Top travel locations to visit in Lima, Peru and rooms to rent
What can you see in Magdalena del Mar, Lima with rooms to stay: South of central Lima in Pueblo Libre is the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, more commonly called the Larco Museum. The 18th-century viceroy mansion that houses it was built on the site of a pre-Columbian pyramid from the 7th century. The Larco Museum contains a huge collection of more than 40,000 pieces of Peruvian ceramics, a large portion of which is from the Moche and Chimu cultures. These are not all on display at once. There is also an excellent collection of gold work, along with some textiles, stone carvings, and metalwork.
Underneath Lima’s San Francisco de Lima Basilica and Convent lies the burial site of over 25,000 bodies. The site was used as a burial ground until 1808. Tours of the underground catacombs are offered daily for around $7. This cemetery-turned-museum offers visitors a glimpse into Peruvian history and, in one notable mausoleum, pays homage to those men and women who served their country in the War of the Pacific. This area is where you’ll find Lima’s most breathtaking colonial architecture. Francisco Pizarro established the city’s central square in the 16th century to serve as the capital of colonial South America. Not one building remains from that period, but the area is nonetheless stunning.
Lima is home to many fine religious buildings, but the San Francisco Monastery is one of the best. Providing an oasis of calm in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city, its rooms showcase beautifully preserved Baroque architecture, gilded altars, and works of religious art. Don’t miss the monastery’s library with its massive religious texts and Harry Potter-like ambiance. Easily containing the most comprehensive array of pre-Colombian ceramics, Museo Larco has, however, become known for one particular part of its collection: the Erotic Gallery. This room has left more than a few tourists blushing due to its display of ceramics depicting unabashedly X-rated scenes. For the more serious historians, the museum has an exceptional range of more family-friendly pottery, spanning cultures as diverse as the Chimu, Nazca, Wari, and Moche, as well as being home to the greatest of museum crowd-pleasers: mummies.
For traditional Peruvian handicrafts, try the numerous Artisanal Markets along Av. La Marina, just north of the neighborhood (technically in Pueblo Libre, which we’ll talk about next week). There are all the usual suspects of crafts from all over the country, and it’s a great place to go to get your last-minute gifts. The prices are slightly higher than they would be in a smaller town, but they’re lower than the artisan shopping area of Miraflores. Find extra pictures of this fabulous ocean view penthouse on @AmazingPeruPenthouse on Facebook. Need a place to rent in Lima, Peru? Read a few extra details on Amazing Penthouse in Lima, Peru.
If ancient monuments appeal to travelers, then Huaca Pucllana is the place to go; it’s considered one of Lima’s most important monuments. Located in Miraflores, this adobe pyramid was built around 500, but was later covered up and not rediscovered until the mid-20th century. Based on their excavations, archaeologists believe Huaca Pucllana was the ceremonial and administrative center for the early Lima culture. Many artifacts, including textiles, ceramics and animal remains, have been found here to support this theory. At one time, human sacrifices took place here. The complex includes the pyramid and a small museum filled with artifacts.
