Peru’s capital may not have world-class architecture, but its old moniker “Lima the ugly” doesn’t hold true these days. Right away, a visitor notices its tidy streets, handsomely landscaped parks and sweeping ocean views. And then there are the less obvious but ultimately more compelling attractions: a rich pre-Columbian heritage, ethnic diversity, and emerging art and fashion scenes, as well as remarkably great food. Lima’s transformation into a culinary powerhouse, which started more than a decade ago, was propelled forward in recent years by a group of talented and enterprising chefs. Their creativity, inspired by the seemingly endless variety of native ingredients, has brought fame not only to their individual restaurants, but also to the entire city.
Friday
Fresh Off the Boat | 3 p.m.
Of Lima’s 16,000 cevicherias, Hijo de Olaya is one of the smallest, and tastiest. Since it opened in October, this hole-in-the-wall has become popular among discerning Limeños, thanks to a simple formula: fast service, a small menu and fresh seafood, purchased daily at the busy Villa María del Triunfo fish market. Try the classic Olaya ceviche (24 soles, or $7.95, at 3 soles to the dollar), made with the day’s catch, ultra-zesty limes from the northern Piura Province, rocoto chilies, red onions, deep-fried corn kernels and seaweed. It comes with a chilcano de pescado, a light fish broth.
Crafts and Promenades | 4 p.m.
Explore the streets of Barranco, an artsy neighborhood that was once a seaside resort for Lima’s upper class. Some of those century-old, Republican-style residences still stand; one of them houses a gift shop called Las Pallas, owned by a Welsh expat who has become an expert in Peruvian folk art. Browse one-of-a-kind clay objects from the Amazon and the southern highlands, and colorful handmade retablos, portable boxed altars depicting religious ceremonies or scenes from peasant life. Then make your way to the tree-lined Saenz Peña boulevard, which leads to a clifftop walkway overlooking the Pacific.
Aperitif by the Sea | 7 p.m.
Although the city has 80 miles of coastline and a staggering number of restaurants and bars, it’s hard to find a place to sit down for a drink near the ocean. Cala is an exception. This sleek, contemporary spot sits on a pebbled beach favored by surfers and has an outdoor terrace that attracts a good-looking crowd in the afternoons. Enjoy the views while sipping a pisco sour (22 soles), Peru’s dangerously delicious signature cocktail. If you wish to get even closer to the sea, head to the bar at nearby La Rosa Naútica, an ornately decorated, old-school restaurant at the end of a long pier.
Native Delicacies | 9 p.m.
A unique understanding of Peru’s biodiversity, demonstrated in two tasting menus divided by the altitudes and sea depths where the ingredients are found, has earned Virgilio Martínez accolades: His restaurant, Central, climbed to the No. 4 spot this year in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list sponsored by San Pellegrino. One recent meal included a course called Cultivo Frío, or cold farming, made with sea scallops harvested by hand at a depth of 30 feet and served in a banana passionfruit marinade, surrounded by a collage of emulsions, flowers and herbs, including starflower calyxes, which taste like oysters. Later in the meal, braised short ribs from cows that roam in 9,000-foot-high mountains arrive covered in a crunchy layer of dried milk and dusted with a flavorful powder made from a cow’s heart and seasoned with salt from the town of Maras near Cuzco (11-course menu, 298 soles).
Seaside Run | 10 a.m.
One of the most attractive areas in Lima is Miraflores, with three miles of manicured parks bordering a coastal bluff. The promenade known as El Malecón is the perfect spot for a jog — or a flight. If you want a bird’s-eye view of the city, head to one of the paragliding schools north of Parque del Amor, an esplanade anchored by a statue of an amorous couple, and book a 10-minute flight with an instructor (from 200 soles). Or sit back with a cappuccino (8 soles) from Arabica Espresso Bar, inside the Larcomar shopping center on the southern end of the promenade. It’s one of the few malls in the world with front-row ocean vistas.
Saturday
Seaside Run | 10 a.m.
One of the most attractive areas in Lima is Miraflores, with three miles of manicured parks bordering a coastal bluff. The promenade known as El Malecón is the perfect spot for a jog — or a flight. If you want a bird’s-eye view of the city, head to one of the paragliding schools north of Parque del Amor, an esplanade anchored by a statue of an amorous couple, and book a 10-minute flight with an instructor (from 200 soles). Or sit back with a cappuccino (8 soles) from Arabica Espresso Bar, inside the Larcomar shopping center on the southern end of the promenade. It’s one of the few malls in the world with front-row ocean vistas.
Feisty Sandwich | 12 p.m.
Vietnam has the banh mi, Italy has the panini and Peru has the sánguche. Typically served on a roll and filled with fire-grilled or stewed meats with assorted toppings and sauces, the sandwich competes with ceviche in terms of popularity. La Lucha (The Fight) is a fast-paced restaurant and takeout counter in Miraflores that doles out sandwiches by the thousands. Its owners use algarrobo wood to grill meats and native huayro potatoes to make thick-cut fries. A choice of dipping sauces includes flavors like olive and red pepper.
Exhibit Hopping | 2 p.m.
Barranco has more than a dozen galleries and museums. Start your circuit at the M.A.T.E. (admission, 15 soles), dedicated to the work of the renowned Lima-born photographer Mario Testino. Then make your way to Cecilia González Arte Contemporáneo, a small gallery that represents emerging local artists like Mariú Palacios, who stages photographs with pieces of clothing, skulls or bits of porcelain scribbled with poetic messages. A few steps away, the 7,500-square-foot Galería Lucía de la Puente has held exhibitions by Pier Stockholm, a Paris-based Limeño who has shown his paintings, drawings and installations at international art fairs.
Andean Fashion | 5 p.m.
Until recently, Lima’s fashion scene was almost nonexistent. But now designers like Alessandra Petersen are using traditional textile-making techniques and color patterns to make imaginative collections. Her boutique, inside an adobe house from the early 1900s, is stocked with chunky wool jackets that resemble chain-mail armor, and woven necklaces, often trimmed with feathers. Another designer, Susan Wagner, works with regional communities — embroiderers from the central town of Huánuco, for example, or knitters from Huaycán near Lima — to make handbags, dresses and ponchos. Her shop in Miraflores is across the street from Huaca Pucllana, the ancient, well-preserved ruins of a pyramidal ceremonial site.
Eating With the In-crowd | 9 p.m.
Rafael Osterling is a culinary star in Peru and Colombia, where he owns two restaurants. His success started in the early aughts with Rafael, a stylish dining room in Miraflores that draws celebrities like the writer Mario Vargas Llosa and the musician David Guetta. Rafael serves a creative mix of international and Peruvian dishes, such as suckling goat braised in Madeira wine, served with a mishmash of sautéed rice and beans known as tacu-tacu (62 soles), or herb-crusted yellowfin tuna with emulsified basil and creamy potatoes (57 soles).
Local indie musicians converge at La Noche de Barranco, a bar and cultural space with live shows. Music styles run the gamut, from the punk-rock sounds of La Sarita to the soulful melodies of the singer-songwriter Cristina Valentina. A few blocks away, cozy El Dragón features reggae, funk, Latin jazz and electronic music, and also hosts exhibitions by up-and-coming artists.
Sunday
Private Collections | 9 a.m.
After a stop at the Plaza Mayor, Lima’s central square, and its imposing colonial cathedral, head to Casa de Aliaga, a house turned museum (admission, 30 soles; reserve 24 hours in advance). Built five centuries ago by Capt. Jerónimo de Aliaga on land donated by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro, the property has been inhabited by the same family for 17 generations and has been meticulously preserved. See centuries-old art, Mudéjar tiles from the 16th century, carved wooden doors and a private chapel sanctioned by the Vatican. After this primer on colonial Peruvian art and architecture, drive 30 minutes south to see a trove of pre-Columbian jewels, talismans and weapons at the Oro del Perú museum (admission, 30 soles).
Lunch With Trailblazers | Noon
Gastón Acurio and his wife, Astrid, were the pioneers of Lima’s white-hot restaurant scene. Last year, they moved their restaurant, Astrid & Gastón, to a sprawling, 18th-century hacienda in the stylish San Isidro district. The building also houses a casual gastrobar, La Barra, where the kitchen delivers dishes like quinoa burgers with rocoto cream (39 soles) and bomba de chocolate (54 soles), a ball that cracks open to reveal a varied combination of ingredients like mascarpone and praline.
Pisco Primer | 2 p.m.
Don’t leave Lima without delving into the history and nuances of pisco, a grape distillate that prompts declarations such as “If it’s not Peruvian, it’s not pisco!” The agency Jacada Travel organizes tastings led by a sommelier. Its half-day trip ($350 per person) starts in the working-class neighborhood of Pueblo Libre, at the Antigua Taberna Queirolo, which serves classic dishes like cau cau, a stew of cow tripe, typically filled with corn paste and pork, and cocktails made with piscos from the owners’ winery, Bodega Santiago Queirolo. Then head to the bar at the elegant Country Club Hotel, to taste and discuss the 30-plus sipping piscos on the menu, which can be dry or aromatic. Sample at your own risk.
