City guide · Lima, Peru · 2026

Lima in 3 days: itinerary and top spots

Updated November 13, 2026 · 29 spots · open in 2025–26

Lima, Peru. From 29 spots whose locations we've checked, we picked a full 3-day route (not counting arrival and departure days) and the top 8 in each category. The areas you'll keep coming back to: Miraflores · Historic Centre · Barranco.

🏛️ Sights 13
🍜 Food 8
✨ Hot spots 5
🌙 Night 3

3-day route
Where to eat
Hot spots
At night
Top sights

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🗺️ A 3-day route

Each day: two sights, one meal, one hot spot and one evening stop, grouped by neighbourhood so you can walk from one to the next.

Day 1 about 5h at the stops, plus travel

Morning
Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas)Historic Centre🏛️ Sight
Colonial main square ringed by the cathedral and the Government Palace
Lunch
Barrio Chino (Chinatown)Historic Centre🍜 Food
Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) eateries centred on Calle Capón
Afternoon
Mercado Indio (Inca Market)Miraflores✨ Hot spot
Arcades of alpaca knits and crafts; bargaining expected
Late afternoon
Huaca PucllanaMiraflores🏛️ Sight
Adobe pyramid in the middle of the city; entry by guided tour
Evening
Ayahuasca RestobarBarranco🌙 Night
Cocktail bar in a restored Barranco mansion; order a pisco sour

Day 2 about 4h 45m at the stops, plus travel

Morning
Lima CathedralHistoric Centre🏛️ Sight
Cathedral holding Pizarro's tomb; museum entry is paid
Lunch
La Mar CebicheríaMiraflores🍜 Food
Gastón Acurio's cevichería; go at lunchtime
Afternoon
Miraflores ParaglidingMiraflores✨ Hot spot
Tandem paragliding off the coastal cliffs; runs only when winds allow
Late afternoon
Bridge of Sighs (Puente de los Suspiros)Barranco🏛️ Sight
Barranco's wooden bridge; hold your breath and make a wish
Evening
Juanito de BarrancoBarranco🌙 Night
Old-school neighbourhood bar; ham sandwiches and a cold beer

Day 3 about 6h at the stops, plus travel

Morning
Basilica and Convent of San FranciscoHistoric Centre🏛️ Sight
Guided tours of the bone-filled catacombs and the old library
Lunch
PanchitaMiraflores🍜 Food
Criollo cooking, famous for anticuchos (grilled beef-heart skewers)
Afternoon
Kennedy ParkMiraflores✨ Hot spot
Miraflores' central park, famous for its cats and ringed by cafés
Late afternoon
Lima Art Museum (MALI)South Centro🏛️ Sight
Peruvian art from ancient to modern in an old exhibition palace
Evening
Magic Water CircuitSanta Beatriz🌙 Night
Park of 13 lit fountains with a light-and-music show after dark

🍜 Where to eat in Lima: top 8

Specific restaurants, markets and food halls. Where there are queues, go right after opening.

Mercado N°1 de SurquilloSurquillo
Market next to Miraflores with ceviche stalls and tropical fruit
La Mar CebicheríaMirafloresIn the route
Gastón Acurio's cevichería; go at lunchtime
MaidoMiraflores
Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura's Nikkei tasting menu; book weeks ahead
CentralBarranco
Virgilio Martínez's altitude-themed tasting menu; reservations essential
Isolina Taberna PeruanaBarranco
Hearty Peruvian home-style taberna; portions made for sharing
PanchitaMirafloresIn the route
Criollo cooking, famous for anticuchos (grilled beef-heart skewers)
Barrio Chino (Chinatown)Historic CentreIn the route
Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) eateries centred on Calle Capón
Punto AzulMiraflores
Locals' favourite ceviche spot, mainly open for lunch

✨ Lima hot spots: top 8

Trendy neighbourhoods, cafés, photo spots and complexes for the daytime.

Kennedy ParkMirafloresIn the route
Miraflores' central park, famous for its cats and ringed by cafés
LarcomarMiraflores
Cliffside ocean-view mall; go around sunset
Parque del AmorMiraflores
Kissing-couple statue and mosaic benches above a Pacific sunset
Mercado Indio (Inca Market)MirafloresIn the route
Arcades of alpaca knits and crafts; bargaining expected
Miraflores ParaglidingMirafloresIn the route
Tandem paragliding off the coastal cliffs; runs only when winds allow

🌙 Lima at night: top 8

Bars, izakaya and night views — one to end the evening.

Magic Water CircuitSanta BeatrizIn the route
Park of 13 lit fountains with a light-and-music show after dark
Ayahuasca RestobarBarrancoIn the route
Cocktail bar in a restored Barranco mansion; order a pisco sour
Juanito de BarrancoBarrancoIn the route
Old-school neighbourhood bar; ham sandwiches and a cold beer

🏛️ Top sights in Lima

The places most first-timers don’t want to miss. Add a day in the app for the ones not in the route.

Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas)Historic CentreIn the route
Colonial main square ringed by the cathedral and the Government Palace
Lima CathedralHistoric CentreIn the route
Cathedral holding Pizarro's tomb; museum entry is paid
Basilica and Convent of San FranciscoHistoric CentreIn the route
Guided tours of the bone-filled catacombs and the old library
Government PalaceHistoric Centre
Watch the changing of the guard around noon from the plaza railings
Larco MuseumPueblo Libre
Pre-Columbian ceramics and gold, with a lovely garden café
Huaca PucllanaMirafloresIn the route
Adobe pyramid in the middle of the city; entry by guided tour
Bridge of Sighs (Puente de los Suspiros)BarrancoIn the route
Barranco's wooden bridge; hold your breath and make a wish
Plaza San MartínHistoric Centre
Square of French-style facades linked by the Jirón de la Unión walkway

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