Planning a Trip to Lima

Best to only stay in Lima as a gateway to somewhere else (Cuzco, Nazcar lines, etc). Hustle and bustle, typical of third world city. Lots of hassle if you are blond. but felt safe all the time and can eat great food for hardly no money at all. Some great temples to check out around the Lima area too.

Stay at the Original Casa del Mochilero backpackers! It is on the second floor, and so popular that it has many not-so-good copy cats. 14 Soles per night (less than $5) for a dorm room. Hot Water Showers, shared kitchen, dining area, tv room with dvd selection. Amazingly friendly owners make you feel it is your home away from home, and the beds are very warm and comfy. Walking distance to the Vivanda supermarket which bottles its own fresh squeezed orange juice every morning. YUM. Walking distance to buses for Barranco and for Central Lima. Walking distance to the beautiful waterfront. They also have a bulletin board full of volunteer opportunities and have internet which you can pay to use. Miraflores is considered one of the safer areas in Lima, but I have heard stories of people being robbed at night, so still be careful. The hostel is so welcoming, if you are concerned about safety, you don't need to go out at night. Basically it is in my Top 5 hostels of everywhere I have ever been.

BIG city!!! I felt a little bit lost when i arrived there! It llooks nice city, but for some reasons i didn t really enjoyed Lima.... GO to sse PLAZA DE ARMA, te POST OFFICE which is nice...

Lima is covered in clould like smog for 8 mths of every year and contributes to high respiratory problems for the residents. The cloud is created by several factors - not just pollution - from this most populated Peruvian city.

The electronics market is a good source of almost any DVD you can imagine and you can get entire seasons of shows for $5. In English of course :)

In Lima the San Francisco monastry is a place you should not miss! It was build in the 15. century with catacombs underneath where everybody was burried here till 1821, after that only the monks of the convent. The last one was burried in 2006. You can visit the catacombs full of bones, the very old library, the church, parts of the monastary, the museum with wonderfull rooms and paintings. Entry 5 Soles per person including a guide.

For a fun shopping day:
The street Jr. de la Union connects the two main squares Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin.
It is a pedestrian zone with shops, restaurants, fast food, cinemas and lots of people! PS: There is good shopping oppurtunities in Lima. Nice stuff for good value!

It might feel unwelcoming at first but, don't let that take stop you from seeing one of the best architecture jewels of Latin America .