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.
🏛️ City Tour of Historic Lima + Visit to the Catacombs
On this tour, we'll visit the most attractive and historically significant spots 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'll go in!)
We will visit this historic hotel that hosted great personalities of the 20th century and was one of the first to have an elevator in Lima. - San Martín Square (explanation)
One of Lima's most emblematic spaces, a symbol of Peruvian independence. - Jirón de la Unión
We will 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, now a cultural center. - Church of La Merced (explanation + entrance)
A Baroque architectural gem with fascinating stories from the colonial era. - Plaza de Armas of Lima
We will observe and learn about:- The Cathedral of Lima
- The Archdiocese
- The Municipal Palace
- The Government Palace
- Post and Telegraph Office (explanation)
An iconic place 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 Saint John Macias
- Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (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 and history-filled experience! - We will have a Pisco Sour tasting at the end of the tour.
*** SUGGESTIONS ***
- If you are staying in Miraflores, we recommend leaving early as traffic in the city of Lima is very congested.
- Remember to bring water for the walk through Casa Aliaga.
- Bring water, a camera, and a strong 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 do not accept group tips; all tips are per person.
- Look for the RED LIMA AMERICA TOURS polo shirt
- Please arrive at the meeting point 5 minutes before the tour starts. If you are unable to attend, 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: 30 soles (payment made by the visitor).
On this tour, we visit the most attractive and historically rich points of Lima's historic center. Discover the city of kings with a very passionate local guide who can provide you with a lot of information during your visit to the city of Ceviche and Pisco Sour.
- Points we will visit on the tour:
📍 Gran Hotel Bolívar (we will enter)
📍 Plaza San Martín (explanation)
📍 Jirón de la Unión (connects with the Plaza de Armas)
📍 Casa O'Higgins (optional)
📍 Iglesia de la Merced (explanation and entry)
📍We will visit the Plaza de Armas where we will observe and explain about: The cathedral, Archbishop's Palace, Municipal Palace, Government Palace, etc.
📍 Post and Telegraph House (explanation)
📍We will observe the changing of the guard (optional)
📍 House of Peruvian Literature (explanation)
📍 Santo Domingo Church (We will observe the skull of Santa Rosa de Lima, the skull of San Martín de Porres, and the crypt of San Juan Macías).
📍San Francisco de Asís Church (explanation)
Finally, we will have free tastings, where you can try different varieties of Peruvian Pisco and its multiple presentations; Pisco Sour classes are optional, so visitors will be asked if they wish to taste or not.
During the tour, it will be explained how a Peruvian lives, so the tour guide will explain about typical dishes such as: Pollo a la brasa and its preparation, about Spanish churros, and will visit stalls (optional) where tourists can eat well, nicely, and cheaply, and to observe more, NOT to buy.
*** SUGGESTIONS ***
- If you are staying in Miraflores, we recommend leaving early as traffic in the city of Lima is very congested.
- Remember to bring water for the walk through the historic center.
- Bring water, a camera, and a great desire to experience this journey through the city of ¡LIMA!.
*** IMPORTANT ***
- The suggested payment at the end of the tour is between $15-25 per person depending on your satisfaction.
- NO coins are accepted as payment, value the guide's work.
- WE DO NOT ACCEPT GROUP TIPS; EVERY TIP IS PER PERSON.
- Look for the RED LIMA AMÉRICA TOURS shirt
- Be at the meeting point 5 minutes before the tour starts, if you cannot attend the tour, cancel in advance to avoid misunderstandings.
🏳️🌈🍉 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!
* Just so you know, ceviche is only possible 2pm, not available at 5pm.
✨ 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.
* It's not allowed to do the tour if you are not going to eat. It's unconfortable for the everybody.
* We do expect from you to have the time to write a honest review for us after the tour.
* If you don't agree with these terms, you are welcome to book with someone else.
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 2 guests - Minimum 2 pax - Because of the nature of this foodie experience.
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!
Learn about the Pacific War between Peru and Chile and enjoy the best panoramic views of the city with this free tour of the district of Chorrillos.
PLEASE READ THE FULL DESCRIPTION.
Barranco is considered the Bohemian, Artistic, and Cultural district. We will share history, culture, and art on this tour.
The route will begin in Barranco's Central Park where we will learn about all its surroundings, then we will visit the Jade Rivera gallery (Renowned Muralist) , along the way we will observe the republican architecture with a Spanish touch in the buildings , the artistic part we will observe by interpreting the Murals that make Barranco very picturesque, we will arrive at the Bridge of Sighs where we will have the opportunity to make a wish . Finally, after a few minutes, we will arrive at the Sousa Lookout from where we will appreciate the entire Lima coast.
Places to visit:
Murals of Peruvian activities and customs
Bathroom descent
Jade Rivera Mural
Bridge of Sighs
Barranco Hermitage
Souza Lookout
Jade Rivera Gallery (Renowned Muralist)
Mural of Creole Identity
Don't miss this unforgettable experience, we're waiting for you, we promise to learn and have fun, don't miss it.
The tour must have a minimum of 5 people.
Groups of more than 6 people are NOT accepted. If 2 different reservations are made and they are a single group, they will have to make the payment in advance (10 USD per person).
If you do not agree with this, please do not book this tour.
If you can't reach your guide, you'll find a Starbucks with internet access across the park.
#IMPORTANT
This is a free tour. Like all free walking tours around the world, the guides work independently, covering their own transportation and logistics (payment to the GuruWalk platform, among other things). We strive to provide good 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 promise you'll like it.
🏛️ Itinerary of the Free Tour of the Historic Center of Lima
📍 Meeting point: Hotel Bolívar (Plaza San Martín)
🕙 Morning schedule: 10:00 am
🕓 Afternoon schedule: 4:20 pm
Once all participants have gathered in front of the iconic Hotel Bolívar , we will begin our walking tour of Lima's historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO .
📌 What places will you visit?
- San Martín Square
Inaugurated in 1921 to commemorate the centennial of Peru's independence, it is one of the city's most elegant squares, surrounded by majestic neocolonial buildings and presided over by the equestrian statue of the liberator Don José de San Martín. - Union Street
A former aristocratic boulevard now a pedestrian street. Along the way, you'll discover period architectural details, historic cafes, and anecdotes that shaped Lima's social life during the 20th century. - Lima's Plaza de Armas
The political and religious center since the city's founding in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro. Here you can admire the impressive monumental complex from a panoramic view:- Lima Cathedral (exterior facade): symbol of colonial religious power.
- Government Palace : official residence of the President of Peru.
- Municipal Palace of Lima : headquarters of the Metropolitan Municipality.
- Church of Santo Domingo (exterior view)
One of the oldest temples in Lima, famous for housing the remains of Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Martin de Porres , patron saints of America. - House of Peruvian Literature
A former train station transformed into a cultural center dedicated to honoring Peruvian writers and the country's literary heritage. We'll explore its elegant early 20th-century architecture. - Church and Convent of San Francisco (facade)
We conclude the tour in front of this magnificent colonial complex, renowned for its Lima-style baroque architecture, its historic library, and its famous catacombs (we do not enter on this tour).
🔎 Important: The entire tour is outdoors. Monuments are not accessible.
📲 You will receive the guide's name and contact information via WhatsApp the day before the tour.
❗ If you cannot attend, please let us know in advance.
Discover Peruvian food and eat where Peruvians eat the most, delicious and affordable, and enjoy the typical dishes of Lima. Next, we will enjoy this gastronomic tour of the diverse typical dishes that the capital of Peru offers.
During the tour, we will make several stops where you can taste a variety of typical Peruvian dishes. The cost of the dishes is borne by each person, and you are free to try whatever you wish.
Some dishes include ceviche, picarones, anticuchos, fruit juices, chicha morada, mazamorra morada, causa limeña, papa rellena, lomo saltado, min pao, siu mai, and others.
Peruvian cuisine is recognized worldwide, and in recent years it has gained top positions, one of them being the Central restaurant located in Barranco, which is the best restaurant in the world in 2023, and the Maido restaurant located in Miraflores in Lima is the best restaurant in the world in 2025.
We will conclude the tour with pisco sour tastings.
Places to visit.
- La Merced Church.
- O'Higgins House.
- Jirón de la Unión.
- The Main Square.
- Hotel Maury.
- Torre Tagle House.
- Central Market.
- Chinatown.
- National Library.
- Congress of the Republic.
- The Holy Inquisition.
- Historic Center of Lima.
- San Francisco Church and
Catacombs.
IMPORTANT
This is a free tour, like all walking tours around the world, we guides work independently covering our transportation and logistics (payment to the GurúWalk platform, among others), we will try to provide good company, therefore we expect to be well rewarded at the end of the tour. It is normal for guides to expect to receive between 10 USD (40 soles) and 30 USD (100 soles) per person, considering that these tours usually cost up to 40 USD per person.
🇧🇷. BRAZIL 🇧🇷
Discover Peruvian food and eat where Peruvians eat the most, delicious and affordable, and enjoy the typical dishes of Lima. Next, we will enjoy this gastronomic tour of the diversity of dishes that the Peruvian capital has to offer.
During the tour, we will make several stops where you can try a variety of typical Peruvian dishes. The cost of the dishes is borne by each person, and you can try whatever you want.
Some dishes include ceviche, picarones, anticuchos, fruit juices, chicha morada, mazamorra morada, causa limeña, papa rellena, lomo saltado, min pao, siu mai, and others.
Peruvian cuisine is recognized worldwide and, in recent years, has received important awards. One of them is the Central restaurant, located in Barranco, considered the best restaurant in the world in 2023. The Maido restaurant, located in Miraflores, Lima, is considered the best restaurant in the world in 2025.
We will conclude the tour with pisco sour tastings.
🇨🇵. FRANCE. 🇨🇵
Discover Peruvian cuisine and eat where Peruvians eat the most, delicious and affordable, and savor the typical dishes of Lima. Next, we will enjoy this gastronomic tour to discover the culinary diversity of the Peruvian capital.
During the tour, we will make several stops to taste a variety of typical Peruvian dishes. The price of the dishes is at the expense of each person, and you are free to taste what you want.
Among the dishes offered, there are churros, cheese ice cream, lucuma ice cream, corn with cheese, ceviche, chicken and rice, picarones, anticuchos, orange juice, chicha morada, mazamorra morada, causa limeña, stuffed potatoes, min pao, siu mai, etc.
Peruvian cuisine is recognized worldwide and has reached heights in recent years. Among them, the Central restaurant, located in Barranco, was voted the best restaurant in the world in 2023, and the Maido restaurant, located in Miraflores, Lima, was voted the best restaurant in the world in 2025.
We will end the tour with a pisco sour tasting.
🏳️🌈🍉 You thought you'd seen it all... until you walked with us.
If you've already done another city tour, give Lima -and yourself- one more chance. Come with us and feel the difference.
TOUR DESCRIPTION
Lima’s Historic Center from its pre-Inka origins, through the Viceroyalty period, to the birth of the Republic, walking through its streets, plazas, and architecture led by our licensed tour guides who believe culture and history are best understood by a quirky walk.
This tour makes every minute count. We don’t waste time chasing commissions by stopping at souvenir shops, chocolates, or pisco. Here you’ll experience Lima’s culture and history the way it should be, guided by professional storytellers.
✨ IMPORTANTS ✨
We truly value honest reviews, and we kindly ask you to take a moment to leave one after the tour.
- We do not take you to or recommend tourist traps or museum-stores that you could easily visit on your own.
- We do not accept massive groups. We prioritize quality, real connection, and transparency over numbers.
- This is a small-scale, high-impact experience.
Too good to be true?
Check out our long, passionate reviews on GuruWalk.
✨ If you’re not attending the tour, please cancel your booking as soon as possible.
Thank you!
On this free night tour of Lima, we'll discover the wonders of the Peruvian capital by night. You'll enjoy lit monuments and the famous Magic Water Circuit!