Lima, Peru Photos

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

Dancers from Ayacucho, in the Peruvian central highlands, parade downtown Lima streets during Holy Week in Lima. The Peruvian capital is on the upswing thanks to a surge of investment and national pride.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

The cozy library off the lobby of Lima's only Orient-Express hotel. The Miraflores Park Hotel overlooks the Pacific Ocean from a prime location in the exclusive Malecón de la Reserva residential area.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

La Virgen Milagrosa Church anchors the eastern side of Parque Miraflores, the center of one of Lima's most popular tourist neighborhoods. Head to Miraflores for flower-filled parks, top restaurants, and ocean views.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

Ceviche is Peru's national dish of raw fish, purple onions, and bits of ají pepper with lime juice. Few do ceviche better, or with more innovation, than Peru's most celebrated chef, Gastón Acurio, at his La Mar restaurant, located on Avenida La Mar.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

The cliffside district of Barranco is known for its nightlife, but it also boasts mansions and art deco buildings. Residents include members of Lima's art and literary scenes, such as author Mario Vargas Llosa.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

El Parque del Amor (Love Park) in Miraflores draws sweethearts to its cliffside view of the Pacific, mosaic-tiled walls bearing romantic quotes, and a larger-than-life statue of two lovers in an embrace, sculpted by Victor Delfin.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

Off the beaten track in residential Miraflores, the pre-Inca, adobe-brick pyramid complex of Huaca Pucllana remains a working archaeological site where you can chat up archaeologists and visit a museum displaying objects found in the excavations. A well-regarded onsite restaurant serves nuevo andino (new Andean) cuisine, such as shrimp with a quinoa crust and a soy-and-sesame sauce.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

The enormous Mercado del Indio (Indian market) in Miraflores specializes in Peruvian handicrafts—silver, gold, rugs, carvings, pottery. "This particular shopkeeper was inspecting flowers from a vendor who makes his rounds through the market every day, selling fresh cut flowers to help add some color to the market," says photographer Richard Olsenius. "That's hardly necessary since the whole market is a wild splash of color."

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Photograph by Richard Olsenius

This century-old mansion in Barranco finds second life as a museum housing the art collection of its wealthy former owner, Pedro de Osma. Barranco itself is an interesting neighborhood to explore—once upper crust, then run down, and now revived and known especially for its bohemian vibe and nightlife.

Read our Destination Guide and 48 Hours in Lima from the City Life section of the September 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler.