Lima Airfare Deals

Things to Do in Lima

Plaza de Armas

Plaza de Armas (also called Plaza Mayor), a broad square, is the historical center of the city of Lima. Designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also the perfect place to begin with sightseeing. The bronze fountain built around 1651 is the only original structure standing here. Most of the other original buildings have been reconstructed after being destroyed during the 1746 earthquake. The Archbishop❜s Palace, the Palacio del Gobierno, & the Casa del Oidor surround the square.

Cathedral

Lima❜s cathedral sits dominating the east side of the Plaza de Armas. Its design is based on the cathedral in Seville, Spain. Damaged by earthquakes, the cathedral was rebuilt quickly. Some of the major highlight worth noticing here include carved choir, a carving of Jesus in the chapel of St. John the Baptist, & the altars in the ornate Spanish Baroque style (known as churrigueresque).

Museo de la Nacion (National Museum)

The National Museum is the largest museum in the city. In fact, it is the best place to learn & explore about the ancient history of Peru. One also gets to understand the country❜s culture at the museum. Entire archeological history; starting from the first inhabitants to Inca Empire has been covered here. Th exhibits here include textiles & ceramics along with scale models of archeological sites like Machu Picchu & Nazca Lines. All these are arranged in chronological order.

Convento de San Francisco (San Francisco Church)

Famous for their catacombs, the San Francisco Church & its monastery contains the bones of approximately 10000 people. A maze of narrow hallways run beneath the church. Each of which is lined on both sides with bones. Also, there is a large round hole filled with skulls & bones arranged like a piece of art in a geometrical pattern. Other highlights here include the library with thousands of antique books & a monastery with an impressive collection of religious art.