Lima Things to Do Tips by El_Sueco

The Plaza Mayor was created by Fransisco Pizarro.
On the sides of the plaza are:
- The Presidential Palace
- The Cathedral
- The Archbishop´s Palace
- The Municipality building.
Some years ago the plaza and surrounding streets were filled with merchants, but they have now been prohibited to be there.
The two-storey balconies and galleries have no connection with local tradition and are purely arbitrary. But the plaza still conservs some of its charm from the past.
The fountain in the middle is from 1650.
The place has also been called Plaza de Armas.

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Address: Plaza Mayor

The place for the palace was choosen by Francisco Pizarro. It is unknown in what year Pizarro started to build his residens. During the first years after the conquering it was a turbulent period and Pizarro had to for some time leave his newborn city. However, when he returned in September, 1535, it is known to have been ready.
After the death of Pizarro and the following centuries, the exterior of the palace was not well mantained. Outside there was big commerce on the streets, "vendedores ambulantes". In 1884 the government of the republic decided to give the palace a more dignified and prestigious view, and the commerce outside was prohibited. A new facad was constructed.
The palace have injured from three fires, the biggest one in 1921. The palace of today shows the result of a big restoration of the Pizarro palace, and it was inaugerated in 1938.
The palace is about 20.000 m2. The polish architect Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski was responsible for the restoration work. He has also projected other important buildings in Lima.
The changing of the guards is daily at 12.00.

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Address: Plaza de Armas

After identificating yourself (passport) you can enter the congress building and join a guided tour (spanish or english). Guided tour are given to small groups, which have to move discretely through the building.
Ask at the entrance for the scheduled times for the visit.

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Address: Ayacucho; Plaza Bolivar
Directions: Close to Museo de la Inquisición

In the first chapel on the right handside lies the body of don Francisco Pizarro, a traditional tourist attraction.
On the sarcofag is written:
Aqvi esta la cabeca del Señor Marqves Don Fransisco Picaro qve decvbrio y gano los reynos del Piru y puso en la real corona de Castilla.
Which in english would be something like this:
Here lies the head of Marquis Fransisco Pizarro who discovered and gained the kingdom of Peru for the King of Castilla.

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Address: Plaza de Armas

Pachacamac archeological site lies south of Lima, near the valley of Lurin, which also is worth visiting.
The area is about 2 x 2 km.
At the entrance there is a small museum. You have better pay a guide who first shows the museum and then goes with you (in your car), which is the best and easy way to see the terrain. Without guide you are not allowed to enter for instance the Mamacona.
Mamacona, here lived women that were chosen for the Inka.
This building I liked the best.
See also pictures in the travelpages on
Ruinas de Pachacamac.

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Address: District of Lurin, Pachacamac Archeological site.
Directions: Go South Panamerican Higway 31 km south of Lima, before the Lurin valley.

If you are short on time visiting Lima, the Museo Nacional de Antropología, Arqueología e Historia is a must!
In the museum there is a closely description of Peru and its human history.
Contains unvaluables objects from all the peruvian cultures.
See also a few pictures in the travellog.

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Phone: 63-5070
Address: Plaza Bolivar, Pueblo Libre
Other Contact: Open 9 AM - 5 PM tue-sun

If you have seen the Antropological Museum, this is the second in dignity.
Privat collections of Miguel Mujica Gallo. Numerous objects of gold or gold/copper/silver. Famous collections of pre-spanish findings, mostly from Chimu-Lambayeque and also bought piece by piece from collectors.
In the same building as the Gold Museum you also will find a famous museum with arms (hand arms) and uniforms.

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Phone: 35-2917
Address: Avenida Alonso de Molina 1100, Monterrico
Directions: Take a cab!

This museum contains 45000 findings of ceramics. They are placed side by side sorted by their type, and the great number of ceramics give an impressing view. It is only time that will limit your possibilities to study the ceramics.
If you got the time after the Antropological Museum - which also is located in Pueblo Libre - you must sneak in here!
In the bottom floor there is a famous collecion of erotic ceramics ("Huacos Eróticos")

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Address: Avenida Bolivar 1515
Directions: Pueblo Libre

Archeological site, also known under the name “Pan de Azúcar” (Bread of sugar). Mummies and other findings are to be seen in the museum at the location. Huallamarca seems to have been abandoned in the sieclo XV or before that.
There is a small but nice museum at the entrance. In the museum there is a mummie with a hair that is more than 2 m long.
See also a few pictures from this impressing adobe construction in the travellog.

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Address: San Isidro

One of the most important religious centres.
Founded by Francisco Pizzaro en 1535.
1656 the tempel of San Francisco was destroyed, but a new tempel was reconstructed during the XVII century.
It has the best exterior of any of the religious buildings of Lima from colonial times.
In the area are also a monastery, a museum and the catacombes.

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Address: Ancash, at the corner with Lampa