Miraflores & Barranco

A massive adobe and clay pyramid built by the Lima culture between 200 and 700 AD — over 800 years before the Inca Empire existed. The pyramid rises 22 meters and was constructed using a distinctive 'bookshelf' technique of vertically stacked mud bricks, designed to flex during earthquakes. The Wari culture later used it as a cemetery around 800 AD. Excavations are ongoing and have yielded mummies, ceramics, and sacrificial offerings. The pyramid sits surreally in the middle of Miraflores, surrounded by modern apartment towers and restaurants — pre-Columbian history literally embedded in the urban fabric.

The restaurant at the base of the pyramid is surprisingly excellent — dining with the illuminated pyramid as backdrop is a uniquely Lima experience. Night visits with dramatic lighting run Thursday-Sunday.

The social heart of Miraflores, named after John F. Kennedy following his assassination in 1963. The park is famous for its resident colony of roughly 100 stray cats, cared for by a dedicated volunteer group since the 1990s. Weekends bring an open-air art market and live music performances. The park faces the Iglesia Virgen Milagrosa and is surrounded by cafes and restaurants. It's where Miraflores residents come to people-watch, argue politics, and take their evening paseo. The surrounding blocks form Lima's most walkable commercial district.

The cafes surrounding the park — especially Haiti on the southwest corner — are perfect for people-watching. The artisan market on weekends has better prices than tourist shops.