Lima Tours, Tickets & Things to Do
Discover the best Lima tours, the vibrant coastal capital and culinary heart of Peru: the colonial historic centre and catacombs, the seaside districts of Miraflores and bohemian Barranco, world-renowned ceviche and gourmet food tours, boat trips to the sea lions of the Palomino Islands, paragliding over the Pacific cliffs, and day trips to the Paracas reserve, Huacachina oasis and the Nazca Lines. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Peru trip.
Explore Lima by interest
Whatever brings you to Lima — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
City & history
Centre and catacombs.
ExploreFood tours
Ceviche and pisco.
ExploreParacas & Huacachina
Islands and dunes.
ExploreNazca Lines
Mysterious geoglyphs.
ExplorePalomino Islands
Swim with sea lions.
ExploreMachu Picchu
The lost Inca city.
ExploreParagliding
Fly over the cliffs.
ExploreDay trips
Pachacamac and beyond.
ExploreTop attractions in Lima
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Historic Centre
Plaza and catacombs.
Peruvian Cuisine
World food capital.
Paracas & Huacachina
Islands and dunes.
Nazca Lines
Desert geoglyphs.
Palomino Islands
Sea lion colony.
Machu Picchu
The lost Inca city.
Miraflores
Seaside cliffs.
Pachacamac
Ancient pyramids.
Lima in 2 days
- 1Day 1: City & food
- 2Day 2: Paracas & Huacachina
- 3Ballestas Islands
- 4Desert dunes
Lima in 3 days
- 1Day 1: City & food
- 2Day 2: Paracas & Huacachina
- 3Day 3: Nazca Lines
- 4City, desert & mystery
Lima with kids
- 1Palomino sea lions
- 2Parque de la Reserva
- 3Miraflores park
- 4Chocolate workshop
Lima food capital
- 1Ceviche food tour in Barranco
- 2Hands-on Peruvian cooking class
- 3Surquillo market walk
- 4Pisco sour tasting to finish
Lima history & coast
- 1Centro Histórico & San Francisco catacombs
- 2Barranco's bohemian art walk
- 3Huaca Pucllana adobe pyramid
- 4Miraflores clifftop malecón
3.5 hrs awayParacas & Huacachina
Islands and dunes.
South awayNazca Lines
Mysterious geoglyphs.
Boat trip awayPalomino Islands
Swim with sea lions.
Multi-day awayMachu Picchu
The lost Inca city.
1 hr awayPachacamac
Ancient pyramids.
In the city awayFood Tour
Ceviche and pisco.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Lima visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
December to April brings warm, sunny weather to Lima — the prime time to enjoy the coast, though the southern desert trips are good year-round.
Summer (Dec–Apr)
Warm and sunny, perfect for the seaside districts, paragliding and beach trips; the busiest, brightest season.
Shoulder (Nov, May)
Pleasant transitional months with a mix of sun and the first or last of the coastal mist, and fewer crowds.
Winter (Jun–Oct)
Cool and famously grey with the coastal “garúa” mist, though it rarely rains; the desert south stays clear and sunny.
Desert south year-round
Paracas, Huacachina and the Nazca Lines enjoy sunny desert weather all year, a great escape from Lima’s winter mist.
Combine with Cusco
The Andes and Machu Picchu are driest and best from May to September — handy if combining with Lima.
One day
The historic centre and a food tour.
Two days
Add Paracas and the Huacachina oasis.
Three days
The sweet spot: city, Paracas and the Nazca Lines.
Combine with Cusco
Add several days for Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Longer trips
Add Caral, the Amazon or the Colca Canyon.
Travelling with kids
Mix sea lions, parks and chocolate.
Taxis & apps
Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Cabify are the safest, easiest way to get around Lima; avoid hailing unofficial street taxis.
Tours & transfers
City tours and day trips include transport, and the southern desert trips depart by comfortable coach or van.
On foot
Miraflores, Barranco and the historic centre are pleasant to explore on foot, district by district.
Metropolitano
The Metropolitano bus rapid-transit line runs north–south, useful between the centre and Miraflores/Barranco.
Stay aware
Stick to the well-known districts, use apps for transport at night, and keep valuables out of sight.
From the airport
Jorge Chávez Airport is about 30–60 minutes from Miraflores depending on traffic; use a pre-booked transfer or app.
Peruvian sol
Peru uses the sol; carry some cash for taxis, markets and small eateries, though cards work in restaurants and hotels.
Book top restaurants
Lima’s famous restaurants book out weeks ahead — reserve early, or join a food tour for a guided taste.
Plan southern trips
Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca are far south, so book day or multi-day tours with transport rather than going alone.
Pack for the mist
Lima’s winter (Jun–Oct) is grey and cool, so bring a light jacket; the desert south is sunny year-round.
Tipping
A 10% tip is customary in restaurants if service isn’t included, and small tips for guides and drivers are appreciated.
Pre-book day trips
Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca tours fill up — book ahead.
Food tours
Popular food tours and top restaurants book out — reserve early.
Paracas & Huacachina
Desert day trips fill up — book ahead.
Nazca flights
Small-plane flights have limited seats — pre-book.
Palomino Islands
Sea-lion boat trips are popular — reserve early.
Machu Picchu
Multi-day Cusco trips need early booking — plan ahead.
Summer high season
December–April is busy — book ahead.
City tours
Around €20–50 for a Lima city and catacombs tour.
Food tours
About €35–80 for a Peruvian food tour or cooking class.
Paracas & Huacachina
Roughly €40–100 for a Paracas and Huacachina day trip.
Nazca Lines
Around €90–180 for a Nazca Lines flight tour.
Palomino Islands
About €35–60 for a Palomino sea-lion boat trip.
How to save
Join group tours, book multi-day desert trips together, and travel in the shoulder months.
Lima through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Sunny coast.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal; book ahead.
- Best for
- Mild, fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Good value.
- Best for
- Desert south, Cusco.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Grey mist in Lima.
- Best for
- Paracas, Nazca sunny.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great year-round.