What to do and where to stay in Lima

Gold Museum (Museo de Oro del Peru, National Museum of Antropology and Archeology, San Francisco Church and Catacombs

Quick Tips:

Clearing customs at the airport in Lima is easy and straighforward. However, expect your connecting flights to Cusco or any other internal destination to be cancelled or postponed, especially in the afternoon. Lima can be dangerous, so mind your bags and your surroundings at all times. Money (US Dollars) can be changed everywhere, but the best rates are at local markets. Change small amounts at a time, negotiate, and excercise caution. Money can safely be exchanged at the airport, but the exchange rate here is as bad as in hotels.

Best Way To Get Around:

Best way to get around Lima is by taxi. They are easy to spot at the airport, as they line up right outside and across the street form the main airport gate. Cabs with numbers painted on the doors and yellow cabs are government regulated and are probably safer. On the street in Lima or any other Peruvian city, exercise caution when looking for a taxi. If possible, call a taxi service, or pick one up after you have seen someone else get out. Tourists have been picked up by fake taxis in the recent past and robbed.

For a fraction of the cost, you can also commute by small buses, called 'suicide buses,' which are so named because of the way they drive through the busy streets of Lima. But you will need to have someone show you where they stop and which one to take, as this is not at all obvious. Ask for help at any of the hotels. The main bus thoroughfares in downtown are Av. Alfonso Ugarte and Av Tacna, and in the upscale neighborhood of Miraflores, Av. Arequipa.

Miraflores is Lima''s upscale neighborhood, and I recommend staying here when in Lima. Miraflores offers a range of accommodations, mostly expensive, but hotels in all price ranges can be found. Staying in Miraflores has many advantages: it''s safe, and fine restaurants and shopping are all nearby. Miraflores is also well served by taxis and buses.

Hotel Las Americas is five-stars and offers some of the best accommodations in Lima. Especially enjoyed the views of Miraflores and Lima, which are as good here as they get. Hope for haze-free weather. Call for airport pickup. Cost: around $190/night for a double. If this is too much to pay to stay in Lima (as it should be) see my other entries for more affordable suggestions.

Albergue Juvenil is a youth hostel and, with clean, spacious rooms, hot water, lockers and friendly staff, it may be the best deal in town. There is also a travel agency on the grounds. Cost: around $10/night. See my other entry for a mid-priced hotel suggestion in Miraflores.

Miraflores is Lima''s upscale neighborhood, and I recommend staying here when in Lima. Miraflores offers a range of accommodations, mostly expensive, but hotels in all price ranges can be found. Staying in Miraflores has many advantages: it''s safe, and fine restaurants and shopping are all nearby. Miraflores is also well served by taxis and buses.

Hotel Senorial is a colonial house with a beautiful courtyard, good, clean rooms and parking. Hotel staff are very helpful and speak English. Try to get them to pick you up at the airport. Cost: around $60/night,includes breakfast. See my other entry for a luxury hotel suggestion.

The fact that this museum is one giant vault will tell you that we are talking serious gold here. Rooms and rooms filled with thousands of Pre-Inka, Inka and Colonial artifacts all cast in solid gold. Also exhibited is a large collection of the famous Moche erotic pots. Located upstairs is a museum of military weapons and small arms belonging to famous South American and world leaders. The arms collection, supposedly, is the biggest in the world, and after an hour of hasty viewing, we were inclined to believe it. There is a good bookstore selling books about the collections, travel guides and postcards depicting that same erotic pottery. Outside the museum is a number of artisan shops. The selection of souvenirs is extensive, but you can buy all this stuff for half price elsewhere in Lima. Admission price is s15, and it's worth every sol. The only thing to complain about is the lack of good captions/descriptions of the exhibits. I suggest you got to Museo de la Nacion first to get a nice overview of the Peruvian history, then come here to enjoy the amazing gold. Open daily 12 pm to 7 pm. Allow at least 3 hours.

This is a great place to get a solid introduction to the Pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. Follow the well laid-out exhibits as they take you through Peru's ancient history. Well written exhibit descriptions will tell you as much as you want to know, and this will help you put in context all that you will see as you travel around Peru. I saw this museum after I had traveled to Cusco, Nazca and Arequipa, and it helped me put everything I learned together. Highly recommended! Of special interest is the exhibit of artifacts from the famous burial grounds of Sipan. Open every day except Monday, 9 am to 9 pm. Admission is a s5, and there is a discount for students.

This beautiful church was built in 1673 and is one of the few original large Lima buildings that survived the city's many earthquakes. The interior is gorgeous and imposing, but a far more amazing attraction rests underneath the church. A network of catacombs, recently discovered, is piled with the bones of 70,000 of the city's dead. The bones are all nicely arranged, and the moldy air adds to a truly bizarre and unique experience. Also of note is the large painting of the Last Supper, which has a devil painted in it (see if you can find it in the enclosed photo). Admission is s5, open 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. PS Don't believe the two cute ladies that will try to sell you the pictures of the catacombs because "you are not allowed to take any inside." You can take your own photos, but theirs are pretty good and maybe worth the 1 sol. :)