Peru holidays: 6 Most Exciting Lima Daytrips

Amid the loud, busy, chaotic, and endlessly sprawling capital of Peru, even the most hardened travelers may need a little city break now and then. Lima has plenty to offer its citizens and visitors alike—quaint beaches, a majestic historical city center, and all the modern shopping centers and fine dining restaurants to be asked for—but arguably even more to be discovered beyond its horizon. These 6 destinations can be comfortably enjoyed in just 1 day, making for perfect chances to take in exciting new Peru travel experiences while still being able to sleep in your own bed back in Lima that same night.

This little district is a bit of a cheating entry to this list of Lima daytrips because Chorrillos is very much within the city limits. In fact, it is just 15 minutes by car from the trendiest neighborhood in the capital, Miraflores. However, what was once an independent port town feels a world away, enough to be a legitimate way to spend a day albeit in Lima.

The malecon, or boardwalk, weaves along the Pacific coastline and opens up to a sweeping view of the rest of the city. The beaches here are some of the most popular in the area during the summer months of January and February, creating a flood of colorful umbrellas fringing the waves’ edges. The port is a nice place to snap more shots for your Peru vacation picture collection, in addition to grabbing a fresh plate of seafood ceviche for lunch. Top it all off with a short walk to the top of the Morro Solar hill where you can stand under the immense electric cross and gleaming white Christ of the Pacific statues protecting all of Lima.

For the months of April to October, Lima is shrouded in a cloud of marine fog that does not relent to provide a single ray of sunshine until the winter season is over. That means that the city can get more than a little drab. To escape the depressing monotone weather, Limeños love to frequent the town of Chosica, just slightly east of the clouds. The garúa doesn’t reach out to the Andean foothills, so the parks are always cheerfully alive and restaurant windows comfortably open year round.

Chosica is a simple place for families in particular, so relaxing and indulging is the most common activity. If you want a little more excitement and pizzazz, venture a bit further to the brother villages of Canta and Obrajillo where the mountains are green and horses and weekend resorts will rejuvenate you before you return to face Lima again at the end of the day.

Most travelers on a Peru trip tend to move southward, towards wildly popular destinations such as Paracas, Nazca, Arequipa, Cusco, and Puno as part of their Peru travel packages. Little do few realize, though, is that the north is one of the most enriching areas of Peru. Departing from Lima on the way to places such as Chiclayo, Trujillo, and the beaches of Mancora and Tumbes, one must pass the 3 cornerstone towns of Lima’s direct north: Pasamayo, Chancay, and Huaral. The journey there will take you along a clifftop section of the Pan-American Highway as it hugs the coastal desert mountains, providing views worth the trip in and of itself.

Pasamayo has a fantastically open and scenic beach with mist-draped hills and green farmland in the background, not to mention a fascinating Hari Krishna community noticeable for its Dalí-like homes. Chancay a bit further up boasts the Castillo de Chancay, or castle of Chancay. It was after the death of the husband of Consuelo Amat, great granddaughter of a Spanish viceroy, that she decided to build the medieval homage right next to the sea. There are 10 reception rooms, 250 rooms, 12 terraces, 4 towers, and stairways and tunnels that take curious discoverers to the sea. Today, it is a family resort providing for beautiful sea views and an aqua park for children. Finally, Huaral is the epitome of a Peruvian town in all its grittiness and humbleness, and easiest from which to find a bus back to Lima.

No Lima trip would be complete without visiting at least one of its ruins. That’s right: there are more ruins in Peru than just Machu Picchu. Having been occupied for centuries by waves of ancient civilizations that came and went with the eras before the Incas or Spanish ever set their first foot on the land, it’s no surprise that the capital is a treasure field of archaeological sites and relics.

Pachacamac is located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Lima, between the old and new Pan-American Highways, in the Lurín Valley. Peru’s coastal desert wraps around it, making one wonder how and why a society would choose to live in such a forsaken region. Researchers believe the Huari, Lima, and Inca people all had a say at one time about the site’s 17 pyramids, which served administrative and religious purposes. Taking a public bus to Pachacamac is rather simple, but for a first time Lima traveler, it is probably best to visit as part of a small organized tour.

The Miraflores and Barranco districts within Lima have beaches, as do Callao and San Miguel, but even the best spots in those neighborhoods can still be somewhat dirty depending on the day’s currents. As well, those beaches have large rocks where there is normally sand. The solutions for Limeños, then, is to go to the southern beaches which are almost consistently crowded once the summer season starts around Christmas. Punta Hermosa is the closest beach to Lima celebrated for its surf waves but also calmer spots for swimming. Cevicherías line the way where groups of friends and family members love to enjoy a beer with their meal on hot afternoons. Other nice beaches in the area are Playa Señoritas and Playa Caballero, and the chic nightlife hotspot is Asia about two times as far from the city.