Lima, Peru · 3 days · 9 hand-ranked sights
3 perfect days in Lima.
This is Lima in 3 unhurried days, shaped by the 65,418+ traveler reviews behind its most-loved sights. Every stop below is a real, currently-open place, ranked by how travelers actually rate it and then grouped into a sensible day-by-day route. Plan on roughly $195 per person on the ground over 3 days, and aim for Dec-Apr for the best weather with smaller crowds. Open it in the planner to swap places, add day trips, or set your own budget.
Your route
3 days, 9 sights, one walkable plan
This route opens with Lima's highest-rated sights and works outward, grouping nearby places into each day so you spend time seeing the city, not crossing it. Swap any stop, add a day trip, or change the pace in the planner.
Day by day
3 days · 9 places
Day 1
Museo Larco + Historic Centre of Lima
3 stops around Pueblo Libre, grouped so the day flows without criss-crossing town: Museo Larco, Historic Centre of Lima, Plaza Mayor, Lima. Start early at the busiest sight and keep the rest flexible; reorder anything in the planner.
- Museo Larco
Museo Larco is Lima's most beautiful museum, a private collection of pre-Columbian art housed in a whitewashed 18th-century colonial mansion draped in bougainvillea, built over a pre-Columbian pyramid.
✓ 5★ · 12,741 reviews - Historic Centre of Lima
The Historic Centre of Lima is a UNESCO World Heritage site that preserves the city's colonial past through its ornate churches, balconied mansions, and main squares like Plaza Mayor. Visitors can wander streets filled with baroque and neoclassical buildings, many with intricate wooden balconies.
✓ 4.4★ · 8,251 reviews
- Plaza Mayor, Lima
Plaza Mayor, also known as Plaza de Armas, is the heart of Lima's Historic Centre and the city's main square. Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, it has been the stage for key historical events.
✓ 4.4★ · 8,251 reviews
Day 2
Huaca Pucllana + Barranco
3 stops around Cercado de Lima, grouped so the day flows without criss-crossing town: Huaca Pucllana, Barranco, Lima Art Museum. Start early at the busiest sight and keep the rest flexible; reorder anything in the planner.
- Huaca Pucllana
Huaca Pucllana is a remarkable pre-Inca adobe pyramid sitting right in the middle of Lima's upscale Miraflores district, a great stepped mound of millions of hand-made mud bricks, built over 1,500 years ago and rising incongruously among modern apartment blocks.
✓ 4.5★ · 7,495 reviews
- Barranco
Barranco is Lima's bohemian heart, a small, walkable seaside district of colourful colonial mansions, street art, galleries, cafés, and some of the city's best bars and nightlife.
✓ 4.5★ · 6,847 reviews
- Lima Art Museum
The Lima Art Museum (MALI) occupies a striking Beaux-Arts palace in the heart of Lima. Its permanent collection spans 3,000 years, from pre-Columbian textiles and ceramics to colonial religious paintings and 20th-century avant-garde works. Rotating exhibitions highlight modern and contemporary Peruvian artists.
✓ 4.4★ · 6,479 reviews
Day 3
Huaca Huallamarca + Larcomar
3 stops across Lima, grouped so the day flows without criss-crossing town: Huaca Huallamarca, Larcomar, Love Park, Lima. Start early at the busiest sight and keep the rest flexible; reorder anything in the planner.
- Huaca Huallamarca
Huaca Huallamarca is a truncated pyramid built by the Lima culture between 200 and 700 AD, later used by the Ichma and Inca. Located in the upscale district of San Isidro, it is surrounded by modern buildings, creating a striking contrast.
✓ 4.4★ · 5,118 reviews
- Larcomar
Larcomar is a modern shopping and entertainment complex carved into the cliffs of Miraflores, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It features a mix of shops, restaurants, cafes, a cinema, and a bowling alley, all with panoramic ocean views.
✓ 4.4★ · 5,118 reviews
- Love Park, Lima
Love Park, or Parque del Amor, is a whimsical park on the Malecón de Miraflores dedicated to love and romance. Its centerpiece is the large sculpture 'El Beso' (The Kiss) by Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín, depicting a couple embracing. The park features colorful mosaic walls, curved benches, and a stunning viewpoint over the ocean.
✓ 4.4★ · 5,118 reviews
Frequently asked
How many days do you need in Lima?
3 days comfortably covers Lima's essentials, including Museo Larco, Historic Centre of Lima, Plaza Mayor, Lima and more. With less time, focus on the first day's stops. With an extra day, add a nearby day trip or simply slow down at the museums and cafes.What are the must-see attractions in Lima?
Ranked by how travelers actually rate them, the top sights are Museo Larco, Historic Centre of Lima, Plaza Mayor, Lima, Huaca Pucllana. The day-by-day plan above sequences these so the places closest together fall on the same day.What is the best time to visit Lima?
Aim for Dec-Apr, when it is sunniest on the coast. Peru's shoulder seasons trade a little weather for far smaller queues at the headline sights, which makes a trip like this one a lot more relaxed.How much does 3 days in Lima cost?
Plan on roughly $195 per person on the ground for 3 days. That covers a mid-range hotel, food, local transport and a few paid sights. Flights are extra and depend on where you fly from. Open the planner to set your own budget and have us watch prices for you.Is 3 days in Lima enough?
For a first visit, yes. This plan hits the sights travelers rate highest at a pace you can actually enjoy. If Lima is the only stop on your trip, 4 to 5 days leaves room for day trips and slower mornings.What is the most popular thing to do in Lima?
Museo Larco draws more traveler reviews than any other sight in Lima, which is why it anchors day one of this itinerary. Go early to beat the queues.How is this Lima itinerary put together?
It front-loads the highest-rated sights on the first day, then works outward so each day's stops sit close together and you spend your time seeing Lima rather than crossing it. Every stop is a real, currently-open place, and you can drag days or swap any place in the planner.