More than 7 million of Peru's 23.4 million inhabitants live in the capitol
city, Lima. Located on the central western coast, it is
large, noisy, polluted, and shrouded in a misty coastal
fog (garua) for much of the year. The sky reappears
during the sunny summer months of December through April,
when many coastal and highland people flock to the beach.
Despite the often-dreary landscape; the friendly people,
important historical sites, quality museums, and variety
of dining and entertainment options make Lima an interesting
place to visit.
Festivities can be found year-round in Lima. The Lord
of the Miracles (Senor de los Milagros), the patron
saint of Lima, is celebrated in October with a series
of street processions during
which a life-size replica of Jesus is carried through
the streets on an elaborately adorned altar. The processions
include hundreds of faithful followers who are customarily
adorned in purple robes, clothing, or ties. The entire
reverent, yet festive, occasion is accompanied by music,
singing, the ringing of ceremonial bells, and the burning
of incense.
October is also the month when the bullfighting season starts. The best bullfighters
of the world come to compete for the Escapulario de
Oro (the gold epaulet) in the Plaza de Acho ring.
Other celebrations throughout the year include a wine
harvest festival in March, and the Feria del Pacifico
international fair in November.
The main square in Lima, La Plaza Mayor, marks the spot of the Spanish founding of Lima - where
in 1535 Francisco Pizarro whipped out his sword, carved a square into the ground, and called it the city
limits. In addition to housing the heart of city government, it served as a bullring and marketplace. Six
years after he founded Lima, Pizarro was assassinated in the same square. Today La Plaza Mayor
includes the majestic Government Palace, the Town Hall, and the Cathedral, where the remains of
Pizarro lie inside a crystal crypt.
Outside Lima's city center lie many distinct districts with unique personalities
and attractions. Barranco, an artsy enclave in south Lima,
has a good selection of restaurants, as well as the enchanting
Bridge of Sighs (El Puente de los Suspiros) where
couples often can be seen taking romantic strolls. Miraflores
is a modern district with beautiful parks, squares and
avenues. Both Barranco and Miraflores offer an active
nightlife. Anywhere in Lima you can visit the penas
where live folkloric music and dance, food, and drink
are enjoyed.
You'll find throughout Peru that music has been an integral
part of all cultures - ancient and modern. The Paracas
culture, located South of Lima, created a pan
flute some time between 200 BC and 300 AD, varieties of which
are still played today in Peru.
The museums in Lima offer a fascinating array of artifacts dating from pre-ceramic, stone-age cultures
through the pre-Inca, Inca, and Colonial periods. There are several museums to choose from, including
the National Museum, which is now exhibiting the findings from the tomb of the Lord of Sipan, an
impressive and significant collection recently excavated from the Lambayeque area in Northern Peru.
