Lima City Tour: A Walking Tour of Barranco

So many travelers to Peru skip out on Lima and head straight for Cusco. But for those who want to experience the City of Kings, there’s art galleries, museums, ocean views, nightclubs, and amazing restaurants to visit on a Lima City Tour. This article takes you step-by-step on a walking tour of Barranco, the bohemian neighbor of Miraflores in Lima. This coastal district of Lima is known for its artist studios, 19th-century plazas and casonas, an open-air market, and picturesque parks. It’s a delightful way to get out and explore a bit of the city while you’re on a Lima City Tour.

Getting There

From the Ovalo Miraflores (near Parke Kennedy), hop on a combi or taxi heading down  Miguel Grau Avenue, and get off near Sáenz Peña Avenue. This street is lined with derelict mansions, some renovated into theatre-houses, art galleries, and art boutiques. You can browse the boutiques, such as the one on the corner of Tacna, which sells artsy household items. At the end of the street, turn left to walk along the Malecon cliffside. You can see the surfers below, and the district of Chorrillos to the south.

Tour Victor Delphin’s Home & Studio

Walk south along with Jr. Junin Avenue until you find Jr. Domeyer Avenue. Turn right onto this small street, and in the end, you’ll find the home of Victor Delfin. He is the famous Peruvian artist, and sculptor. One of his most popular works is The Kiss, a statue of a couple locked in a passionate embrace, located at the Parke del Amor near the Larcomar. While on a Lima City Tour, a tour guide will show you this “Love Park,” and can point out the iconic initials VD on the back pocket of the man in the statue). You can take a tour of Victor Delfin’s home, called The Second Home. Delfin occasionally can be found working in his studio, but the home is now run as a bed & breakfast. The front door and iron gate are works of art themselves. Once you enter the property grounds, you are getting into a world where Delfin’s sensuous, larger-than-life style take over. Right next door is the old Malecon tram museum. Behind the gate is a sign “Pasaje Funicular,” the name of the tram that once ran along the Malecon. There apparently is part of the tram in the museum, but the museum is seldom open.

The Bridge of Sighs – Lima’s Artistic History

One of the most photographed places to visit in Barranco, the Bridge of Sighs is just a little walk from the district’s main square. Walk along the “La Puente de Suspiros,” the Bridge of Sighs, and take a deep breath as you peer over the railing. The cobblestone street below, you will find great shops and restaurants. It is a must see destination in a Lima city tour.

Lunch in Barranco

You can walk down Calle Abregu for a great view from the cliffside, the statues Chabuca Granda and Jose Antonio de Lavalle, and the Mirador Catalina Recavarren. Or, walk to the other side of the bridge to the Barranco plaza, lined with colonial yellow buildings and a busy open-air market. On weekends around lunch-time, this market is packed. You can find criollo food heaped with meat, rice, beans, corn, and a variety of favorite Peruvian dishes.

Best night out in Lima

Barranco is also the place to be at night time when locals head to restaurants, discos, and peñas. Discos will be playing cumbia and chicha music. While at a peña, musicians plan traditional Afro-Peruvian music, and dancers take to the stage. Sit back and enjoy the music, or try dancing to a criollo song.

Some of the best peñas in Barranco include Don Porfirio, La Oficina, La Estación de Barranco, and Manos Morenas. Enjoy your Pisco at La Noche, where you’ll also find great live music and an art gallery. There are also open-air markets throughout Barranco where locals sell their handicrafts to bar-goers visiting Barranco’s hotspots. You can find alpaca wool clothing, carved gourds, jewelry, and much more.

Interested in a Lima City Tour?

We offer several Peru Tours that include Lima, and we can arrange a tour guide to take you on a walking tour of Barranco as well. Contact us to start planning your Lima city tour!