Discover
Set foot and fall in love with the trendiest seaside arts
district in Lima
Discover
Set foot and fall in love with the trendiest seaside arts
district in Lima
Discover
Set foot and fall in love with the trendiest seaside arts
district in Lima
“In the 19th century, Barranco was a fashionable seaside resort where Lima’s aristocracy built Belle Époque summer villas,” writes journalist Stanley Stewart. “In the 21st century, it has become the city’s bohemian neighborhood, a Left Bank of artists, writers and musicians. Barranco is now Party Central, full of atmospheric bars.”
Pedro de Osma
The artistic finds of the Pedro de Osma Museum come from the personal collection formed by Don Pedro de Osma Gildemeister between the years 1936 – 1967. The collector was a connoisseur of Peruvian viceregal art, who gradually reunited around family patrimony: remarkable objects of the most varied sorts and techniques that constitute a good reflection of Peruvian art from the XVI to XIX century.
Contemporary Art Museum (MAC)
The MAC has a collection of modern and contemporary, national and international art dating from 1950 onwards. Founded in 2013, it is the only museum in the city of Lima specializing in art from this period of time. The modern facilities are designed and equipped for this purpose.
Photo: Juan Pablo Murrugarra | Museum of Contemporary Art in Lima
The Hermitage
The Church of the Hermitage was originally built as a small chapel for humble fishermen and travelers who, while taking a break to their workings, asked for God´s intermediation. It was erected in adobe and quincha in the middle of XVIII century thanks to the Caicedo benefactor, a baker whose devotee wife, miraculously healed by the intercession of the cross that is venerated here. In 1882, it was rebuilt by the chaplain Manuel de la Fuente Chavez after it was set on fire by the Chilean army, finally rising in 1903 to the category of parish.
MUNICIPAL PARK
This beautiful and traditional barranquino park was inaugurated on February 13, 1898. Some of the featured works of art you can find here are: “The Danaide”, Barberini´s Chandelier and two pedestals with little angels called “Puttis”, all fine sculptures made of Carrara marble. In the center, you can also find shade under a pergola where orchestras and artists encourage cultural activities throughout the day.
Puente de los Suspiros
The Bridge Of Sighs dates back to 1876 and is one is the most famous landmarks in the district of Barranco. Originally built to allow passage above a gorge from Ayacucho Street to the Church of the Hermitage, it was witness to the destruction of Barranco by the Chilean army during the War of the Pacific in 1881. Two years later, it was rebuilt and brought back to its former glory, serving as a perfect spot to spend sighing away at the view with a loved one, as its name suggests.
Tradition indicates that whomever sees the bridge for the first time and crosses it without breathing will be fulfilled one desire. It also served as inspiration to a well-known song of the famous composer Chabuca Granda, titled “the Bridge of the Sighs” in 1960.
La bajada de baños
The descending stone pathway from the bridge to the beach is called Bajada de los Baños. Originally, this descent corresponded to a gully formed by the erosion of the waters given up from a water battery nearby to the Municipal Park. Local fishermen undertook the walk to reach the sea on a daily basis until La Bajada turned into a popular spot for love-struck young poets and aspiring writers of the time such as José María Eguren, Martín Adán and Julio Ramón Ribeyro. Today, it is a must-see attraction for locals and tourists alike.
From ancient ruins, to colonial architecture, a long coast and numerous restaurants, Lima has plenty to keep you busy.
Lima was founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, as Ciudad de los Reyes. It became the capital and most important city in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Following the Peruvian War of Independence, it became the capital of the Republic of Peru. Today, around one-third of the Peruvian population lives in the metropolitan area.
Church of San Francisco
Built in the baroque-style of the late 1600s, San Francisco has several gilded side altars and an impressive lattice dome. The adjoining monastery has a superb collection of ancient religious texts, some of which were brought over by the first wave of Spanish priests after the conquest of the Incas.
Pucllana Temple
(Huaca Pucllana)
Lima has a large number of historical ruins, known locally as huacas, which can be spotted in many neighborhoods. They are generally fenced off, but that is the extent of the preservation.
One of the major exceptions is the Pucllana Temple, or Huaca Pucllana, in the city’s upscale Miraflores district. This adobe ceremonial center was likely built around 500 A.D., during the cultural height of Lima’s history. Much of the site has been restored and excavations continue to uncover artifacts and the occasional mummy.
Aliaga House
The Aliaga House has a wide-ranging collection of The Aliaga House has a wide-ranging collection of Peruvian art and artifacts, including the sword Jerónimo de Aliaga used in the conquest of Peru, and reflects various eras of decor, going back centuries. Walking through the house’s heavy wooden doors means stepping into layers of history.Jerónimo de Aliaga used in the conquest of Peru, and reflects various eras of decor, going back centuries. Walking through the house’s heavy wooden doors means stepping into layers of history.
LARCOMAR
Along the seawalk in the Miraflores district is Larcomar, a multilevel entertainment, food and shopping megacomplex that caters to most tastes. The first thing you’ll notice about Larcomar is that you cannot see it from ground level. The entire complex is built into the cliffside, underneath Miraflores — the entrance is on Block 6 of Malecón de la Reserva, across the street from the JW Marriott hotel; take the stairs down just before you arrive to the cliff’s edge. Larcomar has breathtaking ocean views, which you can enjoy from numerous restaurants offering Peruvian fare, as well as several American franchises serving everything from doughnuts to ribs.
The Lima Art Museum – MALI
The Lima Art Museum presents 3000 years of Peruvian art. The museum has a large selection of pre-Columbian textiles and ceramics, pictures and furniture from Colonial and Republican times, as well as a collection of paintings and photographic works from modern times. A sample of these collections can be seen in a permanent exhibition on the first floor. The contemporary art can be found in the exhibition rooms of the basement.
Views of the permanent rooms of the Museum of Art in Lima.
Courtesy: Museum of Art in Lima. Photography: Edi Hirose.
Larco Museum
Housed in a former mansion built on the site of a pre-Columbian temple, the museum offers a varied collection of 3,000 years of ceramic, textile and precious metal artifacts. There are also mummies that show off the different ways ancient cultures, including the Incas, preserved their dead.
Library of the convent of Santo Domingo
Housed inside the Santo Domingo Convent built in 1546, the library is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. The outstanding hall hold a collection of more than 25000 volumes including Franciscan chronicles dating back to the XV century and some of the first edited volumes ever printed in Peru.
THE METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF LIMA
The Basilica Cathedral of Lima is part of the cultural heritage of humanity. The influx of visitors is mainly due to the architectural richness of the building. The entire building on the outside is built in the Renaissance style and its towers are neoclassical, reflecting history from the time of the viceroyalty to today. The interior is a true artistic jewel influenced by the late Gothic, Renaissance, Plateresque and Baroque styles.
The ceiling of the Cathedral of Lima simulates a starry sky and the internal areas have many Renaissance, Neoclassical and Baroque details, such as the altar. The temple houses important relics of history such as the remains of Francisco Pizarro, the founder of Lima, and the original choir stalls.
MALECÓN DE MIRAFLORES
Lima has always been known as the Garden City, and no district rivals Miraflores when it comes to parks. The Miraflores Lima has always been known as the Garden City, and no district rivals Miraflores when it comes to parks. The Miraflores government has spent years improving and adding to the district’s green spaces, with a special emphasis on El Malecón, a six-mile stretch of parks situated along the cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean.
Bear in mind that the Malecón actually goes by three names, starting as Malecón de la Marina in the north, then becoming Malecón Cisneros, and ending as Malecón de la Reserva in the south. The Malecón is perfect for jogging, biking or simply taking in the view. Dotting the walkway are statues created by famed Peruvian artists.
Green spaces, with a special emphasis on El Malecón, a six-mile stretch of parks situated along the cliffs high above the Pacific Ocean.
Bear in mind that the Malecón actually goes by three names, starting as Malecón de la Marina in the north, then becoming Malecón Cisneros, and ending as Malecón de la Reserva in the south.The Malecón is perfect for jogging, biking or simply taking in the view. Dotting the walkway are statues created by famed Peruvian artists.
