Lima is where most Peru trips start, and most travellers under-plan it. The Peruvian capital has become one of South America’s better food cities — the Virgilio Martínez and Gastón Acurio restaurants put it on the Latin America’s 50 Best list every year — and the historic centre and Barranco neighbourhood deserve more than an overnight. Ceviche, lomo saltado, aji de gallina and a Pisco sour are the shortlist. Add the Larco Museum for pre-Columbian ceramics and Huaca Pucllana for the pre-Inca pyramid in the middle of Miraflores.
Walk the Malecón de Miraflores for the coastal views (and the paragliders launching off the cliffs if the wind is up). Taxis and ride-share apps are cheap; the Metropolitano bus and the metro cover the main spine. Spanish helps outside Miraflores and Barranco. Standard caution with phones in markets and after dark; the city is safer than its reputation but petty theft is a fact. Three days in Lima before flying to Cusco is about right for most trips — too many travellers do one night and miss the city.
