Things to Do in Lima
This pleasant city tour begins at one of Lima's oldest churches. We'll visit La Merced Church , which stands out for its 17th-century Baroque façade.
Afterwards, we will walk along the traditional Jr. de la Unión.
We will visit the Plaza de Armas of Lima , an environment of tradition and history, the government palace, the cathedral, the ornamental fountain among others, then, we will be by the Santo Domingo church, later, we will be by the Chabuca Granda avenue , it is a place of artistic and cultural events, we will also be able to see some places on the side of the Rímac River,
Then we will be on our way to the train station ( today the House of Literature ), then we will visit the park of the wall to have a nice view of the San Cristobal hill and other places.
Finally, we will visit the San Francisco Museum and catacombs, inaugurated in the 17th century.
What places will we see?
-La Merced Church.
-The Tagle Tower Mansion.
-The Plaza de Armas of Lima.
-The Santo Domingo church.
-The Chabuca Granda avenue.
-The park "The wall"
-San Francisco Convent Museum and Catacombs.
Museum entrance fee: S/30 soles (optional)
Suggestions:
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for walking.
Bring a hat or cap.
A bottle of water (optional)
Important:
Sometimes it takes an hour by taxi from Miraflores to the meeting point.
In case of not attending, please CANCEL the tour reservation.
Welcome to Lima!
Walking tour of the historic center of the city, get to know the best of Lima accompanied by a local guide. Be part of the best tour and spend a great day.
- ITINERARY
On our tour we will observe:
- San Martin Square
- Union Street
- La Merced Church
- Parade ground
- Government Palace
- Lima Cathedral
- Desamparados Station
2. MEETING POINTS
MIRAFLORES: June 7 Park
- Historic Center: Plaza San Martin
3. SCHEDULES
10:30 am MIRAFLORES
- 11:15 am Plaza San Martin
- 1:30 pm Plaza San Martin
- 3:00pm Martin Square
On this tour , we visit the most attractive and historic sites in Lima's historic center. Discover the city of kings with a passionate local guide who can provide a wealth of information on your visit to the city of ceviche and pisco sour.
- Points we will visit on the tour:
📍 Gran Hotel Bolívar (we will enter)
📍 San Martín Square (explanation)
📍 Jirón de la Unión (connects to the Plaza de Armas)
📍 O'Higgins House (optional)
📍 Church of La Merced (explanation and entrance)
📍We will visit the Plaza de Armas where we will observe and explain about: The cathedral, Archbishopric, Municipal Palace, Government Palace, etc.
📍 Post and Telegraph Office (explanation)
📍We will observe the changing of the guard (optional)
📍 House of Peruvian Literature (explanation)
📍 Church of Santo Domingo (We will observe the skull of Saint Rose of Lima, the skull of Saint Martin de Porres and the crypt of Saint John Macias).
📍 St. Francis of Assisi Church (explanation)
Finally, we'll have free tastings , where you can try different varieties of Peruvian Pisco and its many presentations. Pisco Sour classes are optional, so visitors will be asked if they'd like to try a tasting.
During the tour, you'll learn about Peruvian life. Your tour guide will explain typical dishes such as grilled chicken and its preparation, as well as Spanish churros. You'll also visit stalls (optional) where you can eat good, tasty, and cheap food, and you'll be encouraged to observe more—NO!—so you don't buy anything.
*** SUGGESTIONS ***
- If you're staying in Miraflores, we recommend leaving early, as traffic in Lima is very congested.
- Remember to bring water for your walk through the historic center.
- Bring water, a camera, and a desire to experience the city of Lima!
*** IMPORTANT ***
- The suggested payment at the end of the tour is between $10-20 per person depending on your satisfaction.
- We do NOT accept coins as payment, please appreciate the guide's work.
- WE DO NOT ACCEPT GROUP TIPS ; ALL TIPS ARE PER PERSON.
- Look for the RED LIMA AMERICA TOURS polo
- Please be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the tour begins. If you are not attending, please cancel in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.
🏳️🌈🍉 Just when you thought you'd seen it all... until you walked with us.
If you've already done another food tour in Peru, give Lima, Cusco -and yourself- one more chance. Come with us and experience the difference.
Also, you should ask for our Lima City Tour (Beyond Official History), and our Barranco Tour (Controversial Street Art)
We are LIMA DESTROY TOURS! Some of our guides have over 18 years of experience.
This tour has been curated for curious travelers who seek meaning and connection. NOT for tourists chasing checklists.
If you’re not showing genuine interest, we’ll kindly let you go your own way. And you do what you gotta do. Away with the hype and mainstream noise. This is low key and for the real ones only.
TOUR DESCRIPTION
Let's walk through the commercial, crowded, chaotic, noisy, crazy and over-whelming, but fun streets at the Central Market, China Town and surroundings. We will try a lot Peruvian delicacies (Street Food, Markets, and Hole in the Walls), which have been carefully selected by local foodie experts. And guess what? You will directly support local vendors, learn about history, culture and gastronomy, and inmerse into the real Peru!
Join us on this top foodie experience around the non-touristic part of the historical centre of Lima. You will taste, learn and have lots of fun in this amazing tour which has been curated by us. We are NOT just foodie guides, we are an open-minded and licensed team of professional cultural ambassadors & storytellers.
This is literally a 3-hour tour & experience. NO wasting time on buses, nor shopping-comission stores or "museums" that you could easily visit on your own.
All Inclusive! just show up!
✨ TIPS ✨ (Cash or PayPal)
In the beggining of the tour, we will ask you 120 soles per person. This amount includes food, drinks, surprises, logistics, and everything. Also, at the end of the tour, if you feel this experience was unique, informative, and fun at the same time, you are very welcome to leave an extra tip according to your personal level of satisfaction. Your best tip is your review.
1. All of us - and tour guides - are professional peruvians with at least 3 to 5 years of education at University.
2. Guides have no salary. 50% of the tips are for the guide, and 50% for the agency Lima Destroy Tours, the tour agency pays the comission fee to GuruWalk and other logistical expenses.
3. We always run our tours, even with one guest - no minimum group size required.
4. We do not take you to or recommend any tourist trap or any museum-store that you could easily visit on your own.
5. We do not accept massive groups.
We don’t go for quantity - we value quality, connection, and transparency.
Because less is more.
Too good to be true?
Check out our long, passionate reviews on GuruWalk!
Want to help tour guide?
Leave an honest review - it means a lot to us!
✨ If you’re not attending the tour, please cancel your booking as soon as possible.
Thank you!
Free Tour of Lima's Historic Center: History and Culture
At the agreed time, we will meet at the meeting point of your choice:
- Miraflores (Meeting Point – No Tour): 9:00 AM | 10:15 AM | 3:30 PM
- Downtown Lima (Tour Start): 10:00 AM | 11:20 AM | 4:20 PM
If you're in Miraflores , our team will help you get around like a local using the Metropolitano, a fast and affordable bus (S/3.20 or $1) . However, this transportation is often very crowded and may take longer than expected to board. If you prefer more convenience, you can go directly to the second meeting point in downtown Lima, where the tour will begin.
If you decide to take a taxi or private transportation, the approximate cost from Miraflores to the center is S/40 – S/50 ($12 – $15).
What will you discover on this tour?
We start at Plaza San Martín , one of Lima's most emblematic spaces, and walk along the historic Jirón de la Unión towards Plaza de Armas .
From there, we will have a panoramic view of the imposing Lima Cathedral , the Government Palace , the Municipal Palace and other colonial icons that surround the heart of the historic center.
We'll continue to Santo Domingo Church , famous for housing the remains of Saint Rose and Saint Martin de Porres, and then on to the House of Peruvian Literature , located in a former train station. We'll end with an exterior view of the Church and Convent of San Francisco , famous for its architecture and catacombs (not included in this tour).
📲 The day before the tour, we'll send you the guide's name and contact information via WhatsApp.
❗ If you cannot attend, please let us know in advance so as not to affect the group.
Join us for a journey through Lima's colonial past on a tour filled with history, culture, and unforgettable views. We look forward to seeing you!
Join us from Monday to Saturday to visit together the bohemian district of BARRANCO, the most artistic area of Lima.
Our tour guides are the people in charge to show you the history of this iconic neighborhood, its colorful streets and beautiful graffiti murals.
Book it right now!
- Place and dates
Our walking tour goes through the bohemian district of BARRANCO.
The tour takes place from Monday to Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and last 2 hours aprox.
- Meeting point:
MAIN MEETING POINTin Barranco.
The tour starts at Parque Municipal de Barranco (In front of the Library) at 4:00 p.m.
- Itinerary:
We will visit the next highlights:
- Parque Municipal de Barranco
- Oroya alley and murals
- Bajada de Baños street
- Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs)
- Ermita de Barranco (First church in Barranco)
- San Martín bridge and murals
- Paul Harris boardwalk
- Includes:
- Qualified and official tour guides
- How to recognize your tour guide?
You will always recognize us wearing a LIGHT BLUE VEST with the map of Peru at the back and our brand LIMA BY WALKING.
- Extra recommendations
Wear hats, sunglasses and sunscreen
Carry money with you for any eventual situation
Follow your tour guide's advice
🏛️ City Tour of Historic Lima + Visit to the Catacombs
On this tour, we visit the most attractive and historic sites in Lima's historic center. Discover the City of Kings with a passionate local guide , who will share interesting facts and anecdotes about the city of ceviche and pisco sour .
📍 Places we will visit on the tour:
- Gran Hotel Bolívar (we will enter!)
We'll visit this historic hotel that housed important figures of the 20th century and was one of the first in Lima to have an elevator. - San Martín Square (explanation)
One of Lima's most emblematic spaces, a symbol of Peruvian independence. - Union Street
We'll stroll along this traditional pedestrian street that connects Plaza San Martín with Plaza de Armas, full of architecture and history. - O'Higgins House (optional)
Colonial house where the liberator Bernardo O'Higgins lived, today a cultural center. - La Merced Church (explanation + entrance)
A baroque architectural gem with fascinating stories from the colonial era. - Lima's Plaza de Armas
We will observe and learn about:- The Cathedral of Lima
- The Archbishopric
- The Municipal Palace
- The Government Palace
- Post and Telegraph Office (explanation)
An iconic location with European-style architecture. - House of Peruvian Literature (explanation)
Former train station converted into a cultural center dedicated to Peruvian literature. - Church of Santo Domingo
We will see unique religious relics:- The skull of Saint Rose of Lima
- The skull of Saint Martin de Porres
- The crypt of San Juan Macías
- St. Francis of Assisi Church (explanation + entrance to the Catacombs)
We end the tour at this magnificent temple, where we will visit the famous Catacombs of Lima : underground passages that served as a cemetery during the colonial period and that hold thousands of human remains... a unique experience full of history! - We will have a Pisco Sour tasting at the end of the tour.
*** SUGGESTIONS ***
- If you're staying in Miraflores, we recommend leaving early, as traffic in Lima is very congested.
- Remember to bring water for your walk through Casa Aliaga.
- Bring water, a camera, and a desire to experience the Aliaga mansion.
*** IMPORTANT ***
- The suggested payment at the end of the tour is between $10-15 per person depending on your satisfaction.
- We don't accept group tips; each tip is per person.
- Look for the RED LIMA AMERICA TOURS polo
- Please be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the tour begins. If you are not attending, please cancel in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.
Very important:
If you are unable to attend the tour, please cancel in advance to avoid any inconvenience.
Catacombs Price: 20 soles (payment is made by the visitor).
The sightseeing bus in Lima is the most comfortable and flexible way to discover the charms of the Peruvian capital. You can hop on and off whenever you want!
PLEASE READ THE FULL DESCRIPTION.
The best way to get to know Lima is on foot. You'll love delving into its stories, legends, hidden passages , influential figures, secrets, and great mysteries . That's exactly what you'll learn.
In downtown Lima, you'll find us in Plaza San Martin.
The tour begins with an explanation of Plaza San Martin, then heads down Jirón de la Unión , where we'll admire important buildings such as La Merced Church, before finally arriving at Plaza de Armas and exploring its main buildings. We'll continue to the House of Peruvian Literature, visit San Francisco Church (home to the catacombs ), walk through one of Lima's most architecturally beautiful streets, and finally conclude our tour at Parque de la Muralla.
The tour must have a minimum of 5 people.
Groups of more than 6 are NOT accepted. If you make 2 reservations and they are a single group, you must make the commitment payment (10 USD per person).
If you do not agree with this, please do not book this tour.
#IMPORTANT
This is a free tour. Like all walking tours around the world, the guides work independently, covering their own transportation and logistics (including payment to the GuruWalk platform). We strive to provide excellent company, so we expect to be well rewarded at the end of the tour. Guides typically expect to receive between $15 USD (60 soles) and $30 USD (100 soles) per person, considering that these tours typically cost up to $70 USD per person.
We look forward to seeing you, we're sure you'll enjoy it.
If you love adrenaline rushes and adventure, you'll love our Surfing Lesson at Makaha Beach! You'll learn how to ride the waves from a true pro!
Our visit starts outside of Casa Osambela, one of the nicest colonial Mansions of Lima City.
Then, we walk in the old Lima for watching colonial balconies for comparing the architecture of them. On the route we visit Santo Domingo church, place where you'll see something about 2 peruvian saints.
After we go in direction of the river to have a panoramic view of the another side of the city.
Coming back we see a Mansion of one of the oldest families of the whole country.
In the Main Square, the place where Francisco Pizarro founded the capital of Perú, The Cathedral, Presidential Palace, City Hall and other buildings you will see there.
Then we will visit the old Train Station. In our visit you'll see one of the nicest streets of the country.
After, we go to San Francisco, the most visited church in the city. In surroundings you can buy the Lima churros.
Our tour continues taking a look around the old financial area of the country and the longest and nicest colonial balcony of the whole continent.
Finally, we can choose to visit the Chinatown or a Small Museum.
P. D.:
We can visit Casa Aliaga, Catacombs of San Francisco, Saint Dominic Monastery or another big museum but that is an extra service.
