24 hours in Lima: what to see

The Plaza Mayor opens the sequence: surrounded by the Government Palace, Cathedral, and Town Hall, it remains the heart of the historic center founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535.

A few steps away is the Convent of San Francisco, famous for its underground catacombs where the remains of tens of thousands of people buried during the colonial period are preserved.

Before leaving the center, a stop at Huaca Pucllana is worth the effort, the adobe pyramid built by a pre-Columbian civilization centuries before the Incas, today nestled among the buildings of the Miraflores district.

For lunch, a ceviche in one of the restaurants of Miraflores remains the choice most consistent with Peruvian gastronomic tradition, among the most celebrated in the world.

The Miraflores Malecón, the scenic trail, runs along cliffs plunging into the Pacific, passing through the Parque del Amor with its mosaic-decorated benches.

Barranco, the bohemian district of the city, has colorful colonial houses and the famous Bridge of Sighs, tied to a local love legend.

As evening falls, returning to Barranco, the restaurants of the district confirm themselves as the simplest choice for dinner, among murals and live music until late.

Plaza Mayor, the San Francisco Convent, and Huaca Pucllana already tell Lima's historical layers well, while an afternoon choice between the Malecón and Barranco completes the picture with panoramic or bohemian sides.

The Larco Museum, with its pre-Columbian collection, and a visit to the Parque de la Reserva's water circuit remain chapters for a second journey. Watching Miraflores cliffs plunge into the Pacific at sunset is the image you take home from Lima.