Lima Half-Day Tour: Love Park, Historic Center & Catacombs

The San Francisco Catacombs hold centuries of Lima's colonial past beneath the Historic Center.

A half-day small-group tour of Lima hits four major sites: Love Park overlooking the Pacific, the pre-Hispanic pyramid of Huaca Pucllana, the Plaza Mayor surrounded by the cathedral and government palace, and the San Francisco Convent with its catacombs. Morning or afternoon departures suit different schedules. Pickup from Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco, Downtown, or the airport depends on which option you choose at checkout. An official guide in English or Spanish leads the route.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each5 stops

1. Love ParkEntry included20m
2. Huaca Pucllana10m
3. Main SquareEntry included50m
4. Church and Convent of Saint FrancisEntry included1h
5. Marcahuasi30m

Lima highlights and historic sites

• Pick up from selected location
• Visit Park of Love in Miraflores
• Panoramic visit to Huaca Pucllana
• Walk through Lima’s Historic Center
• Visit Plaza Mayor and surrounding landmarks
• Explore the Chocomuseum and taste products
• Tour San Francisco Convent and Catacombs
• Stop at Plaza San Martín for photos

The experience

The tour opens at Love Park in Miraflores, where the Pacific spreads below and the famous "El Beso" sculpture by Víctor Delfín marks the spot. From there you move to Huaca Pucllana, an ancient ceremonial site built by the Lima culture, its pre-Hispanic architecture still rising from the modern city around it. The guide walks you through the structure and its place in the valley's history before the group heads into the Historic Center.

The Plaza Mayor anchors the colonial heart of Lima: the cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, and the Government Palace frame the square while your guide traces the story of the old viceroyalty and the architecture that survived it. A stop at the chocolate museum lets you taste typical Peruvian liquors and jams made from cocoa and chocolate before the group moves on. The final major stop is the San Francisco Convent, where you walk the cloisters and descend into the catacombs, a network of burial chambers and passages that reveal how the colonial church operated beneath the city streets.

The route ends with a brief stop at Plaza San Martín, a historic square in the center where you can take final photos. The whole experience runs four hours. Pickup arrangements change depending on your option: the Essential option starts at a meeting point at Gran Hotel Bolívar; the Premium option includes hotel or airport pickup; the Private option is exclusive to your group. All options include the official guide. Only Premium and Private include entrance to the San Francisco Museum and Catacombs, so review what each covers before you book.

What’s included

• Official guide in English or Spanish.
• guided visit to Lima's Historic Center.
• entrance to the chocolate museum. Depending on your option: round-trip hotel or airport pickup.
• entrance to the San Francisco Museum and Catacombs.

Options for this experience

5 options

Essential – Meeting pointGuide in English or Spanish · 10:00, 11:00, 15:00 and 16:20Includes guided tour only, with the meeting point at Plaza San Martin. ❌ Does not include pick-up or entrance fees to the Catacombs.

Premium – Pickup and CatacombsGuide in English or Spanish · 09:00 and 14:00Hotel pickup in Miraflores, Barranco and San Isidro. Includes a professional guide and access to the San Francisco Catacombs. Pickup is included.

Private – City tour, exclusiveGuide in English or Spanish · 9 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 15:00Private city tour with hotel or airport pickup. Includes a professional guide and access to the San Francisco Catacombs. Pickup is included.

See 2 more options

From Callao Port.Guide in English or Spanish · 08:00If you're arriving on a cruise, we'll collect you right at Callao Port. Pickup is included.

From Lima Airport.Guide in English or Spanish · 08:00For this city tour, we provide pick-up service directly from Lima International Airport. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 4h, runs every day, 11 start times, from US$ 20 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish, in groups of up to 15 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 16:20

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 90 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Inca Trilogy Tours S.A.C

Is this one for you?Book the Premium option if you're staying in a hotel and want the catacombs included without arranging your own transport; choose Essential if you can meet at Gran Hotel Bolívar and prefer a lower price; pick Private if your group wants the tour to itself and needs pickup from a specific location.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is Huaca Pucllana and why does it matter to Lima's history?

Huaca Pucllana is an ancient ceremonial pyramid built by the Lima culture, one of the pre-Hispanic civilizations that occupied the valley before the Spanish arrived. The site still stands in the middle of the modern city, and the guide explains its role in the region's early history during the panoramic visit.

Can I see inside the San Francisco Catacombs, or is it just a walk past them?

You enter the catacombs and walk through them as part of the tour, but only if you book the Premium or Private option. The Essential option does not include access to the San Francisco Museum and Catacombs. The catacombs are burial chambers and passages beneath the convent that show how the colonial church used the underground space.

Do I have to arrange my own way to the starting point, or is pickup included?

Pickup depends on your option. The Essential option requires you to meet the group at Gran Hotel Bolívar on Plaza San Martín; the Premium option includes round-trip pickup from hotels in Miraflores, San Isidro, Barranco, Downtown, or Jorge Chávez International Airport; the Private option also includes pickup. Choose the option that matches where you're staying.

What time of day does the tour run, and how long does it take?

The tour runs four hours and departs in either the morning or afternoon. You choose which when you book. Both time slots cover the same sites and follow the same route.

Is there time to eat lunch during the tour?

The tour does not include lunch. There is a stop at a chocolate museum in the Historic Center where you can taste chocolate and cocoa products, but a full meal is not part of the itinerary.

What is "El Beso" at Love Park?

"El Beso" (The Kiss) is a famous sculpture by Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín at Love Park in Miraflores. The park itself was inspired by Barcelona's Park Güell and sits on a clifftop overlooking the Pacific Ocean, making it one of Lima's most recognizable spots.