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Destination ~ Lima
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| Lima,
the capital city of
Peru and the starting point for your Peruvian experience
was
founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistadors and has now
grown to become one the largest cities in the world inhabiting
about a third of the country's total population! Lima's
urban sprawl has earned somewhat of a reputation over
the years but for those willing to look a little deeper
there are plenty of interesting sights and rewarding experiences
to be had here.
With
a blend of colonial styles and modern architecture, the
heart of the city is the spacious Plaza Mayor
(formerly the Plaza de Armas) where can be seen
some of the finest buildings in Lima from the Presidential
Palace to the Cathedral. |
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Culture
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Lima
has a wealth of museums, some of them displaying the best
of the pre-colombian treasures recovered from archaeological
sites around the country such as the Museo Nacional
de Antropologia y Arqueologia and the Museo de
la Nacion.
Of
all Lima's museums, the
most popular is undoubtedly the Museo
de Oro (Gold Museum), where the huge
private collection of gold, silver and jewelled items
is quite breathtaking.
Your
guide will be happy to advise you on what there is to
see and do, according to your own personal interests as
there is something for everyone - from the Museo de
Arte Italiano for Art buffs to the facinating but
quite morbid Museo del Tribunal de la Santa
Inquisicion (Inquisition Museum), the small but grusome
display recreating the various forms of torture. |
Lima
is broken up into barrios or districts, of which
some of the most pleasant
and most interesting areas for tourists are:
Lima
Centro ~ Central Lima
Some
of the main sights of Lima are all to be found within
easy walking distance of the city's main square or Plaza
Mayor in historic downtown Lima. As aprt of your
personalised tour of Peru we can arrange for you to
enjoy a Lima city tour, personally tailored to take
in the sights of most interest to you. Alternatively
you may prefer to have a free day and explore what Lima
has to offer for yourself.
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San Francisco
Church and Monastery
is a lovely Baroque church and is widely
considered to be a colonial masterpiece. The interior
is lavishly decorated in the Moorish style and contains
a valuable collection of religious art, a 17th century
library and a cupola with a superb carved ceiling.
Beneath
the church is a famous network of Catacombs
containing thousands of bones and skulls all arranged
into various patterns, the eerie Catacombs are well
worth a visit but are not for the faint hearted!
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The
Cathedral as
it now stands is actually built on the site of two
previous buildings and the interior is well worth
a look for its impressive art and architecture.
Located
next door to the Cathedral is the attractive Archbishop's
Palace (left)
famous for its superb example of an ornate wooden
balcony. |
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Palacio de Gobierno or Government
Palace is on the north side of the
Plaza Mayor on the site of the original
palace that was built by Pizarro.
Please
note: a tour of the palace is by formal request
only and must be organised in advance.
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| Miraflores
& San Isidro |
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One of the most pleasant, residential districts
in Lima is Miraflores. Here you will find a hub
of activity with plenty of shops, cafes and eateries
making Miraflores
the place to shop and be seen.
The best
restaurants are to be found surrounding the Kennedy
Park which often hosts a small artisans market in
the evenings when thenarrow street dividing the
park becomes full of artists displaying their pictures.
At
Peruvian Secrets we can offer a wide range of Lima
hotels to suit your budget, but rest assured that
all our accommodation
will be of the highest standard. When it comes to
clean, modest, comfortable
accommodation the pleasant district of Miraflores
is a safe bet and for those
looking for 5-star accommodation, neighbouring
San Isidro is
home to many of the more upscale commercial zones,
residential areas and top-end hotels with one of
Peru's few golf courses right in the heart of it
all. |
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South
of Miraflores is Barranco. A place for romance and relaxation,
Barranco's splendid night life combined with discotheques,
quality restaurants and a wide range of bars make this
the ideal place for an evening's entertainment. As part
of your personal tour Peruvian Secrets can include an
optional night out to Barranco escorted by your guide
for a night out on the town, Limeño style.
Barranco
is also home to the famous 'Bridge of Sighs', a popular
meeting place of lovers.The Parque del Amor or
Love Park is a lovely place to just sit and relax with
a lovely mosaic seating areas and a great view of the
ocean below.
A short walk from the bridge takes you to the view point
of the Costa Verde, from here you can see the city as
it encroaches the ocean. At night the city lights' reflections
over the water bring a magical transformation. |
Return
to Destinations
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Peruvian Secrets Ltd ·
Unit 4 · Business Units · Brynsiencyn · Anglesey
· LL61 6HZ
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administrator@peruviansecrets.co.uk
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