Lima surprises you with it's eeriness. Let's face it. This is not the most exhilarating city on the planet. Yet the guarantee of fog blanketing the colonial buildings in the historical centre is sure to enchant most people.
I would therefore start a top day in Lima at the plaza de armas. Lima was founded here in 1535 by the Spanish explorer and conquistador Francisco Pizarro. Pizarro had been in the process of overthrowing the entire Incan empire. After the Incans surrendered, they (apparently) urged Pizarro to set up as the seat of Spanish power in the area that is now Lima and which they regarded as the geographical and meteorological armpit of the Empire - or so the story goes. Today the Palacio de Gobierno on this plaza is home to the President.
A walk north towards the railway station (now the National Library) marks where the highest passenger train in the world still calls for Huancayo only a few dozens times a year. On the opposite corner is the Bar Cordorba. With excellent ceviche, it is one of the most traditional cafes in town and a perfect resting spot for a coffee, drink or snack at any time of day. I would probably head directly over to the San Francisco Church where a guided tour of the convent and extensive networks of catacombs always re-assures me of the spooky and sinister sides of Lima while the library and beautiful ceilings are always intriguing. If you are in a brave mood you could visit the bull fighting museum just across the river - but be warned this is also the 'wrong side' of the railway tracks. So why not have a look at the Museum of the Inquisition instead which also includes a free guided explanation of the various torture methods used on those who were seen to defy the church.
Peru is known for the Inca, but Lima is a city built by and for the Spanish conquerors. As a result, the telegraphic and gas light were introduced to Peru here, and Lima was the first city in South America to set up a rail link to another city.
All this excitement will have me heading straight for lunch with the French nuns at their colonial mansion / non-profit restaurant known as L'Eau Vive. After being politely seated in French, the delicious lunch menu that follows reminds you of home cooking, no matter how far away that may be. To walk off that lunch, I would then head back towards the plaza de armas this time popping in to the Catedral, where the remains of Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro rest. From here walk south down the pedestrian shopping street of Jirón de la Unión. Passing one South American shoe shop after another, I might pop in to Topi Top, the Peruvian Gap. Why not also take a peek in the Gran Hotel Bolivar, which has a nice terrace round the back. After a morning full of cultural museums, it's time for some real-life discovery at the Huaca Pucllana Inca Site. Taking one of the many collectivos that run down to Miraflores from the centre is by far the most exciting and local way to get there.
I am always amazed that a real Incan temple-city complex is being uncovered right in the middle of a modern-day residential neighbourhood. There's an entry fee of a few soles but this includes a guided half-hour tour along side the painstaking excavation efforts. If it's not my first time to the site I may just stop by to enjoy lunch or a drink on the terrace with the adobe temple looming behind. You may want to go from here to catch a wave at the beach or visit a posh Miraflores shopping mall (built inside the cliffs) overlooking the Pacific.
Either way I always end up back in Parque Kennedy to watch the world go by with a Pisco Sour at the timeless Cafe Haiti that overlooks the palm trees of in Lima's glitziest shopping neighbourhood. And finally, to taste some of those famous Peruvian dishes try booking a table at La Merced for dinner, or for lunch with all the businessmen. The ceiling is an excellent example of the dark woodwork craftsmanship in this city and the Papa Huancaina is delicious.
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