Did you like Lima,Peru?is it a city worth visiting?Affordable?lots to see?safe?Did you like it?input please!?

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memorex

Lima is affordable comparing it with Cuzco, Arequipa and Iquitos, it could get either cheap or expensive in accordance to where you stay and eat. Wherever tourist have to go is safe. Indeed is sadly gray from May to September and most of the tourist come during that period because the weather in the highlands is the best. But from December to March everyone goes to the beaches, Peru is the Surf Mecca of South America and every weekend there's a huge traffic from Lima to the beaches (mainly towards the south).

The city is worth visiting but loses interest when competing against places like Cuzco (and Macchu Picchu), Arequipa (and Colca Canyon), Huaraz, Iquitos, Manu, Lake Titicaca, Cajamarca or Mancora. Downtown Lima, The fortress of Real Felipe in Callao, the ruins of Pachacamac and the entertaining districts of Miraflores and Barranco are Lima's main attractions.

An interesting place that is not included in any conventional Tour inside Lima, because you can't go on a big tour bus, is MARKAWASI. This is an Inka ruin on top of a Mystic mountain only a few 80 km from Lima but due to the difficulty of the road, it takes about 3 1/2 hours to get there. The vehicle reaches the town of San Pedro de Casta at 3,600 meters above sea level, there's a hotel there where you can spend the night. The next morning you can hire horses for US $ 5 or go walking to the top of the mountain (1 hr or 2 1/2 hr depending which road you choose). It's all uphill until you get there at 4,000 mt. asl.

http://images.google.com.pe/imgres?imgurl=http://www.robertschoch.net/MIGHRw300.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.robertschoch.net/Mystery%2520of%2520Markawasi.htm&h=270&w=300&sz=26&hl=es&start=15&um=1&usg=__gp5NLouo-DMqG-zmf_ymqXfItMg=&tbnid=UTg-wb4YgbpRWM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmarkawasi%26um%3D1%26hl%3Des%26sa%3DG

This is the town of San Pedro seen from above:
http://www.perutoptours.com/jpg/14li/huarochiri/san_pedro_de_casta.jpg
http://pergamo.pucp.edu.pe/willay/files/willay/images/ecoturismo/20060426_turismo_sanpedrodecasta01.jpg

Just before arriving to San Pedro de Casta (they make great cheese there)
http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/peru/pics/santaeulaliahotel1-030919z.jpg

Camping at the anphitheatre in July vacations
http://static.flickr.com/60/204534901_f4c6bfc322.jpg

There are small lagoons and wild life up in the meseta (viscacha, frogs, fox, ducks)
http://sociedaddepoetas.iespana.es/imatur/huarochi3.jpg

Skylark

I studied in Cusco, Peru last summer and absolutely adored being in the country, but I did not like Lima. One of the reasons Cusco and other parts of Peru is so beautiful is the gorgeous, pure blue sky, but in Lima it's perpetually grey and depressing. There are a few interesting sights, like Plaza Mayor, but for the most part it doesn't offer much to the tourist. You see a lot of grit and grime, many parts of the city look like a ghetto. I didn't really feel unsafe there, but I was uncomfortable. I'm a tall blonde, and I was just 15 then, and the cat calling and whatnot was way, way more intense than there anywhere else in Peru. It was very unnerving.

If you go I would recommend staying in Miraflores which is a pretty beachside town. It's touristy, but cleaner, safer and prettier than the rest of the city and has more beachside activities. It definitely caters to the American / European crowds. There is a shopping center there with a Tony Romas, movie theater and other stores. Normally, I'd want to stay far away from all that while abroad, but I admit that Starbucks after weeks of going without was a perk. : )

I would spend the majority of time in other parts of Peru and maybe just spend one day in Lima.

You can gets loads of great advice about Peru in the forum at Tripadvisor.com

~ Pax

Te amo Peru. : )

Lobocito Marino

I stayed in Lima for 3 weeks but NOT in select places like Miraflores.
I had to see every day shocking scenes.(and was not born in a palace)
Example: they do not even have garbage bins. Basically, the garbage is thrown in street
Unless you go with private tourist guides, you wouldn't like it.
Yes, there are some museum and interesting history to see but they are like pearls in a chaotic city
I spent many hours in traffic to go from one to other.
Better skip it and go to the province, wherever else. In Andes, there are amazing sceneries. Peru is a beautiful country, except Lima.

marcie

Peru is a beautiful country. II have to say to Americans there is definitely a culture shock - it's a third world country. The city is full of beautiful historic churches and architecture as well as cevicherias - restaurants which serve our national dish ceviche. There are many nightclubs museums and parks to visit. Just be careful out at night... it is dangerous in the city. There is lots to do - just make sure you meet the right people or have a good guide.

Squeak

Miraflores and Barranco are great fun if you have people to go out with.

The markets in Miraflores are fabulous. I didn't mind Lima certainly not as rough as Caracas in Venezuela but other places are nicer.

Speaking from experience I say do not travel to off the beaten track places at night in northern Peru.

That said I loved Peru.

PeruvianDude

Sup, is a great country, and yeah there is a lot to see, specially if u want to go to cuzco - Machu Picchu, really beautiful http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu ( The Jungle -Amazonas is amazing too ) and there are many others really beautifuls.. and the food OMG is extraordinary-.. is just an amazing expericience. by the way the people are hot, specially in the Jungle ; )

Lima is nice, but.. i must say that the provences are really amazing, so don't stay in lima too long.. visit the provences

so i like it, i can say is safe, cuz Peru is one of the most tourist visiting country in the world, so they care a lot about that... but u never know whats canna happen.. but.. is ok.. i mean USA is very ansafe, especially in the capitals and we are still alive ; )