Things to Do in Lima: Best Tours & Day Trips from Miraflores (2025)
Lima is one of South America’s best city bases: coastal views, colonial history, incredible food, and easy day tours. Once Airport Express Lima drops you off in Miraflores, you’re perfectly placed to explore the city on walking tours, food experiences, bike rides, evening shows and even full-day trips to the coast and desert. Below you’ll find the best tours and things to do in Lima, all easy to reach from our Miraflores stops.
Food Tour in Central Market & Chinatown (Free Walking Tour)
A Foodie Walking Tour that shows you everyday Lima through its markets and street food. You’ll visit the Central Market and Chinatown, taste fruits and snacks, and learn about Peru’s ingredients and food culture. This is a free walking tour in Lima where the guide works entirely for tips, so you can join with any budget.
Style: Free walking tour (you tip the guide; tastings paid separately)
- Duration: ~3 hours – mornings
- Languages: Spanish & English
- Departure: 9:30 am from Miraflores (Tourist Information Centers, Larco 799 & Kennedy Park)
- Booking: Lima Walking Tour’s website or in person at Tourist Information Centers
Historic Center Walking Tour (Free Walking Tour)
The classic Lima city tour. In a few hours you see Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral façade, Government Palace and colonial streets with balconies and courtyards.
Style: Free walking tour (tips-based)
- Duration: ~3 hours
- Languages: Spanish & English
- Departure: 10:30 am from Miraflores (Larco 799 & Kennedy Park)
- Booking: Lima Walking Tour’s website or Tourist Information Centers
Miraflores Walking Tour (Free Walking Tour)
Perfect for your first afternoon in Lima. This free walking tour in Miraflores covers parks, viewpoints and key streets, plus safety and restaurant tips.
Style: Free walking tour (tips-based)
- Duration: ~3 hours
- Languages: Spanish & English
- Departure: 3:30 pm from Miraflores (Larco 799 & Kennedy Park – arrive 15 minutes early)
- Booking: Lima Walking Tour’s website or Tourist Information Centers
Barranco Walking Tour (Free Walking Tour)
Explore Lima’s bohemian side: murals, cafés, legends and ocean views. This tour is ideal for golden hour and evening plans. If you are searching for a free walking tour in Barranco in 2025, this is one of the easiest options.
Style: Free walking tour (tips-based)
- Duration: ~2.5 hours
- Languages: Spanish & English
- Departure: 4:30 pm from Miraflores (Larco 799 & Kennedy Park)
- Booking: Lima Walking Tour’s website or Tourist Information Centers
Bike Tour Across Miraflores, Barranco & Chorrillos
A relaxed coastal bike tour that links Miraflores, Barranco and sometimes Chorrillos. Mostly flat, with plenty of photo stops and ocean views.
Good for: Active travelers, families, first-timers
- Includes: Bike, helmet, bilingual guide, safety briefing
- Route: Malecón + Barranco streets, sometimes Chorrillos
- Booking: Compare operators and times on FindLocalTrips.com
Luchito’s Cooking Class
A small-group Peruvian cooking class in Miraflores where you prepare iconic dishes and cocktails with a local chef, then enjoy the meal together.
Location: Saha, Calle Bolívar 164, Miraflores
- Start time: 1:50 pm – duration ~2.5 hours
- Dishes: Ceviche, Pisco Sour, Causa Limeña, Lomo Saltado (may vary)
- Booking: Luchito’s Cooking Class website or Miraflores Tourist Information Centers
Magic Water Circuit (Circuito Mágico del Agua)
Lima’s most popular evening show: illuminated fountains and a light-and-water show in Parque de la Reserva, ideal after a day of tours.
Location: Parque de la Reserva (private transportation from Miraflores)
- Best time: Evenings (check current show times)
- Languages: Spanish & English. Guided tour at night including transport and a pisco sour tasting.
- Booking: Book through Lima Walking Tours
Historic Center and San Francisco Church & Catacombs
San Francisco Church & Catacombs is one of Lima’s most atmospheric historic sites, with a baroque church, monastery cloisters, a famous library and underground catacombs, making it a great half-day tour that covers many of the most important historic spots in the old town.
Location: Historic Center of Lima (private transportation from Miraflores)
- Duration: ~4 hours
- Languages: Spanish & English
- Tip: This tour can be done in the morning or in the afternoon. For further information, check the Lima Walking Tour website.
Palomino Island – Swimming with Sea Lions Tour
A half-day boat trip from Callao to the Palomino Islands to see sea lions and seabirds, with the chance to swim near the colony in a wetsuit.
Duration: ~3–4 hours
- Includes: Boat, wetsuit, life jacket, bilingual guide (varies by operator)
- Note: Ocean can be cold and choppy – best for confident swimmers
- Booking: Search Palomino Islands sea lion tours on FindLocalTrips.com
Full Day to Paracas & Huacachina
The most popular full-day trip from Lima. Visit Paracas for the Ballestas Islands boat tour, then continue to the desert oasis of Huacachina for dune buggies and optional sandboarding.
Duration: Full day (depart ~6:00 am, return ~11:00 pm)
- Highlights: Ballestas Islands wildlife, coastal views, Huacachina dunes and sunset
- Recommended: Peru Hop Paracas + Huacachina day trip
- Booking: Check PeruHop.com for latest routes, prices and availability
Tourist Information Centers in Miraflores
Lima’s best experiences – walking along the Miraflores Malecón, exploring street art in Barranco, discovering colonial plazas and catacombs in the Historic Center, watching the lights at the Magic Water Circuit, swimming with sea lions at the Palomino Islands, or even taking a full-day trip to Paracas & Huacachina – all start from one place: Miraflores. The two official Tourist Information Centers in Miraflores are the easiest way to connect all these must-do spots into a simple, stress-free plan as soon as you arrive from the airport.
From these offices you can book:
- Free walking tours in Miraflores, Barranco and the Historic Center
- The Food Tour to Central Market & Chinatown
- Luchito’s Cooking Class
- Bike tours across Miraflores, Barranco and Chorrillos
- Evening visits to the Magic Water Circuit
- Visits to San Francisco Church & Catacombs
- Palomino Islands sea-lion tours
- Full-day trips to Paracas & Huacachina
At the same desks, travelers also find:
- Free city and Peru maps
- Money exchange services
- SIM cards and connectivity options
- Friendly, English-speaking tourist assistance
Airport Express Lima has four stops in the heart of Miraflores, and two of them are located exactly at these Tourist Information Centers: one on Av. Larco 799 and one next to Kennedy Park (Pasaje Juan Figari 117). Both offices are open every day from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm, so you can step off the bus and immediately get help, book tours and plan the rest of your trip.
FAQ – Things to Do in Lima & Tours from Miraflores
Do I need to book these Lima tours in advance?
For popular activities like Luchito’s Cooking Class, Palomino Islands sea-lion tour and the full day to Paracas & Huacachina, it’s best to book at least 1–2 days in advance, especially in high season (December–March and July–August). Free walking tours (Miraflores, Barranco, Historic Center, Foodie) usually run daily and can often be reserved the day before or the same day, online or at the Tourist Information Centers in Miraflores.
Where do most tours in Lima start from?
Most tours listed here start from Miraflores, which is exactly where the Airport Express Lima bus drops you off. Common meeting points are the Tourist Information Centers at Av. Larco 799 and Pasaje Juan Figari 117 (Kennedy Park), as well as central spots like Saha in Miraflores for Luchito’s Cooking Class. From these locations, operators organize transport to the Historic Center, Barranco, Callao or the bus terminal for longer day trips.
Are these tours available in English?
Yes. All the main Lima tours on this page – including free walking tours, the Foodie Market & Chinatown tour, Luchito’s Cooking Class, bike tours, Palomino Islands, Magic Water Circuit and Paracas & Huacachina – are offered with English-speaking guides, usually alongside Spanish. When you book, just select or confirm your preferred language.
Can I do these tours if I only have 1–2 days in Lima?
Absolutely. With one full day in Lima, you can fit in a Miraflores or Historic Center walking tour plus the Magic Water Circuit at night. With two days, many travelers combine a free walking tour, the Foodie tour or Luchito’s Cooking Class, and either Palomino Islands or the San Francisco Catacombs. If you have an extra day, the full-day tour to Paracas & Huacachina is one of the most popular options from Lima.
Are these Lima tours suitable for families and older travelers?
Yes, most are. Free walking tours, the Magic Water Circuit, San Francisco Church & Catacombs, and Luchito’s Cooking Class are generally suitable for families and older travelers who can walk for a few hours at an easy pace. Bike tours and the Palomino Islands sea-lion swim require a bit more confidence and mobility. The Paracas & Huacachina full day includes dune buggies and sandboarding, but you can usually choose a less intense experience or skip sandboarding if you prefer.
