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PeruPeruVisited Oct 2024 · 2 weeks

Lima

An unexpected South American gem.

Top ratedGreat valueGreat for a holidayWould return
Average8.6
Accommodation8.6
Coworking8.2
Value9.2
Excitement8.4
Living costs, excl. rent~$921
Mild and dry
JFMAMJJASONDMild and dry: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
Nomad visaComing soon
Population11 million
Fly into

LIM

One of the world's driest capitals and a renowned culinary hotspot.

Shaped by a blend of Inca, colonial, and Chinese influences, the city’s unique culture and identity have evolved over time, playing a key role in its development as one of South America's largest cities.

Strongly recommend

Lima vastly exceeded my expectations in every department, and I would make it a must-visit on any South American itinerary. I would wholeheartedly recommend it for a month's stay.

At a glance

Accommodation

Great · #7 of 62

8.6/10

Airbnb is fantastic value in Lima and on a par with what you may find for a similar price in Bangkok. Of the cities two most popular areas for tourists, Miraflores felt marginally more expensive than Barranco, but both areas possess plenty of new build apartment complexes at prices lower than what you'd be paying for a box room in London.

I stayed at the condo complex at Av. Almte. Miguel Grau 1430 which was generally clean, quiet and well maintained.

Unless staying during the peak summer months (December - April), the daytime temperatures weren't regularly high enough to specifically warrant having convenient access to a pool. Temperatures can reach up to 30 degrees, and with residential A/C not being common, you may want to factor that into your consideration if planning on working from home.

How it compares

Coworking

Great · #18 of 62

8.2/10

Most of the city's coworking hubs can be found in Miraflores and Barranco, but there are numerous options dotted across much of the city. WeWork has five good-quality locations, with three of them based in the San Isidro area, which is renowned for being a hub for business in the city, yet slightly further away from the main entertainment districts.

How it comparesWhere to work

Value

Great · #2 of 62

9.2/10

Day-to-day expenses can be exceptionally good value across Lima. Lunches from traditional Peruvian restaurants can be found for under 20 soles (£4) across the city, generally featuring a starter, main, and drink.

Meals from more international restaurants can be found for closer to 40 soles (£8), and higher-end options begin to reflect prices you may find in Europe.

Drinks from coffee shops or bars can generally be found for half the price of what you would expect to pay in a European capital. Most routine Uber rides between Barranco and Miraflores are unlikely to exceed 15 soles (£3).

How it comparesCosts breakdown

Excitement

Great · #9 of 62

8.4/10

Whilst never bordering on hectic, there's a great ambience around the core areas of Lima. From 6 AM, the streets are alive with people running before work, and there's always a lively presence on the streets along the core retail areas in Miraflores and Barranco that's felt late into the evening.

Bars and restaurants generally liven up a lot later than you would find in the UK, with the nightlife across the city showing no signs of quietening down until well after midnight.

How it compares

Plan

Summary

After finishing up 5 weeks in Colombia I flew from Medellín to Lima hoping two weeks would be sufficient to get a feel for a country I knew little of besides being the home of Paddington Bear and Ceviche. I was pleasantly surprised.

Whilst it excels when it comes to food and drink, I struggled to find shopping options in Miraflores itself. The Larcomar shopping centre is sunken into the cliff face and is one of your best bets for picking up any items on the move.
Whilst it excels when it comes to food and drink, I struggled to find shopping options in Miraflores itself. The Larcomar shopping centre is sunken into the cliff face and is one of your best bets for picking up any items on the move.

Cost of living

$921a month, before rent

Basic living costs, rent not included

Day-to-day spending for a month: two meals out and a coffee every day, three taxis and two nights out a week, a gym and a coworking desk. Add your rent on top.

Affordable
  • Meal in a casual restaurant$7.66
  • Speciality coffee$2.74
  • Pint of local beer$3.28
  • Cocktail$7.66
  • Taxi for 2 miles$3.83
  • Men's haircut$11
  • Women's haircut$27
  • Gym membership, monthly$33
  • Coworking, monthly$175

Prices as of Oct 2026. Confidence: medium (gym & coworking verified; other prices restated at 2026-10-07 exchange rates). Sources: numbeo.com, wework.com, workin.space. Always check locally before planning around them.

Duration & season

This was one occasion where I definitely felt I misjudged the time I had planned to spend, and in an entirely positive way. There's enough going in Lima's favour that I would highly recommend a month to anyone without hesitation. Two weeks were enough to see most sights within the city but left no time to explore the rest of the country outside work.

Between December and April is considered the peak summer season, where you're likely to get the warmest temperatures, but October was mild and dry with cool, refreshing evenings. Most days featured heavy morning cloud, generally subsiding by the mid-afternoon for a prolonged sunset.

By month

Typical temperatures and rainfall by month
MonthLow °CHigh °CRain mmNotes
January20266peak season
February222721wet month · peak season
March20266wet month · peak season
April18242
May16210
June15192
July14190peak season
August14181peak season
September14191
October15200
November16221
December182310wet month · peak season
Wettest months Peak season

Typical daytime highs and overnight lows, from the last two years of observations (Open-Meteo). Rain icons mark the wettest months.

Visitors a year
2.2M2024
Crowds
Medium
Peak season
Dec–Mar, Jul–Aug
Low season
May–Jun, Sep–Nov

Remote work visa

Digital nomad visa coming soon

The proposed Digital Nomad Visa aims to enable foreigners who work independently or are employed by companies outside Peru, utilising digital communication technologies and systems, to apply for and obtain resident status in Peru.

It is crucial to note that the Digital Nomad Visa will not permit foreigners to work for Peruvian companies or generate any income within Peru. All income must be earned abroad whilst residing in Peru.

Like other Peruvian resident visas, the Digital Nomad Visa will be valid for up to one year, with the possibility of extension.

At present (September 2024), the administrative regulations required to implement Legislative Decree 1582 and activate the Digital Nomad Visa have not yet been published. There has been no announcement regarding the timeline for implementation, and the specific requirements for foreign applicants and application procedures remain undefined.

Read more about the visa

Working hours

Peru Standard Time (PET) is year-round GMT-5, placing it right on the edge of where you can comfortably work to maintain some overlap with European colleagues. I would generally start each day at 06:30 local time, finishing a couple of hours earlier than normal.

For anyone maintaining North American hours, Lima's position is ideal, aligning perfectly with Eastern Time during US Standard Time, and with Central Time during US Daylight Saving Time.

Safety

A radically different security prospect from Colombia.

There felt a much larger physical space on the ground you could freely explore in Lima compared to either Bogotá or Medellín. One day I covered 15 miles on foot from south to north with the type of freedom you would expect in a European city. Not only would such an endeavour be unwise in Colombia, but neither of the cities I visited felt there was sufficient need to cover that much ground on foot. There's a much wider selection of districts that would warrant visiting, rather than what felt like small isolated pockets in both Colombian cities.

Walking around Barranco and Miraflores felt safe late into the evening.

The main streets are still busy past midnight, with nightlife generally starting a lot later than you'd expect in many parts of Europe.

The Centro Histórico is considered safe during the daytime.

It felt a world away from the La Candelaria areas I visited in Bogotá and Medellín and somewhere you should have no hesitation in visiting.

From everything I read, Callao is an area that should be avoided.

One area which was frequently flagged as a no-go area was the district immediately surrounding the airport. There's no seemingly legitimate reason why you would choose to explore this area so if you've got a couple of hours to kill between flights, grab an Uber south. If you are based in Miraflores or Barranco, it felt highly unlikely you could wander into an unsafe area.

It is not a city immune to serious crime.

While pickpocketing and phone snatching are apparently common and likely to be the main threats to be concerned about, the city has recent problems with extortion rackets and violent crime. While these issues should not directly affect tourists, it's important to be aware of the environment, as they are evidence of wider Lima still being some distance from European safety standards.

Live & work

Where to stay

Most of the advice I saw prior to arriving suggested staying between Miraflores and Barranco, which, on reflection, I would entirely agree with.

If you are planning a longer stay, however, you shouldn't be confined to those areas, and I definitely wouldn't rule out some of the more residential surrounding neighbourhoods, but they would likely make you more reliant on a car.

Centro Histórico

Would avoid

While staying near the Centro Histórico might appeal for a brief holiday, most visitors spend the majority of their time in the southern neighbourhoods, typically a 30-60 minute drive away, depending on traffic. Worth visiting but not ideal as a base.

Work from Coworking Jesus Maria

San Isidro

An upmarket and predominantly residential neighbourhood near three WeWork sites, suitable for extended stays. The area around Bosque El Olivar (a historic olive grove with trees dating to colonial times) is particularly well-maintained and ideal for evening runs. Walking time to Miraflores varies between 25-40 minutes, depending on location.

Work from WeWork Andres Reyes 338

Barranco

Where I most recently stayed: Barranco offers a more bohemian and architecturally classic experience of Lima. I'd suggest staying in the northern part of the district, close to the Lima Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC), which is a 10-minute walk to Miraflores. Barranco feels less like you are in the inner city, with more of a local, neighbourhood ambience. Its roads are quieter and its building stock hinges between some romantic classically antiquated pieces and others in a state of disrepair.

Work from Deosma Coworking

Miraflores

Recommended

The modern hub of Lima, home to numerous restaurants and bars, with panoramic views over the South Pacific. It covers a large geographical area, with Parque Kennedy serving as its central point. It is widely considered to be safe, clean, well-maintained and well-landscaped. A reliable choice for first-time visitors, where you are likely to spend the majority of your time.

Work from WeWork - Av. Jose Larco

Where to work

Most of the city's coworking hubs can be found in Miraflores and Barranco, but there are numerous options dotted across much of the city. WeWork has five good-quality locations, with three of them based in the San Isidro area, which is renowned for being a hub for business in the city, yet slightly further away from the main entertainment districts.

Specialty coffee shops are generally open later than you would find in Europe and can provide an alternative option until around 20:00 in the evening if needed.

WeWork - Av. José Larco coworking space

WeWork - Av. José Larco

Top locationOutdoor spaceOn-site café

A convenient option set in the heart of Miraflores.

There's very little about this particular WeWork to get overtly excited about, but of the five sites across Lima, it offers by far the most convenient access assuming you are staying in Miraflores or neighbouring Barranco.

The All Access space is situated on the 12th floor, which was generally half-full throughout each of the days I visited, offering a great view of the Lima skyline. On the 13th floor, there's a large roof terrace with seating and several phone booths dispersed around.

There are some fantastic coffee shops within a 5-minute walk (Puku Puku, Sol, Milimétrica) and the in-house café provides cakes throughout the day, with hot lunches delivered on demand at 13:00. Each of WeWork's Lima sites appeared to offer an incredibly generous 7-hour slot for beer on Fridays, should you fancy an early finish to the week and a hangover to start your weekend.

A solid, if unspectacular, place to set up base for a couple of weeks.

DirectionsWebsite

Food & drink

Coffee

Milimétrica Coffee

Top rated

Top-quality espresso, with an emphasis on a traceable, consistent supply chain from a number of suppliers across the country. A particularly distinctive and enjoyable house blend.

Puku Puku Café Larco

Your best bet for an early morning coffee, with doors often open even before the official 7:00 opening time. Excellent-quality coffee from various regions across Peru, and their takeaway bags are some of the most decorative I’ve seen.

Ciclos Café

Top rated

One of the best coffee experiences I've had in South America. Coffee is roasted on-site at the back of the shop, and the beans are sourced from various regions across the country. The staff take their time to explain all the details of the beans' characteristics to you. The 80% cacao brownie also comes highly recommended. However, there’s no Wi-Fi if you’re planning on doing any work from there.

Food

Restaurante Coppa

This street has several small restaurants offering affordable daily lunch menus, with Restaurante Coppa appearing particularly popular among locals. Expect to pay under 20 soles for a tasty starter, main, and soft drink. Arrive before 12:00 to improve your chances of getting a table inside. A great place to sample Lomo Saltado.

La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla

A popular local chain with several outlets across the city, serving from 8:00. If you’re based in the neighbouring WeWork, it’s a great option for a breakfast sandwich or fresh juice, with plenty of seating. Having sampled much of the menu, I’d happily recommend the Pollo Deluxe, which is available at all sites.

Drinks

Bodega Piselli

Top rated

A classic, traditional bodega offering a range of drinks, including excellent pisco sours. It's worth trying the passionfruit, or maracuyá, variant. Light meals are also available, which may be needed to soak it all up. Since it accepts cards, this spot provides a convenient alternative to nearby Juanito Barranco, which is cash-only.

Halloween is a big deal throughout Lima, with what felt like the city's entire population congregating at Parque Kennedy. It's 100% worth getting involved if your trip coincides with that period.
Halloween is a big deal throughout Lima, with what felt like the city's entire population congregating at Parque Kennedy. It's 100% worth getting involved if your trip coincides with that period.

Off the clock

Off work

Explore the Centro Histórico

Explore the Centro Histórico

If staying in Miraflores or Barranco for a couple of nights, you could easily miss the Centro Histórico, but it's worth the journey north to see a completely different side of the city compared to the more modern south.

Lima’s Centro Histórico, founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its colonial architecture. Key landmarks include Plaza Mayor, Lima Cathedral, and the Convent of San Francisco. The historic district, with its "Damero de Pizarro" grid, showcases 608 monuments, preserving its legacy despite frequent earthquakes and historical turbulence.

Exercise

Run

Pentagonito loop

Directly to the east of San Borja, the area surrounding the Pentagonito is a quiet and well-landscaped area around Parque de la Felicidad, with secluded bike paths and running tracks. It's a fairly long distance back and forth if starting from Barranco.

Run

San Borja - San Isidro

Running between San Borja and San Isidro is a great way to explore these higher-end and partly residential neighbourhoods. Cycle and running paths can be found around the Parque de la Familia, with tree-lined avenues covering much of the roads connecting the areas.

Walk

Barranco Beach Loop

There’s not much to see south of the Parque Municipal de Barranco, but if you follow it down for another mile, you can loop back around from Playa Agua Dulce and head back towards Miraflores. A number of food and drink options can be found along the beachfront close to Playa Los Yuyos.

People

There was a noticeably increased tourist presence in the city compared to anything I saw in Colombia.

Lima appeared to attract two types of tourists who could be grouped into distinct buckets, identifiable by their footwear. Hiking-boot-wearing European couples en route to Machu Picchu or Americans strolling around in Havaianas. This concentration is likely to be felt surrounding Av. José Larco and Av. Almte. Miguel Grau, but the presence soon dissipates once away from these core areas.

I saw little evidence of a remote work community in the city, but there's undoubtedly an international feel across much of Miraflores. English is spoken sparsely.

Notes

Positives

A unique and distinctive cuisine.

The presence of Chinese influences, mixed with Latin American elements, creates an original and varied national cuisine. Dishes such as Ceviche, Lomo Saltado and Pollo a la Brasa are likely to have universal appeal and can be found inexpensively across the city.

Convenient beach access.

Lima's beaches won't win too many awards but having them on your doorstep is a convenient feature. If staying in Miraflores or Barranco you can be a ten-minute walk away, providing a great backdrop for sunsets. There is a year-round swell, making surfing popular at various spots along the coastline.

Top-quality coffee culture.

The domestic coffee scene was on a par with what I saw across Colombia, with impressive speciality shops to be found in most neighbourhoods.

Well-landscaped public spaces.

Considering Lima sits within such a dry and arid region of Peru, the city has done a remarkably good job of creating and maintaining green vegetation throughout the core urban areas.

A great city to explore on foot.

The 'Malecón de Miraflores' is a great path which takes you along the cliff face, particularly popular with families at weekends before sunset. You can walk freely with a degree of confidence which would be unwise in other countries across the continent.

Juanito Barranco is a classic bodega serving up a range of sandwiches with cured meats and the best draught beer sampled in the city. Expertly made pisco sours are also available. The bar is cash-only, so be sure to have some soles on hand.
Juanito Barranco is a classic bodega serving up a range of sandwiches with cured meats and the best draught beer sampled in the city. Expertly made pisco sours are also available. The bar is cash-only, so be sure to have some soles on hand.

Negatives

ATM fees are extortionately high.

Expect to pay between 25-40 soles (£5-£7) for a withdrawal fee, depending on which bank you have the pleasure of dealing with. It's worth taking out a couple of hundred soles at the start of the trip to ensure you can visit any cash-only bodegas, or pick up some ever-tempting street-side churros. This does make tipping more difficult in restaurants, where you're less likely to freely have cash on hand.

Watch out when crossing the roads.

Zebra crossings and green pedestrian lights appear to hold little value, with drivers showing little care for whether anyone is crossing or not. The car is undoubtedly king in Lima, and the city is plagued with serious traffic congestion issues across the city during peak hours.

Public transport could be improved.

While Lima has a metro system, it lacks stations in Miraflores and Barranco, making it less convenient for visitors. An upcoming extension should eventually connect Miraflores. The Metropolitano bus, running north-south on dedicated lanes, offers an alternative, but due to overcrowding during peak hours, it's unlikely to be a practical option.

Tips

If you need to pick up any clothing or footwear, it's worth heading to Polvos Azules.

Situated just outside the Centro Histórico, this sprawling indoor bazaar has a vast array of questionably acquired but supposedly genuine trainers and apparel. Be prepared to haggle.

If looking for a gym pass in Barranco, head to MASTERGYM.

A day pass costs just 12 soles, which is payable in either cash or by card. Rustic, with most equipment appearing to be from the 1980s, but its in an incredibly convenient locatiom with friendly, accommodating staff.

Debit & credit card acceptance in retail stores and restaurants is generally excellent.

The only reason you may need cash is to pick up some street-side ceviche or if visiting a particularly rustic-looking bodega.

A tourist SIM can be purchased at several tourist information centres in Miraflores.

If you want to avoid the seemingly constant 30+ person deep queues in a local Claro store, this store is a great option, even if more expensive by local standards. Plans are available for 7, 14 and 30 days with a passport required to purchase. eSIMs available in the country but at unappealing rates for data plans.

Uber availability is great throughout the city.

A taxi from the airport to Miraflores/Barranco should cost around 50 soles and take approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic. Traffic can be frequently gridlocked throughout the city, so try to avoid making the journey during peak hours.

Planning a trip to Lima?

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