Best time to visit Lima
When is the best time to visit Lima?
The Peruvian capital is a seriously-underrated destination, often overshadowed by others such as Cusco and The Amazon Jungle.
Here we can explore a cutting-edge food scene, see beautiful architecture and even visit the second largest catacomb on earth.
In this guide we’ll explore the best time to visit Lima, which includes whether or not this city is worth visiting as well as how long we recommend spending here.
As well as looking at 5 of the very best things you can do in Lima, we’ll also answer your most burning questions in our FAQ section.
When is the best time to visit Lima?
November and December are the best months to visit Lima. Although it virtually never rains throughout the year anyway, the benefit of visiting in these times is that the average temperatures will be much warmer than those in the winter (such as July and August).
Is Lima worth visiting?
Quick answer: Yes! Lima can be a real surprise for travelers heading through Peru. I’ll be honest – when I (George) first came I didn’t think much, but it then grew on me to become one of my favorite places in the entire continent. Keep an open mind and you never know.
Many visitors start their travels here in the capital. Depending on how many days in Peru you have, you could concentrate a larger portion of your trip in Lima. That way you can start to get to know some of the best attractions (we mention them below) in greater detail.
Miraflores is the best place for travelers to base themselves, where you can eat authentic Peruvian cuisine such as Papa Rellena and Lomo Saltado (those who have the funds can visit Central – which was recently ranked the best restaurant on earth).
After eating, you can then enjoy everything the Costa Verde and Pacific Ocean have to offer, which includes going surfing and walking through Barranco.
Lima is also full of history. The Historic Center has many colorful buildings from its colonial era, with the Torre Tagle and Plaza de Armas some of the very best.
Why not join this day tour to see everything in the area? It includes a visit to the San Francisco Catacombs (which reportedly has over 70,000 human skeletal remains lying below).
What is the best month to visit Lima
The very best months to visit Lima are November and December. On average there’s a bare 0-0.2 inches of rainfall recorded throughout each month which means you’ll never get wet (the whole year to be fair has hardly anything – with a maximum possible of 0.5 inches in the winter months).
Average temperatures are warm, which is why these months are better than those in the winter (such as June, July etc). Lima’s constant gray sky begins to vanish too, meaning you’ll have plenty of blue skies to enjoy as you venture about.
November is the best for low costs, as December can see more expensive prices given the Christmas holidays. March is also a good contender too, especially since temperatures are still hot and you’ll avoid the increased holiday prices.
When it comes for availability with accommodation and places to stay in Lima (such as Miraflores), you have Selina which offers private rooms and spacious mixed dorm rooms.
How long should I Spend in Lima?
From our experience, we recommend travelers to spend around 4/5 days in Lima. With this amount you can see the highlights, and also some of the lesser-known gems of the capital.
Usually travelers rush through Lima in a day, or head directly out on a domestic flight as quickly as they arrived. However if you stick around for a week, you can get a great introduction into Peruvian culture before you start to explore the rest of the country.
Why not check out our How Many Days in Lima guide for a full breakdown on how to best spend your time in this underrated city?
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Things to do in Lima
Let’s explore 5 of the very best things to do in Lima that will make visiting worth your while.
Visit Ancient Ruins
The majority of travelers heading to Peru are mainly focused on Machu Picchu, as well as other ruins dotted throughout the Andes.
However Lima also boasts many incredible sites of its own, and we highly recommend starting off with these as you enter the country.
One of the easiest to access is Huaca Pucllana, which is a series of adobe-layered pyramids where the ancient elite used to live. They’re only a few blocks north of the Parque Kennedy, and can easily be walked to within 10 minutes.
The other must-visit from Lima is Caral, which is one of my (George’s) personal favorites. Located in the desert just a few hours north of the capital, it’s over 5000 years old and was home to one of the oldest civilisations to ever exist on earth – the Caral Culture.
We recommend heading with this private tour from Lima, which includes private transport, breakfast and lunch.
You’ll also have an expert knowledgeable guide on-hand to teach you everything you need to know about this mysterious site.
Enjoy Peruvian Cuisine
Peruvian cuisine is something truly special. It’s been growing rapidly on the world stage, with many more travelers beginning to take Lima more seriously in order to try everything from the legendary Ceviche to local staples of Papa a la Huancaina and Lomo Saltado.
Lima is also home to the restaurant Central, which in 2023 was officially named the best restaurant on earth! Whilst prices here may be a little too rosy for most, travelers can enjoy the local cuisine in a variety of other ways.
Those who are more independent can head to Mercado Surquillo, which is full of local restaurants and stands which serve local food at a great price.
However, what we recommend most is heading on this ultimate food tour, where you’ll get to try as many as 15 different tastings for both breakfast and lunch!
As well as popular dishes, you’ll also get to sample local fruits, spices and even Pisco too to wash it all down with.
Walk along the Costa Verde
Lima has a really unique geographical position, which means it’s sandwiched between the Andes and Pacific Ocean. The latter is roughly 30 km long (running adjacent to the capital), which is known as the Costa Verde.
The very best stretch is found between Miraflores and Barranco, which is where we’ll find the famous green hills that give some really stunning views over the coast. You can start by walking down Larcomar to reach the walkway, and then stop in many of the green parks as you make your way south.
You can also head downhill onto the beach, which is ideal for surfers given these waves are super-consistent throughout the year (there are rentals right on Playa Makaha – just remember to get a good wetsuit too).
Along the coastal path there’s also a tonne of bike rental pick-ups stations. Known as CityBike, you can enjoy the cycle-only lanes as you explore the Costa Verde.
Head to the San Francisco Catacombs
This is by far one of the most underrated things you can do in Lima, and will excite even the most frigid of travelers. The San Francisco Catacombs is a maze of underground tunnels, and is the second largest of its kind on earth (after those in Paris).
It’s reportedly home to over 70,000 human skeletal remains in the eerie site, with many organized in distinct patterns and shapes for viewing pleasures.
You’ll need to visit with a guided tour, however it’ll be a pretty memorable experience as you learn about the different rooms and why this was created in the first place.
On the tour you’ll also get to visit the San Francisco Church which lies directly above the catacombs, which is also home to many worthwhile gems (such as the courtyard and extensive library).
Just remember to bring a jumper with you, since it can get pretty cold down there!
Explore the Architectural Delights of the Historic Center
The majority of this article has focused on Peru’s ancient past and early civilisations. However the more recent colonial period has been just as important, forever shaping the country as we know it.
The Historic Center is the best place to visit to see these changes, which are found in the varying architectural styles.
You’ll first want to head to the Plaza de Armas (the birthplace of Lima), which is full of bright yellow buildings, the presidential palace as well as the Metropolitan Cathedral.
In the surrounding streets we can also see many eccentrically-shaped buildings, including those of Torre Tagle as well as the Church of La Merced.
We recommend heading on this full-day private tour, where you’ll visit the very best highlights. You’ll also visit the Huaca Pucllana Ruins as well as Barranco with your expert guide.
Best time to go to Lima FAQ’s
Below we’ll answer some queries about the best time to visit Lima:
Best time to visit Lima
And that’s all for this guide on the best time to visit Lima.
This incredible Peruvian city is really worth the visit, and can be a great introduction to the country before venturing around the more scenic sites.
As well as eating your way through the city, you can also see many memorable architectural highlights and ruins throughout the different districts.
In this guide we’ve covered the best time to visit Lima, as well as our own personal recommendations for you to get the most out of a trip here. At the end we’ve also answered your most burning questions in our FAQ section.
While you are still here, why not take a few minutes of your time to read our Lima Safety Guide so you can learn how to stay safe when exploring the Peruvian capital?
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