World City Guide

Further Distractions

Cerro San Cristobal
Dwarfing houses in the Rimac district, is the volcano-shaped hillside of Cerro San Cristobal. On a clear day, it affords great views of the sprawling city, all the way to the ocean and to the foothills of the Andes. The summit is topped by a huge cross, which shines over the town at night. At the foot of the cross, people leave petitions and candles. There is a café at the summit. Due to its reputation for muggings, a taxi to the summit is recommended. A round trip from the city centre costs about PEN29/US$8. There is a bus service up to the top of the hillside, called Urbanito, which costs around PEN7/US$2.

Cerro San Cristobal, Rimac
Transport: Urbanito bus service.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Miraflores and Barranco
One of the main attractions of Lima is its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. In the last century, many of the capital’s richest families built summer houses in the seaside suburbs of Miraflores and Barranco, which were geographically separated from the rest of the city. Miraflores is a perfect base from which to visit the rest of Lima. Parque Kennedy, a pretty tree-lined park, surrounded by pavement cafés, offers a sanctuary from the noise and pollution of the city centre. As well as a large multiplex cinema, Miraflores has a number of excellent shops selling local arts and crafts. When the sun sinks into the ocean, visitors should head for a ‘sundowner’ at the Rosa Nautica, a restaurant that juts into the sea, on its very own pier.

Barranco is where Lima’s party-lovers head to at the weekend, for its hectic nightlife consisting of restaurants, bars and discos for every taste. But after the weekend, a peaceful, family atmosphere returns to the suburb. Many of the large colonial houses built for the city’s richest families remain in use, which is more than can be said for Barranco’s tram system – a beautifully restored tram car stands as a lonely witness to an altogether more sedate and stately chapter in Lima’s history.

Many ‘colectivo’ buses run between the city centre and Miraflores, along Avenida Arequipa, 24 hours a day. Routes are displayed on the windscreen, usually as ‘Larco/Schell/Miraflores’. The main stop for Miraflores is Ricardo Palma, four blocks from Parque Kennedy. Buses also go to Miraflores on the Via Expresa (the fast three-lane express way) and can be caught at Avenida Tacna and Avenida Ugarte. Colectivo buses also run to Barranco from the city centre along Avenida Arequipa, via Miraflores, where travellers must change for a bus marked ‘Barranco’. Some colectivo buses run all the way to Barranco and passengers should ask the driver upon boarding.