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 Lima
is the capital of the country and, with a population of close to 10
million,
it is also the largest city of Peru. Located on the banks of the Rio
Rimac and the shores of the
Pacific ocean Lima has
much to offer for history seekers and shoppers alike. With an
excellent infrastructure of hotels and tourism facilities the city
welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Most travelers visiting Peru will spend at least a
few days and nights in this fascinating city as most International
and domestic flights will arrive and depart from here.
Much has been done over the past years to give the city a better
image and make it a great place to visit and live. The historic center
of the city is being carefully
restored, museums built, parks and gardens planted and the
streets cleaned. Lima has a
cosmopolitan atmosphere and districts such as Miraflores and
Barranco have become cultural centers filled with excellent
bars, restaurants and fashionable shops, making it not
just a gateway into Peru but a destination in itself, if
only for a couple of days.
Founded in 1535 by
Francisco Pizarro, Lima was used as the headquarters of the
Spanish conquistadors, ideally located because of the
surrounding fertile planes irrigated by the Rimac and its
close proximity to the natural port at Callao.
Lima soon became the
commercial and administrative center of the Spanish empire
in South America, bringing a period of prosperity to the
city until an earthquake in 1746 destroyed all but 20
houses. Following this devastation the opportunity was taken
to elaborately rebuild the city. Today's wide streets, huge
plazas and old houses with ornately carved balconies are a
legacy of this period.
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