Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
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.
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.
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.
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.
Magischer Wasserkreislauf
Circuito Mágico del Agua: The Magical Water Circuit (Circuito Mágico del Agua) in Lima’s historic Parque de la Reserva is the world’s largest contiguous fountain complex in a public park and holds the Guinness World Record for this achievement. The sprawling complex features 13 computer-controlled and artistically lit fountains, including the Fuente Mágica, which stands over 80 meters tall, as well as an interactive water maze and a walk-through water tunnel. The evening highlight is the spectacular multimedia show Fantasía, in which images depicting Peru’s culture and history are projected onto a 95-meter-wide wall of water using laser and 3D projection. Thanks to the very affordable admission price, the spectacle is an extremely popular gathering place for families and travelers, especially on weekends.
Parque de la Exposición
Parque de la Exposición: Opened in 1872, the Parque de la Exposición in downtown Lima is a historic cultural and recreational park located on the site of the city’s former walls. The 11-hectare park combines nature with cultural institutions such as the Museo de Arte de Lima in the Palacio de la Exposición, as well as architectural highlights like the Moorish Pavilion, and features artificial lagoons and an open-air amphitheater for events. For more information, visit the Parque de la Exposición.
San Martin-Place
San Martin-Place: Plaza San Martín, located in the historic center of Lima, is a historic square inaugurated in 1921 that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. It is characterized by the equestrian statue of José de San Martín and neoclassical buildings such as the Gran Hotel Bolívar, and to this day serves as the political and social heart of the city. You can find more information on the website.
Alameda Chabuca Granda
Alameda Chabuca Granda: The Alameda Chabuca Granda in Lima’s historic center is a lively pedestrian promenade and observation deck located directly behind the Government Palace on the banks of the Río Rímac. Named after the iconic Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda and marked by a striking red steel sculpture, the promenade is considered one of the city’s best street food hotspots for traditional classics such as anticuchos and picarones. In addition to culinary discoveries, the Alameda offers daily entertainment from street performers, comedians, and live musicians, as well as a sweeping panoramic view of the colonial district of Rímac, the historic bridges, and the colorfully inhabited local hill, Cerro San Cristóbal.