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| Lima | ||
| province | Lima Province | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 9.674.755 (2020) | |
| height | 154 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Lima is the capital of Peru. With around 8.89 million inhabitants, Lima is also the largest city in the country. With the port city Callao (1.01 million inhabitants) Lima has grown together, so that the Lima metropolitan region is likely to have exceeded the 10 million mark in 2015.
Districts
next to the old town, Cercado de Lima, there is still
- San Isidro, the garden city between the old town and
- Lince, middle class district between San Isidro and the old town with many hotels
- Miraflores, the modern center.
- Barranco, bohemian district
- Rimac, north of the old town across the river of the same name. Even older than Cercado with some historic buildings such as the historic "Acho" bullring. The part of the city is very shabby and unsafe in parts.
background
The old town of Lima is one of the UNESCO world cultural heritage.
getting there
By plane
The Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chavez is the international airport of Lima, it is located in the adjacent port city of Callao 12 km northwest of Lima, directly on the Pacific Ocean. Connections to the city are only available by bus or taxi. The airport is served by a number of international airlines. There are currently no direct flights from Germany, transfer connections from the largest German cities such as Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich etc. exist for example over Madrid, Amsterdam, Paris, Bogota, Atlanta or São Paulo. The airport also plays an important role as a national hub.
By train
By bus
Lima is served by various bus companies from all major cities (except Iquitos) in Peru, sometimes several times a day.
Internationally, Lima is z. B. from the bus company Cruz del Sur Attached several times a week from Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile, Bogota and Quito. You have to consider whether a three-day journey makes sense. With a fare of almost S./900 (from Buenos Aires), the plane is definitely the better alternative.
In the street
Lima is on the Panamericana.
By boat
mobility
Subway
Lima has had the Metro de Lima via a first, albeit short, light rail line. It runs daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a frequency of 6-10 minutes (Mon-Fri), 10 minutes (Sat) and 14 minutes (Sun).
bus
Since the end of 2014, a bus system has been set up between the districts of Miraflores and Rimac, the so-called Corredor Azul. This has made the journey from Miraflores to the old town of Lima much easier for tourists. The blue buses run every minute and start in Miraflores on Av. Larco. The line runs over the entire Avenida Arequipa, Avenida Wilson, Avenida Tacna and Avenida Alcazar in Rimac. There are lines 301, 302, 303 and 306. However, it is stopped at different stops along the way and not all lines serve the entire route. A single trip costs S./1.50 (as of 2019). Payment is made to the bus driver in cash or by means of a chip card (Lima pass). The districts of San Isidro, Lince and Lima are crossed.
taxi
There are countless taxis operating in Lima. The fare is agreed at the beginning of the journey. If the taxi driver names a price that is too high, it is quite common to name a different price or to go to the next taxi driver.
An approximate overview of the prices of the usual tariffs (as of 2016):
- Miraflores - Airport (45 - 50 Soles)
- Miraflores - ride within the district (5 soles)
- Miraflores - Old Town (12 - 17 Soles)
- Terminal Cruz de Sur - Miraflores (10 Soles)
- Lince - Miraflores (8-10 soles)
- Miraflores - Barranco (8 soles)
- Miraflores - Rimac (18-25 soles)
at a later hour from around 11 p.m. the tariffs increase.
For safety reasons (express kidnapping, etc.), the following things should be considered when choosing a taxi:
- Fixed taxi sign on the roof (not behind the windshield!)
- Red and white stripes on the side of the vehicle (mandatory in Peru for all commercial vehicles)
- Badges on the windshield (approval from the taxi guild)
- Fairly good condition of the vehicle
- The driver makes a trustworthy impression.
If you want to be on the safe side, you can also order one. There are taxi apps for Lima such as:
- 3555555 Satelital: Mostly modern vehicles, correct drivers.
- Beat: Just as reliable as 3555555, you can choose between older and newer vehicles, drivers may appear a bit more "rustic", approx. 30% cheaper than 3555555
- Uber: comparable in price to 3555555.
Tourist Attractions
- Plaza Mayor, in Peru Plaza de Armas. According to old Spanish tradition, the Place of Arms, probably the most beautiful square in the city and a good starting point for tours through the old town. The well standing on it is the zero point for all distances in Peru and dates from 1651.
- Catedral de Lima. The current building dates from 1746. In the first side chapel on the right are the remains of Pizarro. Entrance outside of the services costs 10 soles. The museum of religious art to the right of the main altar is included.
- Palacio de Arzobispo. Right next to the cathedral. The building is a reconstruction from 1924.
- Palacio de Gobierno. The government palace rises on the same spot where Pizarro's palace once stood. It can only be visited on guided tours. At 12 noon (except Sun) you can watch the colorful changing of the guard with chapel.
- Convento de San Francisco. The monastery was founded in 1546. In the monastery church, which was completed in 1674, the choir stalls are worth seeing, as are the tiles with the story of St. Francis. The catacombs are a special feature. In them you can find the bones of thousands of epidemic victims, neatly arranged in patterns. If that's too macabre for you, you'd better take a look at the magnificent library of the monastery.
- Gold museum, in the Monterrico district. The private museum is located near the hippodrome. It not only exhibits golden masks and jewelry, but also a large collection of (Spanish) weapons as well as textiles and utensils from pre-Columbian times.
- Cerro San Cristobal. Panoramic mountain in the Rimac district with a view of the whole city. There are trips from the city center to the Plaza de Armas. Duration approx. 1 hour.
activities
shop
There are some huge shopping malls in Lima (selection):
- Mega Plaza, north.
- Real Plaza, City center.
- Jockey Plaza, east.
- Plaza San Miguel, west.
kitchen
The typical Lima food is Pollo a la Brasa. There are countless pollerias in the city on almost every corner. There are also some chains that specialize in the preparation of grilled chicken such as: Norky's, Roxy's or Don Belisario.
"Chifa" are bars run by descendants of the Chinese immigrants. Chinese dishes with Peruvian ingredients are served there.
nightlife
accommodation
- 1 Hostal España, Azángaro 105 / corner of Ancash. Tel.: 51 4279196, 51 428-5546. Probably the backpacker meeting point in the center. Beautiful old colonial house with lots of works of art on the walls, roof garden, restaurant, internet (most expensive in Lima), lockers, luggage storage, laundry. Dormitory 13 soles.
- Hotel El Pardo. The upscale house is located in the Miraflores district, just a few 100 m from the sea. There are numerous shops and restaurants within easy walking distance.
- Hotel Manos Amigas, Miraflores, Lima.
Cheaper hotels are located in the Lince district around Avenida Arequipa and the side streets. The location of Lince is very good, as you can walk through the Corredor Azul is quickly in Miraflores or in the old town. There is also some security in this part of the city. However, some of the hotels are also used as hourly hotels by the locals. If you don't have a problem with that, you can certainly save a lot of money. A double room usually costs from S./100, with a whirlpool from S./200. Relatively clean is z. B. the Hostal Lince (José Bernardo Alcedo 229 / corner of Av. Arequipa next to the KFC).
Learn
Work
climate
Although Lima is close to the equator (12 degrees south), which is roughly comparable to the location of Bangkok in the northern hemisphere, tropical temperatures are by no means to be expected. Especially in the Peruvian winter (June - September), a thick layer of fog hangs over the city, which cools the country. Temperatures over 18 degrees are rarely reached during the day. Due to the lack of sun and the high humidity, it feels much colder. The Humboldt Current in the Pacific is responsible for the cool weather, given the latitude. Rain tends to be the exception throughout the year.
In summer (December to March), however, sunshine and high levels of solar radiation can be expected. Even on overcast days, the UV rays penetrate the fog, so sunscreen with a high SPF should always be used. The maximum temperatures are then just under 30 degrees.
Miraflores in summer
and in the winter
security
In Lima, as in Peru in general, you have to be careful almost everywhere. In the old town (in the centro) you should not carry cameras, jewelry or the like openly with you, it is best to just put a little change in your pocket and leave everything else in the hotel.
On the beach you have to be careful everywhere, except in Miraflores (in the middle of the city) and the beaches, which are about an hour outside of Lima (e.g. punte hermosa), you shouldn't stay at all, and even on the beach of Miraflores it is not advisable to go to places where someone can hide.
Women shouldn't be traveling alone after dark, but Peruvian men are used to accompanying you home.
If you pay attention to certain things (i.e. don't walk around as a typical tourist with lots of valuables) and listen to the locals, you can move around Lima fairly safely.
health
Practical advice
In the old town (Lima) and in Miraflores you can also get on with English. In all other parts of the city, knowledge of Spanish is generally necessary.
trips
literature
Web links
- https://www.munlima.gob.pe - Lima Official Website
