12 BEST Things To Do In Lima, Peru | Ultimate Travel Guide 2024 🇵🇪

If you're going anywhere in Peru, you're going to stop in Lima. It's the capital and it's unlike anything you've ever seen. Now if you accidentally schedule your trip and go straight to Machu Picchu, you're going to miss out on some pretty cool stuff. Of course we're not going to let that happen. So we're going to show you all the fun things there are to do in Lima. Let's go. We'll start off in the desert, but not just any desert. These huge dunes are perfect for these ATVs. This roller coaster takes you nearly vertical as you speed your way down the sunscape. And the ride was absolutely crazy. I was not prepared. And right when you think you had enough, they hand you these boards. That's when it's time to start climbing. This is nuts. Oh my god, that's so high. So it's both of our first time sunboarding. What can go wrong? Yeah, I'm doing it. I feel anxious, but we are going. I'll see you there at the top of this huge mountain. The sand is blowing and your heart is about to jump right out of your throat. But you made it this far and you're not backing down. Well, they don't really give you a chance to because it's no countdown. Bye. Now it's Marcell's turn. Go Marcell, go Marcell, go, go, go, go. Yeah. I can't stop. That mountain gave me more rolls than a bakery. Yeah, it took a little tumble, but it looks worse than it actually is. Actually, it feels kind of exfoliating. I'll race you to the bottom. Marcell, go. Come on. Come on down. This is where the party is. When you're all done, they take you to this amazing oasis for some frosty drinks. You can even get a tour of the area and get a little history lesson. Now that our shoes are all filled with sand, it's time to settle in and check out the city. Welcome to Lima. The downtown area has the coolest cliffside overlooking the South Pacific. Tonight's trendy metropolitan city with a ton of art and culture. Why are these street signs crooked? It looks totally fine to me. Anytime you're by the coast, you can find these paragliding's floating all over your head. Whoa. We found them all. It's downstairs, but it's outdoors. So that's cool. I didn't know that. I thought it's gonna be... Like in a cave? Yeah, underground. And it's not really underground. It's just downstairs. So alpaca, that could only mean one thing. Start the shopping montage music. Marcell. One, two, three, go. We're not gonna overdo it on buying alpaca stuff. And I bet now we're gonna cut to the point where we are packing our bags full of alpaca stuff. How are we gonna fit all of this alpaca stuff in the bag? Hold up, this one? Yeah, hold this one. Bet it. For 190... $2,300 for a sweater. Last thing we want to do is spend too much money on alpaca stuff. Manterra, Trio, Pancho. Now this smooth music right here means we've entered El Parque del Amor. It's the perfect spot for lovers to show off their PDA skills. So I'm noticing a lot of couples here. A lot of romantic stuff going on over here. Yeah, it's Playa del Amor. You didn't propose to me. You're here to ask me to marry you. Nope. We should try to out romantic all the couples here. Next, we'll take a quick ride to the more historic part of town. This square is filled with people, street vendors, and tasty snacks everywhere. And don't forget to check out the enormous cathedral. It's huge. You could even go underground to see these catacombs. So teeth can survive this long, but I gotta go to the dentist? Cold. If you didn't know already, some of the best coffees come from the jungles here in Peru. So do yourself a favor and stop by any of these many coffee shops here in town. It'll definitely set a new bar. Yo, this chocolate shop is poppin', yo. You need to find this chocolate shop. This is what's up. And right along with the epic coffee is the epic chocolate. The cacao beans are native here. And lucky you, you could stop here and taste every part of the process. It all starts with these football-shaped pods. There's a jelly-like fruit around the seeds. And it is delicious. Just don't bite them. The first thing I'm gonna do is bite it. Oh my gosh, this is so... Babe, get one. It's like fruit. Oh my god. Cheers. So we all know about chocolate milk, but did you know it comes in tea? Yeah. And if you really want to start the party, try some of their liqueur. Now that's what I call a chocolate bar. Go to the chocolate shop, gotta leave wasted. Now this one's kind of hard to explain because the nibs are still chocolatey, but it's a little bit more earthy and almost cheesy. Maya wasn't afraid. It's time for a boat ride, y'all. But not your average sail. We're on our way to something amazing. But first, you gotta get there. A four-hour trip takes you through the countryside. And finally stops in Paracas. So this is gonna be like an hour and a half trip. What are we gonna see? Penguins. I thought they lived on icebergs. As we glide through the pristine waters off Paracas, you see a black fog in the distance. But as you get closer, you realize it's birds. Thousands and thousands of birds. So many birds. These waters are filled with delicious mackerel. And these birds wait all year long to catch this ocean buffet. I mean, these birds are pulling off some top-gun-level maneuvers and send them deep into the waters for endless mouthfuls of fish. But then the cliffside comes into view, and you look up to see the enormous Candelabro de Paracas, carved into the mountains. It's this colossal ancient artwork, etched right into the side of the hill. It looks like a massive chandelier. It's believed that these geoglyphs were carved anywhere between 800 BCE and 100 BCE. And it's still a mystery how they haven't eroded or been washed away by the centuries of rain. Now, if that wasn't cool enough, a school of dolphins came and escorted us to these rocky cliffs where the penguins live. Ah, so they do exist in Peru. Who would've thought? So Lima is full of surprises. You can go for a walk one day and just randomly run into a pyramid. And you can check out this pyramid for yourself when you get here for just 15 soles, and that includes the guided tour. That's like a steal, you guys. So Huaca Pucllana was built by Lima people who inhabited the central coast of Peru between 200 and 700 AD, and it served as a ceremonial center hosting various religious rituals and community events. It's time for llamas. What pyramid isn't complete without llamas? These fluffy guys just chill and guard the area right next to the nearby statues. Okay, yeah, just set it right there. Whenever you're ready. Okay, yeah, just go ahead, set it down. We're gonna set these right here. Now it's perfect. And okay, I'm gonna go check on the other bricks. I'll be back and check on you soon, all right? All right, listen, we gotta talk about food in Lima. The street food is great, and we both discovered how amazing corn can actually be. Yes, corn. Wait a minute. It's corn. All right, take a bite. A bag of milk. Yeah, let's have a bag of milk. This feels so unnatural. There are a ton of great restaurants, but two stood out above the rest. At Panchita, everything was absolutely amazing. The staff was friendly, and it's really pretty anywhere you sit. We just ordered inca cola. It's a traditional Peruvian drink. It's very popular here. Legend has it you're not supposed to say bad things about it. It smells like a bubble milk. It's a very yellow. It looks like medicine. I'm gonna try it now. Inca cola tastes just like Peru. That's very confusing. Sugar and bubble gum and soda. If you, like, if you bubbleized bubble gum and put sugar in it, that's this. But now this place, Cosme, hit us weak. So many delicious things here. Just go and have everything. So good. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. You are between Miraflores and San Isidro, which are the wealthiest districts of Lima. Yes, they are. And where we are going is completely amazing. Actually, most of the people live here. And it's very interesting because I think it's real Peru. Yeah, that's what I want to see. If you want to step away from the glamorous travel life and see some of the real Peru, we highly recommend this social tour. OK. It's pretty tiny. Nice and cozy. OMG. You get a guide, Alfredo, who takes you to various locations and people's homes as a kind of day in the life of a local. First, you stop at this cemetery, the second largest cemetery in the world, which seems to go on forever. Mountains and mountains of tombstones, which sets the mood for all the people who have helped to develop this country. And so we just visited Balbina's house. She showed us all the beautiful handmade items. You get to know her story. I think it's really beautiful. And you get like the little things. I love my llama. Thank you so much for telling her story. And sharing all this. So it might not look like much, but this entire town was made entirely by the people who live here. They take a lot of pride in that. Every Sunday, men, women and children come together to build, support and help the district grow. If you need a roof, 50 people just show up and all of a sudden you have a new roof. All these districts are separated from the rest of Lima. They're all self-governing. So the people who live here are the ones that decide the laws. And for better or for worse, some people here will never leave these walls, spending their entire lives right here. Welcome to Nimfa's house. She was sweet enough to cook us some amazing lunch and tell us endless stories of where she came from and how life goes in the districts. She has a heart of gold and every moment with her was so refreshing. Gracias. Thank you so much. Seems like anywhere you go in Lima, you'll find music. So just be ready to have a little dance party on any random street corner. Ever want to hang out with thousands of screaming sea lions? In Lima, you could sail out to Palomino Island and get up close and personal with them. This trip is not for the faint of heart. They see your boat and then they jump into the water and they start following the boat. Do you hear the scariest sound? It sounds like you just entered the gates of hell. Yeah. This is probably like the craziest thing I'm gonna do. It's so cold. And I'm gonna just go in the water and swim with the seals. I'm the type that always likes to dip my toe in a little bit and then gradually make it up to a kneecap. But just to go from standing and already cold to immersing yourself, I don't think it's possible to even prepare for this kind of bone-chilling cold. There is so many underwater. I wasn't even aware because they don't touch you really. They will only touch you if you like show them your feet and they're like, okay, you're cold. Speak in their language. And just when you feel like part of the tribe, it's time to head back to the boat. I was not expecting that cold. So with just a few days, you can get an amazing start on your trip to Machu Picchu. Some of these experiences are unlike anything you'll find anywhere else in the world. So go grab your tickets and have some fun in Lima. To see all the amazing things to do in Cusco, click here. To find out how to get straight to Machu Picchu on your own, click there. We're two souls abroad. We'll see you somewhere else in the world.