South America

Figuring out how many days to spend in Lima can be surprisingly difficult when you’re planning a trip to Peru. There’s no shortage of things competing for your time. You may be flying through Lima on your way to Cusco and Machu Picchu, heading south toward Arequipa, or trying to fit several completely different parts…

Peru doesn’t exactly make it easy to give more time to Lima. This is a country where you’re choosing between Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley, the white-stone streets of Arequipa, the desert around Huacachina, the wildlife and coastline of Paracas, the Amazon, and countless places I still haven’t made it to myself. Of course…

Barranco is the Lima neighborhood I’d choose when the neighborhood itself is part of the reason for the trip. On my previous visits, Barranco has always been somewhere I’ve gone for a few hours, to walk its colorful streets, cross the Puente de los Suspiros, stop for food and wander without much of a plan….

If Miraflores is where I’d tell most first-time visitors to Lima to stay, Barranco is where I want to stay next time. Every time I visit, I leave feeling like I haven’t spent enough time here. There’s the Barranco everyone comes to see—the Bridge of Sighs, colorful streets, murals, restaurants and bars—but it’s the idea…

Miraflores is still the neighborhood I’d recommend most often for a first trip to Lima. It’s easy to navigate, packed with restaurants and cafés, close to the coast and has far more hotel options than you probably need. The harder question is which of those hotel options are actually worth paying more for. You can…

Miraflores is probably exactly what most first-time visitors to Lima need. It’s familiar, easy to navigate, and packed with hotels, restaurants, and cafés. You can walk along the Pacific, grab an Uber almost anywhere, and stay in a neighborhood accustomed to welcoming visitors. But dare I say it? Miraflores can feel a little too easy….