Lima Gastronomic Tour: Historic Center, Catacombs & Miraflores

Taste Lima's layers: colonial squares, underground catacombs, and the seafood that defines the city.

A private gastronomic and cultural tour of Lima combines the Historic Center, San Francisco Catacombs and Miraflores with a live guide in English or Spanish, visiting a traditional market, tasting exotic Peruvian fruits and churros, learning to make pisco sour, and eating a three-dish marine lunch in a traditional restaurant. The tour includes private transportation, museum and catacomb entry, and hotel pickup. It runs five to six hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. San Martin Square30m
2. Main Square1h
3. Church and Convent of Saint Francis1h · entry included

Explore Lima's historic and modern sites

• Tour Miraflores district and parks
• Taste exotic fruits at local market
• Visit Plaza San Martín and learn history
• Sample Liman churros and watch pisco sour preparation
• Explore Plaza de Armas and colonial architecture
• Visit San Francisco Convent and catacombs
• Enjoy typical Peruvian lunch with Chicha Morada
• Return to selected hotels

The experience

The day starts in Miraflores, where you'll walk the waterfront parks and the boardwalk at Parque del Amor, taking in views of the Pacific while your guide traces the neighborhood's transformation into Lima's modern heart. From there you move into the city's gastronomic core: a traditional market where you taste exotic Peruvian fruits and get a feel for how locals shop and eat. The guide then leads you through Plaza San Martín, surrounded by Republican-era buildings, and explains the independence history behind the monument to José de San Martín.

A stop for churros and a pisco sour workshop breaks the walking. You'll watch the preparation of Peru's emblematic cocktail and taste the classic Limón churros that trace back to the Spanish colonial era. Then comes Plaza de Armas, the Historic Center's heart, where you see the Cathedral, Government Palace and the carved wooden balconies that frame the square. Your guide walks you through the founding stories and key events celebrated there, leaving time for photographs of the colonial architecture.

The San Francisco Convent Museum is the tour's most striking stop. You'll explore the cloisters, walk through the old library stacked with colonial volumes, and descend into the underground catacombs: one of South America's most haunting spaces, where skeletal remains are arranged in symbolic patterns. The guide explains the Baroque architecture and the history behind what you're seeing. Lunch follows in a traditional restaurant in the Historic Center: a Marine Trio (ceviche, rice with seafood and fish chicharrón served together on one plate) paired with Chicha Morada, the traditional Peruvian drink. The tour ends with a return to your hotel.

What’s included

• Private transportation with an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• entrance to the San Francisco Museum and Catacombs.
• fruit tasting at a traditional market.
• churros and a pisco sour workshop.
• and a three-dish Marine Trio lunch with Chicha Morada in a traditional restaurant.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (18 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 7

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 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lima View Tours

Is this one for you?This tour is built around walking and stopping to taste and explore. You'll cover the Historic Center and Miraflores on foot with your guide, so comfortable shoes matter. The five- to six-hour pace is steady but not rushed, and the private vehicle handles the travel between neighborhoods, making it easier to focus on what you're seeing and eating rather than managing logistics yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What exactly is the Marine Trio lunch I'll eat on this tour?

The Marine Trio combines three seafood dishes on a single plate: ceviche, rice with seafood, and fish chicharrón (fried fish). It comes with Chicha Morada, a traditional purple corn drink that is one of Peru's most popular beverages.

Will I have time to walk around Miraflores and the Historic Center, or is it mostly a bus tour?

You'll walk the main areas on foot with your guide: Parque del Amor and the boardwalk in Miraflores, Plaza San Martín, Plaza de Armas, and through the San Francisco Convent. The private vehicle transports you between neighborhoods but the tour itself is built around walking and stopping to explore.

What happens at the pisco sour workshop?

You'll watch the preparation of pisco sour, Peru's national cocktail, and taste it. It's a demonstration and tasting experience, not a hands-on class where you make the drink yourself.

Is the fruit tasting at a market where I can buy things, or just a tasting stop?

You visit a traditional local market where you taste a selection of exotic Peruvian fruits. The market is a working neighborhood market, so you're in the everyday shopping environment of the city, though the tasting is the main focus of the stop.

How much walking is involved in the catacombs visit?

The San Francisco Convent Museum includes walking through the cloisters, the old library, and descending into the underground catacombs. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and the guide leads you through at a pace that allows time to look and listen.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, private transportation and hotel pickup are included. The driver will collect you from your hotel and return you there at the end of the tour.