Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
Larcomar
Larcomar: Larcomar is a modern open-air shopping center in Lima, built directly into the cliffs of Miraflores and offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. The multi-story complex features over 160 stores, restaurants, cafés, and entertainment options, and—together with Parque Salazar—serves as a central gathering place for locals and travelers alike.
Kennedy Park
Kennedy Park: Kennedy Park (officially Parque Central de Miraflores) is the lively central park and main gathering place of the modern Miraflores district in Lima. It is known worldwide primarily as the “Cat Park” because it is home to hundreds of tame stray cats, which are lovingly cared for and fed by a local organization. In addition to serving as a green oasis, the park is a vibrant cultural hub: it is home to the historic Virgen Milagrosa church, an amphitheater for live music and dance, and numerous stalls featuring local artists and Peruvian street food classics such as picarones. Surrounded by countless restaurants, cafés, and shops, it is considered one of the safest and most popular destinations for locals and travelers alike, around the clock.
Huaca Pucllana
Huaca Pucllana: Huaca Pucllana is an impressive, approximately 1,800-year-old temple pyramid from the pre-Inca period, located in the heart of Lima’s ultra-modern Miraflores district. This monumental ceremonial and administrative center was built around 500 C.E. by the Lima culture. Later, the site was also used by the Wari and Ychsma cultures as a sacred place and an elite cemetery. The most striking feature of the 22-meter-high, seven-tiered pyramid is its construction method: it consists entirely of millions of handmade mud bricks (adobes) that were stacked vertically side by side like books on a shelf (técnica del librero). This unique technique continues to give the structure tremendous earthquake resistance to this day.
Óvalo Gutiérrez
Óvalo Gutiérrez: Óvalo Gutiérrez is a striking, circular traffic hub and a popular lifestyle destination on the border between the two affluent neighborhoods of Miraflores and San Isidro in Lima. The square is best known for its blend of modern urban culture, dining, and entertainment. Beneath and around the roundabout are a large movie theater, a well-known Wong supermarket, and numerous fast-food chains, cafés, and upscale restaurants. The visual character of Óvalo Gutiérrez is also shaped by the striking architecture of the nearby Santa María Reyna church. It is considered a safe, bustling gathering place that is frequented by many locals, especially in the evenings.
Bicentennial Park
Bicentennial Park: Bicentennial Park (Parque Bicentenario) in Lima is a modern, approximately 30,400-square-meter cliffside oasis built on the Costa Verde to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Peru’s independence. The spectacular complex in Miraflores is designed using traditional Inca terraced architecture, which both stabilizes the cliffs and serves as a botanical garden featuring over 160,000 coastal plants. As a peaceful vantage point, the park offers sweeping panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and is directly connected via the Puente de la Amistad pedestrian bridge to another, sports-oriented section of the park in the neighboring district of San Isidro.
Inka Market
Inca Markets: The Inca markets in Lima (especially the Inca Market and the Indian Market) on Avenida Petit Thouars in Miraflores are colorful craft markets and the ideal place to find Peruvian souvenirs. Amid a labyrinth of small stalls, you’ll find a diverse selection of goods from all regions of the country, including high-quality alpaca wool clothing, Andean woven textiles, silver jewelry, and handmade ceramics. Since haggling is the norm at these tourist-oriented markets, it’s a good idea to bring plenty of cash in Peruvian soles. In addition, thanks to their central location, the markets can be perfectly combined with a visit to nearby Kennedy Park.
Intihuatana-Park
Intihuatana Park: Intihuatana Park in Miraflores is a small, well-maintained cliffside park on Lima’s famous coastal promenade *(Malecón)*, located directly between the Puente Villena Rey bridge and the Larcomar shopping center. The centerpiece of the park is a monumental concrete sculpture by Peruvian artist Fernando de Szyszlo, which represents an abstract interpretation of traditional Inca sundials—fitting for the park’s name, which means “place where one ties the sun” in Quechua. In addition to this symbolic artwork, the oasis offers shaded benches, a small children’s playground, and sweeping, unobstructed panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.