Quick answer: For a 3-day trip to Lima, budget about EUR 55 per day (mid-range). Best time: December–April (summer, less grey). Visa: Visa-free for most EU/US/UK passports (up to 90 days).
Lima is a food city with ocean cliffs. Three days: Miraflores coast, Barranco's street art and the historic center — plus the best ceviche of your life.
Best timeDecember–April (summer, less grey)
Budget / day~EUR 55
Suggested length3 days
VisaVisa-free for most EU/US/UK passports (up to 90 days).
3-day Lima itinerary
- Day 1Miraflores
malecón bike ride, Huaca Pucllana, ceviche lunch.
- Day 2Barranco
street art, Bridge of Sighs, cafés; sunset at the cliffs.
- Day 3Centro
Plaza Mayor, San Francisco catacombs, Chinatown.
Where to stay: neighborhoods that make sense
- Mirafloressafe cliff-top district with the malecon boardwalk and most hotels, the default base
- Barrancobohemian street art, galleries and nightlife around the Puente de los Suspiros, best for atmosphere
- San Isidroleafy upscale business district with the Huaca Huallamarca ruin, quiet and residential
- Centro Historicocolonial plazas, the cathedral and San Francisco catacombs, visit by day and sleep elsewhere
What to eat in Lima
- Ceviche at a neighborhood cevicheriaclassic leche de tigre and fresh corvina for 8-12 EUR at lunch
- Lomo saltadosoy-seared beef stir-fry with fries and rice, about 6-8 EUR in Miraflores
- Anticuchos in Barrancogrilled beef-heart skewers from evening street grills, about 3-4 EUR
- Menu del dia at a local lunch spotsoup, main and drink for 3-4 EUR away from tourist streets
- Pisco sour at a Barranco barthe national cocktail, about 5 EUR
Mistakes most first-timers make
- Ordering ceviche at dinnerit is a lunch dish; fish arrives in the morning and the best cevicherias close by late afternoon
- Hailing taxis on the streetunregulated and prices are invented; use Uber or Cabify where rides cost 2-5 EUR
- Underestimating traffica 10 km hop can take an hour at rush hour, plan sights by district and allow buffer time
- Expecting sunshine from May to Octoberthe garua fog keeps the coast grey; it is not rain, but pack a light jacket
Worth leaving the city for
- Pachacamac (1 hour south)sprawling pre-Inca adobe temple complex in the desert with a good museum
- Palomino Islands from Callao (30 minutes to the port, half-day boat) - swim near a colony of thousands of sea lions
- Paracas and Huacachina (3.5-4 hours)long but popular combo of sea-lion reserve and desert oasis dune buggies
Getting around
From Jorge Chavez Airport take an official airport taxi or app car to Miraflores (10-15 EUR, 30-60 minutes depending on traffic). In town use Uber or Cabify for 2-5 EUR per hop plus the Metropolitano bus (about 0.80 EUR) along the main north-south corridor.
Why this plan won't send you to a closed café
Almawander is an AI travel planner that remembers you across trips - it learns your pace, budget, diet and taste, checks places are still open, and bakes in your passport's visa rules.