena (folk- music club) downtown or in Barranco. Walks—From Barranco's main plaza to the Pacific; through Colonial Lima; the seaside malecon in Miraflores; Parque El Olivar in San Isidro. Especially for Kids—Learning about Peruvian wildlife at Parque de las Leyendas; marine animals on the Islas Palominos; the beaches of La Costa Verde. Geography Lima sits in the middle of the coast of Peru in the Chillon, Rimac and Lurin river valleys. The area is a desert sprinkled with small mountains that are now the sites of some of Lima's urban sprawl. Parts of the city sit on a several-hundred-foot/meter cliff that overlooks the Pacific. A wide, sandy area follows the shoreline and is home to beaches, roads and restaurants. Neighborhoods sprawl out in every direction from the colonial center. Most of the important neighborhoods border the coastline or sit not far from it. In the far north is Callao, which is actually a separate city and is home to the airport and cruise-ship terminal. Most other tourist-oriented areas sit south of the center, including Pueblo Libre, San Isidro, Miraflores, Barranco and Chorrillos. 1 | P a g e History After the Spanish gained control of the Inca empire, they moved down from the Andes to build a capital on the coast: Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro on 6 January 1535. At the time, small populations of native people were already living in fishing and farming settlements in the area. They had only been recently conquered by the Incas, however, and so were indifferent to the arrival of the Spanish. The city became a Spanish capital in South America and one of the wealthiest cities on the continent. The nearby port of Callao became the point of export for Inca gold, Potosi silver and other goods that were being exploited in the Andes. Thus, it became a target for pirates, who sank dozens of Spanish galleons and frequently attacked the port. It's possible to see the remains of the defensive wall that Spaniards built in hopes of protecting their treasure. Wide-scale trade stretched across the globe in the 18th century, and the city grew significantly. An earthquake in 1746 nearly destroyed the city, but it was soon rebuilt using African slave labor. Growth was slowed after independence was declared in 1821, but increased dramatically several decades later when the influx of capital from the guano boom allowed the city to expand. (Guano is nitrate-rich seabird droppings used for fertilizer.) The boom ended with the War of the Pacific (1879-83), when Peru lost some nitrate-rich areas to Chile. The population ballooned in the 20th century as laborers moved down from the Andes to find work, setting up shanty towns around Lima, called pueblos jovenes. During the 1980s and '90s, terrorist groups from the Andes made Lima one of their targets, and the city saw numerous small bombings, until the major terrorist leaders were captured in 1992. The eradication of terrorism in the mid-1990s culminated with scandals involving Vladimiro Montesinos, the Peruvian chief of intelligence; President Alberto Fujimori fled the country to Japan before criminal charges could be brought against him. In 2001, Alejandro Toledo was the first indigenous person to be elected president in Peru (or any Andean nation). His term was economically unpopular, and in 2006 conservative Alan Garcia, whose first term in office in the 1980s was disastrous, followed him. His more recent term was far more successful and the economy expanded rapidly. However, social conflicts resulting in several clashes between indigenous protestors and security forces marred his presidency. In 2011, Ollanta Moises Humala Tasso, a center-left candidate and a former military officer, replaced Garcia, winning a run-off vote against his opponent, Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of the disgraced and now imprisoned former president. Humala has promised social reforms to balance the economic development and foreign investment, but concerns remain over land rights and sustainability and he faces detractors and protestors who believe he is merely following the path of Alan Garcia. Port Information Location Cruise ships visiting Lima dock at the nearby town of Callao, which is located 7 mi/11 km from central Lima and 11 mi/18 km from Miraflores. There are few amenities for cruise-ship passengers at the pier, and the surrounding area is not very safe. Taxis are available at the port to transport visitors into Lima, which generally takes 30-40 minutes depending on the traffic. 2 | P a g e Potpourri Lima's coastline is often called La Costa Verde, or The Green Coast, because of the vegetation that grows along the sides of the oceanfront cliffs. Lima sees little annual rainfall. The only precipitation comes from a heavy mist, called garua, that covers the city for much of the year. Lima's newspaper, El Peruano, is the oldest Latin American newspaper still in existence. It was founded in 1825 by Simon Bolivar. The 1919 census tallied 173,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Peru's capital. Less than a century later, the number was greater than 8 million. Chinese immigrants began arriving in the mid-19th century, and Lima's Chinatown, although modest, is the biggest in South America. See & Do Sightseeing Lima's downtown, the colonial center, is home to the most interesting sites in the metropolitan area, and was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991. Much of the center has been renovated to its former glory after years of neglect. The heart of Colonial Lima is the Plaza Mayor, or Plaza de Armas, the government center since 1535. There you will find the Palacio de Gobierno (Presidential Palace), the Archbishop's Palace (notice the ornate balconies) and a stunning central bronze fountain. Also bordering the plaza is the city cathedral, which holds the remains of Francisco Pizarro, the city's founder. Several other churches in the neighborhood are also worth a visit, such as the baroque Church of San Francisco, with beautiful hand-carved ceilings and extensive catacombs, and La Merced, the site of the first Mass in Lima. The nearby Barrio Chino, or Chinatown, merits a visit during lunchtime. History buffs have more than their share of sights to choose from. Pre-Colombian pyramids such as Huaca Pucllana sit a few blocks from hotels in Miraflores and San Isidro. Centuries-old churches and colonial palaces dot the downtown area, and the Spanish fort Real Felipe lines the seafront of Callao. Pre-Colombian artifacts—such as gold, textiles, weapons and the always-crowd-pleasing erotic pottery collection—can be found in Lima's many museums. Several charming neighborhoods are good places to stroll, people-watch or grab a bite to eat. Head to Barranco and make your way from the plaza past colonial mansions and down an attractive stone promenade to the Pacific, passing under the famous Puente de los Suspiros, or Bridge of Sighs, along the way. Lima's green spaces are full of activity. Parque El Olivar, an olive grove planted by the Spanish, is a nice place to bird-watch or just relax. The larger and more active Parque de la Exposicion , which is downtown, is home to several good museums, weekly craft and food fairs, a small pond with paddleboats, a lighted fountain circuit, and numerous pavilions and theaters that play host to frequent events. 3 | P a g e Lima's other sights include ancient pyramids, dramatic coastal cliffs and world-class museums. Most places can be seen on action-packed day tours, although many visitors to Lima will prefer to take their time and explore just one or two a day. There is more than enough to keep you busy for months on end. Historic Sites Fortaleza Real Felipe Plazuela de la Independencia (Callao) Lima, Peru This Spanish-built pentagonal-shaped fortress was erected to prevent pirate attacks against Spanish galleons that departed Lima's main port. Later, the fort was used in both the War of Independence and the War of the Pacific against Chile. The fort is still in use by Peru's Navy, and a military museum, Museo del Ejercito, occupies much of the space. Several rooms with war and military artifacts can be toured (with a Spanish-speaking military guide), and there are significant displays of uniforms from throughout Peru's history as well as guns, cannons, paintings of important military figures and jail cells.