Lima Things to Do Tips by MovingMere

This beach is only about a half an hour from Lima via combi. Once you get here, you can enjoy the freshly caught seafood (notice the numerous fishing boats in the pictures), the beach, or walking around the town. The seafood is freshest earlier in the day, so you may want to plan a lunch instead of a dinner here if you're traveling for the food. The beach is covered with smooth rocks instead of sand. Luis looked at me like I was crazy when I made a comment about the people sitting on the rocks. I live next to an area called the Sandhills. There's no such thing as a non-sandy beach here. But I suppose a perk with the rocky beach is not having to worry about sand sticking to your suntan-lotioned skin. The town is nice to walk around, as it is quiet and the homes are very pretty. The point of Lima (La Punta) is here and provides a relaxing place to watch the sunset over the water.

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Directions: Northwest of Lima

This was the first beach we went to so we could escape the city for a few days. It was beautiful and very relaxing. It was more expensive than we expected, but you don't need to buy much when you're spending your days on the beach. The water was cold but it was a lot of fun. The famous world champion surfer, Sofía Mulanovich, was born here, so that should tell you a lot about the waves.

The only warning I have is not to fall asleep on the beach. Not because people will steal your stuff, but because they might not warn you when the tide is quickly coming in. Luis had only been gone about 20 minutes to use the internet when I woke up startled as the cold water gushed over me and all of my things got wet and muddy. I wasn't very happy when everyone just stared as I carried away my sopping things. As long as you keep a careful eye on the tide, this beach is very plesant.

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This one of the cleanest, priciest, and touristy places in Lima - don't those qualities usually go together? It was nice to wonder through and fun to enjoy ice cream while looking out onto the ocean. The places are pricey, but the views are great, as the mountains slide right into the ocean.

I wouldn't come here for shopping or for a hotel (the Marriott is here) unless I could spend a lot of money. If you are short on time and can only go to one beach while you're in Lima, I would take a half hour bus to Callao rather than Costa Verde (about the same distance), but Costa Verde is still worth visiting.

There is a restaurant here that has seating under the ocean with glass windows so you can really enjoy the ocean while you eat. I'm sure the prices are outrageous, but I would still like to go there for a drink or a dessert.

The coolest part about Costa Verde is getting to hanglide over the beautiful landscape. I wish we had had time to do that, but there's always next time. :)

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Directions: via bus or taxi

This was a great place to spend a few hours. The booths are divided into regions, so while you are admiring merchandise from Cuzco, you are only a few steps away from crafts from Arequipa. We walked through the tent a few times, looking at wooden bowls, ceramics purses, jewelry, bags clothes, preserved butterflies, and the food. We even stopped for a massage. :)

The prices are very affordable and the venders were friendly. The best part was getting to sample the food from the different regions. You can get a meal here as well as snacks, desserts, and wine. Of course they sell them in large enough packages to take some home with you.

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I didn't get a chance to go there, but here is the information for you so I can live vicariously. ;)

It's open Tuesdays to Sundays from 09:00 to 17:00

It costs 6 soles to get in with two exceptions:
3 soles on Sundays and free on Wednesdays

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Phone: 423-4732 / 423-5149 / 423-6332
Address: Paseo Colon Street No. 125, Lima
Website: http://museoarte.perucultural.org.pe/

UNESCO classified the church as a Cultural World Heritage Site for its architecture and jewels (see website).

You can tour the church for 5 soles in English or Spanish or just enjoy the beautiful building from the outside. I thought it was fitting that there were so many pigeons on the church and the surrounding area, as the saint was known for his love of animals.

Saint Francis is said to have spoken these words while preaching to birds. The text is from Vigina (The Little Flowers):

"My sister birds, you owe much to God, and you must always and in everyplace give praise to Him; for He has given you freedom to wing through the sky and He has clothed you... you neither sow nor reap, and God feeds you and gives you rivers and fountains for your thirst, and mountains and valleys for shelter, and tall trees for your nests. And although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you and your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses you abundantly. Therefore... always seek to praise God."

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Address: Ancash Street, 3rd. block
Directions: Just Next To The Plaza Mayor
Website: http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=500

The beach here is supposed to be the cleanest in Peru. Not the actual sand beach because there is litter (especially after the New Year's parties), but the water is very clean. We made the mistake of getting off the bus 5K too soon and walked the rest of the way. Probably not the best idea since it was dark, but we were fine. So watch for private beaches when you get off the bus, because you're more likely to find a place to stay down the road.

We stayed in a hotel the night before we camped, and the prices were ridiculous. The first hostel we came to wanted 100 soles. The one we stayed in started at 100 and Luis talked the woman down to 40 soles.

Miguel and Geraldine (Luis' cousin and his girlfriend) brought tuna, onions, crackers, and lime so we could make some beach ceviche. Luis brought sweet potato chips and cancha (Peruvian popcorn), both of which I became slightly obsessed with while I was in Peru.

There was no running water at the beach, but there were public toilets (most unflushed due to the lack of water thing, so be prepared) - probably a good idea to bring toilet paper and hand sanitizer. But only the hand sanitizer if you're like me; Luis wanted to stay used to roughing it so he would be less likely to get sick. :)

We had a bit of trouble building our campfire, as the pieces we tore off the wood we bought there wasn't enough to keep the wood burning. The boys got frustrated and went for fuel (kerosene), but the fire still didn't last very long. We did get to roast some marshmallows though. :) I like to wait until they catch on fire, then blow it out and eat the crispy outside and gooey inside separately.

The beach was scorching hot for about an hour a day, but for the most part, the ocean breeze made it comfortably warm. It did get chilly at night, especially if you get sunburned, which you probably will.

It's free to camp on the beach - just find a place to pitch your tent and enjoy. :)

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