Famous for the incredible remnants of the Incan Empire tangled within its wildest landscapes, Peru is a magnificent country whose beauty knows no bounds. Your adventure across its scenery of jungle-clad mountains and desert-bordered coast begins in the sprawling capital of Lima. This is where Peruvian culture thrives, around the country's best gastronomy, pisco-doused nightlife, and historic museums.
Experience our Lima tour packages
Visit Lima: get started
Look to Lima for the best museums in Peru! Start with the Larco Museum and the Huaca Pucllana Archaeological Complex for pre-Columbian artifacts and history, followed by the Lima Art Museum for contemporary treasures. Seek out the best restaurants of this culinary capital, most of which are in the Miraflores neighbourhood, before walking its Malecón (boardwalk), and discovering the bohemian district of Barranco. Stop in Lima when you book a tour or explore it on your own with a Flight & Hotel package.
Lima travel guide
Destination facts
Language
Spanish
When to visit
Lima shines brightest during their summer, between December and April, with sunny skies and warm weather. For a cooler experience, opt to visit from June to September for wet and foggy weather.
What to bring back
A bottle of Peruvian Pisco, traditional Andean clothing like colourful, hand-woven ponchos or chullo hats (knit hats with ear flaps), apparel made from soft alpaca wool, painted wooden Incan bowls and Peruvian chocolate or coffee.
What to eat
The ultimate Peruvian specialty of ceviche, anticuchos de corazon (beef heart skewers), ají de gallina (chicken and chili stew), lomo saltado (a Chinese-inspired meat stir-fry), jalea de mariscos (a mixed plate of fried seafood), anything with quinoa, and the city’s beloved dessert of suspiro a la limeña (a dulche de leche and meringue treat).
Fun fact
When you think of Peru, you’re probably picturing towering mountains and remnants of ancient civilizations hidden among verdant peaks. But the country’s capital, Lima, was actually built atop a desert, making it the second largest desert city in the world after Cairo in Egypt. The city sources its water from the Rimac River that cuts through it, but also, from a pre-Incan system of canals that brings rainwater from the Peruvian Andes mountains into the city.
Important info
For more information on all necessary travel documents, visa, taxes and more, check Air Canada’s Travel Requirements page and the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism website.
