Luis Pantoja won the End of Year Contest with two great posts. Below is the second of the two. Feel free to post questions or feedback in the comments!
I am half Peruvian and have been lucky enough to visit Peru in several occasions. Unfortunately, I have only visited Lima and the immediate surroundings. In spite of my limited visits, I can share some recommendations.
Lima was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro as the ??City of Kings??. It is also home of the oldest university in the new world, the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos.
One of my favorite places is the Barranco District. Although it is not too hip, the nightlife is great. There are many bars like Wayos and Mochileros, that cater a laid back and unassuming crowd. If you are a cannabis aficionado, you can smoke inside some bars but be sure to always ask your waiter or bartender before you start puffing away.
Barranco, like most of Lima, is a great place to walk around with great attractions like the Puente de los Suspiros (the Bridge of Sighs) and the walkway to the ocean called the Bajada de los Ba?os.
Miraflores is another awesome place to visit due to its implacable gardens, beaches and shops. In Miraflores you can also find the calle de las pizzas, a popular street with plenty of restaurants to chose from. In this street you can also witness how some locals try to charm and pick up foreigners for a ??good time??, at the expense of the foreigner??s pocket.
Well, those are a few recommendations if you plan to visit Lima. Goodluck!
[photo by: Isabella De Gregorio]
If you enjoyed this post or are curious to learn more about South America check out Luis’ post on Caracas, Venezuela and this other guest post on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.