Lima Highlights Tour: Miraflores, Barranco & Downtown

Three districts, one afternoon: ocean views, bohemian streets, colonial plazas, and underground history

A guided city tour of Lima covering Miraflores, Barranco, and the Historic Centre with private transportation and an official guide in English or Spanish. The tour includes stops at Huaca Pucllana, Love Park, the San Francisco Church catacombs, Plaza Mayor, the Chocolate Museum, and a Pisco Sour tasting and preparation workshop. Pickup is included; lunch is not.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Miraflores, Barranco, and Downtown Lima

• Visit Huaca Pucllana panoramic view
• See Love Park and Chinese Park
• Explore Plaza de Armas in Barranco
• View Barranco library and Chabuca Granda Square
• Walk Bridge of Sighs and Bajada Balta
• Admire bohemian Barranco art
• Stop at Gran Hotel Bolívar
• Visit Plaza San Martín and learn history
• Walk Jirón de la Unión streets
• See La Merced Church
• Tour Historic Centre main square attractions
• Visit Chocolate Museum and taste cacao
• Sample Pisco Sour drink
• Visit House of Peruvian Literature
• Tour San Francisco Church and Catacombs
• Prepare Pisco Sour in craft shop

The Experience

The tour starts in Miraflores, where you'll see the panoramic view of Huaca Pucllana and walk through Love Park to view Víctor Delfín's famous French kiss sculpture. The Chinese Park rounds out the district before the guide moves you to Barranco, where the bohemian side of Lima takes over — the Bridge of Sighs, Chabuca Granda Square, and the Bajada Balta are the stops, along with street art that fills the neighborhood. From there, downtown Lima's colonial core opens up: Plaza San Martín (inaugurated in 1921 for Peru's independence centenary), the Government Palace, Lima Cathedral, and Santo Domingo Church, which dates to the 1500s and holds the remains of three saints.

The San Francisco Church and its catacombs are the centerpiece of the downtown section. Construction began around 1546 as an underground cemetery for the Franciscan order and continued until 1810, holding tens of thousands of burials — the exact count is still uncertain because some galleries remain unexplored. You'll walk through them with the guide. Afterward, you visit the Chocolate Museum to taste Peruvian cacao, then move to a craft shop where you prepare your own Pisco Sour, Peru's signature cocktail. The House of Peruvian Literature (housed in the old Desamparados station) and La Merced Church, built in 1535 in Baroque and Churrigueresque style, fill the remaining stops before return to your hotel.

Private transportation and an official guide in English or Spanish are included throughout. The full route takes five and a half hours, so the pace is steady but not rushed — you're moving between districts rather than lingering long at any single stop.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout the tour.
• official tourist guide in English or Spanish.
• Pisco Sour tastings at the Chocolate Museum and a craft workshop where you prepare your own Pisco Sour.
• access to the San Francisco Church catacombs and all listed attractions.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Lima América Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guided route through three distinct neighborhoods—modern Miraflores, bohemian Barranco, and colonial downtown—without navigating between them yourself; the private vehicle keeps you moving on a set itinerary rather than stopping to plan each transition.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

7 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly are the catacombs under San Francisco Church in Lima?

The San Francisco Church catacombs are an underground cemetery that began construction around 1546 for the Franciscan order and operated until 1810. They held tens of thousands of burials over those centuries, though some galleries remain unexplored and the total number of bodies may be higher than current estimates suggest.

Can I make the Pisco Sour myself on this tour?

Yes. The tour includes a stop at a craft shop where you prepare your own Pisco Sour, Peru's national drink, so you'll learn how it's made while you make it.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour. The Chocolate Museum tasting and Pisco Sour preparation are included, but a meal is not part of the itinerary.

What is Huaca Pucllana and why is it on the tour?

Huaca Pucllana is an ancient pre-Columbian pyramid in Miraflores that offers a panoramic view of the district and the Pacific Ocean. The tour stops there for the view rather than for an extended exploration of the structure itself.

What language will the guide speak?

The guide is available in English or Spanish, and you choose your preferred language when you book.