After a long flight from Spain I landed in Lima, Peru and was immediately struck by the city's feeling of confidence. The city feels safe. The people are welcoming and want to share with you what they love about where they live and work. It's as if they are letting you in on a secret. Many of the people I spoke with were happy I was spending more than a day in Lima, because most visitors use the city only as a stopping point on the way to Cusco and Machu Picchu.
The most popular parts of the city offer great views of the Pacific Ocean (on flights in and out you also have great views of the Andes Mountains). At first it's hard to see how to get to the beach, but if you are determined to find it you can navigate the cliffs and make your way to the water. There are well marked and well-paved pathways.
Once there you will find people enjoying the parks that border the ocean, sunbathing and swimming on beaches of washed stone, surf camps and surf schools lining the coast and a very active para-gliding community that signals this is a fun place to be.
Lima is known for its food and nearly everyone I met offered suggestions on their favorite restaurants or began conversations in the morning by asking where I ate last night. Ceviche is the dish most often recommended. Lima's standing as a destination for foodies is due in part to influences from around the world, but restaurants are also making a greater effort to put a Peruvian touch on their offerings to make them unique.
As a solo traveler in Lima over Christmas week I did not make a special effort to eat in the best restaurants, but I never had a bad meal. My best experiences were in small places which often have a waiter or waitress outside beckoning you to come in. Unlike other countries I have visited, in Lima when you say "no" it's taken as a no without judgement. No one follows you down the street asking you to explain why you won't eat in their place.
Above: Lima offers an active surf scene with views of the city skyline from the water.
I stayed in the Miraflores district which felt to me like a cross between Miami and Havana. The architecture is mostly small scale. The taller buildings are mostly mid-century modern. Once in a while you'll spot an old car from the 1950s or '60s and on every block there is a small bodega selling fresh fruits and vegetables and convenience store items. The small shops offer a window into Lima's recent past.
Over 9 million people live in the Lima metropolitan area. It's the second largest population center in South America. Only Sao Paulo, Brazil has a bigger population.
While in South America I also spent time in Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lima is much quieter and laid back by comparison, but all three cities feel diverse with people from around the world calling each city home.
Traffic can be a problem in Lima. During mid-mornings and late afternoons the major roads can become like parking lots. There is not much you can do to avoid it except to plan your travel during slower parts of the day. Early morning and after the evening rush. Once you are stuck in a traffic jam you should just settle in for a long ride.* There are ride share services available, standard taxis, a small metro train system and buses.
Lima is the capital of Peru so you can visit the seat of the national government in the El Centro section. There are many museums, shopping of various types and of course the beach. I found the most enjoyable activity however was simply strolling the streets, getting lost and stopping every hour or two for coffee or something to eat.**
I found Lima to be a very modern coastal city with a great view of the Pacific and a few glimpses of the Andes Mountains thrown in. Of the cities I have visited in the last four months Lima makes the list of places I would consider living if I were inclined to move to a foreign country.
* I noticed that in South America you have to ask for air conditioning in taxis or ride shares. Drivers seem to prefer to drive with the windows down. This is usually fine, unless you are sitting still in traffic and you happen to be facing the sun.
** Throughout this trip around the world I have never felt unsafe, but that is of course from a male perspective. I spoke with one European woman who has been living and working in Lima for six months and she too said she found the city safe and assured another female traveler we were with she had nothing to worry about. Of course, you always need to be on guard just to make sure.
Credits:
© Dean Pagani 2020