Lima city tours are ideal for the green traveller who wants to combine seeing the beauty of Peru and its vast diversity of wildlife with an educational and interesting look at the city’s wonderful colonial architecture, most of which dates back to around 500 years.
Lima was founded by Spanish settlers in the 16th Century and for a time was considered to be the most important city in South America. The Peruvian capital stretches between the Andes cordillera and the Pacific coast and is home to one-third of Peru’s inhabitants.
Lima city tours and finding your way around
It’s well worth your while planning your Lima city tours comprehensively as the city has a huge amount to offer in terms of the diversity of the architecture. In this modern and bustling city you can find extremely well preserved examples of colonial architecture, hugely sprawling shanty towns close to bang up to date modern buildings.
If you want to really explore Lima, then consider first if you want to take the adventurous route and go it alone or if you would prefer to take a Lima city tour with a local. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from doing both either, so that you can first find your way around with an experienced guide and then go on to really swim in the cultural soup by exploring alone.
Whichever way you decide to take your Lima city tour, do make sure that you don’t take all your cash with you and watch any bags and your pockets. Theivery is rife in Lima and gangs tend to operate all over the city, often dressed as smart young men and women in busy areas.
There are a number of options for guided tours, such as the Urban Adventures bicycle tour or perhaps the Lima Discovery Tour. The cycling tour takes you through the city’s artistic and ancient heart, as well as the coastline and the archaeological Huaca Pucllana site where pre-Inca pyramids once stood.
The discovery tour lets you explore more fully on foot and after meeting you at your hotel, the bilingual guide will lead you off the beaten track before ending up at the central market where you can explore local cuisine and the typical diet enjoyed by the locals.
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