Lima

La Estación de Barranco

This night spot offers a wide variety of shows ranging from traditional Andean music to jazz. It is located in the city’s bohemian neighborhood and has a friendly, cordial and fun atmosphere and also offers an appetizing drinks list. It occupies an old train station which gives it a certain uniqueness and the average age of those who go tends to be a little older than for the majority of discotheques.Pedro de Osma 112. Tel: 01/247-0344

La Noche

It is a good idea to head straight for this night spot without wandering the city in search of a place for entertainment. Here you will see the best national and international bands playing live and the sound and acoustics are excellent. It is designed in the style of a musical forum and offers the ideal space for culture and entertainment. It also stages exhibitions and is where up and coming bands from the rock and jazz scenes, the two musical styles most commonly heard here, test their mettle.

Bolognesi 307, Barranco, Lima. Tel: 01/477-5829

Déjàvu

The decoration of this bar is so sober and eclectic that it is perfect for spending a pleasant, relaxing and even fun time. The menu offers dishes that are more snacks than full suppers and these include mozzarella fingers in breadcrumbs, cheese and mushroom quesadillas, anticuchos, cassava, French fries, a cheese board and cold cuts. However, if the dancing or your good mood leaves you feeling hungry there are also pizzas, steaks and pastas available. At the bar you can try traditional drinks like pisco and tequila and there is a wide variety of cocktails available. Although it doesn’t have a major stage, this graceful bar does offer concerts by musical groups which allow the public to get up close and personal with the artists.

Av. Grau 294, Barranco, Lima. Tel: 247 3742

Astrid y Gastón

This elegant restaurant takes its name from the Lima locals who founded it and is the ideal place to try Peruvian haute cuisine dishes since the food served here is the product of an experimental style that blends the sophistication of European cuisine and the ingredients of Peruvian cuisine to achieve a novel fusion of the Creole and Mediterranean. Try such exquisite and delicate dishes as anticuchos (shish kebab) of veal heart, rice with shellfish cebiche style, sautéed noodles with baby squid or rice with duck cooked in dark beer, coriander and Creole sauce. When you enter the restaurant you will be surprised by its elegant and modern interior featuring burgundy curtains and soft lighting which contrasts with the building’s much older exterior. Chef Gastón Acurio is so popular that he even has his own television show and owns restaurants throughout the world.

Cantuarias 175, Miraflores, Lima. Tel: 01/444-1496

Segundo Muelle

What started out as a small seafood stall is now one of the best known cebiche restaurants in Lima and one of the best options for trying well prepared fresh seafood, and in particular the famous cebiches. You have the option of eating in the cafeteria style restaurant inside or in the open air on the second floor which offers a sea view. If you find it hard to choose what to eat then the best option is the seafood mix that includes fish, octopus, shrimp, winkles and squid. For specialists and connoisseurs, however, there is the grilled octopus belly seasoned with an anticucho sauce and served with fried cassava, the oriental sauté or the traditional sautéed loin flambéed in a wok, among others.

Malecón Cisneros 156, Lima. Tel: 01/241-5040. www.segundomuelle.com

Tanta

This is the perfect place to immediately satisfy those hunger pangs or when you are touring the city and time is of the essence. Here you can enjoy sandwiches and snacks in a modern Peruvian style while this pleasant, very chic and tasteful café-restaurant will help you recharge your battery quickly and at reasonable prices. The menu offers such dishes as homemade pasta, Panini, patties, Peruvian sandwiches and delicious desserts.

Pancho Fierro 117, San Isidro, Lima. Tel: 01/421-9708

JW Marriott Hotel & Casino

This hotel offers all the qualities you would expect from the Marriott chain. From a distance the hotel resembles a brick wall, but made from mirrors, and the rooms are characterized by their comfort, subtle use of color and their relaxing views of the ocean. The hotel also offers beauty treatments, a SPA, a gift shop, a pool, a tennis court, a restaurant, a lobby, salons for social events and, of course, a casino.

Av. Malecón de la Reserva 615, Lima. Tel: 01/217-7000. www.marriott.com/property/propertypage/LIMDT

Miraflores Park Hotel

Located in a privileged part of the city, on the Malecón de la Reserva, this hotel enjoys a view of the Pacific Ocean and offers a number of attractions including its location in the peaceful residential area of Miraflores near important cultural and business centers, a luxurious interior and first class services. The luxury of the restaurant –which offers a contemporary mix of Peruvian and European dishes¬– and the lobby will exceed any expectations regarding its attractions as will the rooms, designed as suites, with king size beds and a rest area where you can sit and watch cable TV, make phone calls, surf the Internet or simply take it easy.

Av. Malecón de la Reserva 1035, Miraflores, Lima. Tel: 01/242-3000. www.mira-park.com

Hotel Antigua Miraflores

This hotel, occupying a mansion dating from the beginning of the 20th century, offers an alternative to the large hotel chains and specializes in peacefulness and intimacy. Its colorful decoration is mostly the work of artisans and also features colonial antiques, a combination that gives the hotel a distinctly Peruvian atmosphere. There are a variety of room styles in this mansion surrounded by leafy gardens and they include suites with Jacuzzi and kitchen or double rooms with elegant bathrooms. The staff is particularly friendly and attentive and the hotel offers a number of services including a laundry, currency exchange and room service from the restaurant and bar.

Av. Grau 350, Miraflores, Lima. 01/241-6116. www.peru-hotels-inns.com

Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera

A visit to the Archeological Museum, which occupies a colonial mansion from the 18th century, is a must for tourists interested in Pre-Colombian art. It was founded in 1926 and houses one of the most important collections of its kind in the world featuring 45,000 historical objects including textiles, ceramics and sculpted stones. The museum’s founder, Rafael Larco Hoyle, is today one of the principal archeologists in the world and started his private collection in the 1920s. One of the major attractions of the museum is the gallery of erotic art from the Moche culture which represents sex from a number of diverse perspectives. Objects from this culture, which was perhaps responsible for the highest level of artistic expression, offer an explicit example of practically all aspects of Moche cultural life, from music to the curative arts. The museum’s café is the ideal place to end your visit and try one of the exquisite dishes by renowned chef Gastón Acurio.

Av. Bolívar 1515, Pueblo Libre, Lima. Tel: 01/461-1312. http://museolarco.perucultural.org.pe

Catedral

Construction of this magnificent Cathedral, which features five naves and three facades, began in 1535 during the Renaissance period and has an eclectic style due to it being constructed in different stages. Part of the facade, for example, is in the plateresque style, the domes are gothic, the altars are in the neoclassical style and there are numerous baroque ornaments both inside and gracing parts of the facade. In addition to the tomb of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, the man responsible for erecting the first pillars of the church, inside the cathedral you will find the Museum of Religious Art that exhibits some of the works forming part of the Cathedral’s own collection as well as paintings, sculptures and ornaments from private collections. The cathedral is definitely worth a visit by night as the exterior lighting gives it a magical air, especially if seen from the Plaza de Armas in the humid air produced by the fountain.

Plaza de armas, Lima. Tel: 01/427-5980

Convento y Museo de San Francisco

This sacred site, perhaps the most monumental in all of Lima, was built in the 17th century and is formed by the San Francisco Basilica, the Sanctuary of Solitide and the El Milagro chapel. The style of these buildings is principally baroque, but also includes rococo and neoclassical as can be seen in the altarpieces and moldings. The interior is adorned with ceramic tiles from Seville and Mudejar engravings. While visiting this architectural complex you can also see the Museum of Religion and the Sala Zurbarán where you will find engravings of saints and paintings of the apostles as well as underground galleries and catacombs that formed part of the city’s cemetery during colonial times and where you can still see the skeletons. If you want to make the most of your visit you should also see the Government Palace which is also located here in Lima’s historical center and has been designated a World Heritage Site.

Ancash s/n, Plaza de San Francisco. Tel: 01/426-7377

Cerro San Cristóbal

This hill is often visited by those in search of a full panoramic view of the city. It rises to a height of 400 masl and can be found in the district of Rímac in Lima province. You can reach the Cerro San Cristóbal by microbus and for the more contemplative visitor the observation point offers the perfect opportunity for saying your farewell to the city.