While the mountains of Cusco are breathtakingly beautiful—literally, thanks to the altitude—by fall break, I was craving a change of scenery. So I left the Andes behind and spent the week along the stunning coast of Lima, in the seaside district of Miraflores.
Miraflores is about an hour from the Lima airport, but it’s absolutely worth the trip. The district sits between San Isidro and Barranco, all known for their world-class restaurants and historic architecture. I spent an entire day walking along the coastal cliffs, passing the famous lighthouse, the serene Japanese Friendship Park, and the Park of Love.
Another park I visited was Kennedy Park, which I ended up returning to several times throughout the week. It was so fun passing the time by spotting cats lounging in the sun, hiding in the trees, and curling up beside visitors looking for pets. One of my favorites was an orange tabby who seemed to be permanently asleep among the cat-themed merchandise in a nearby bookstore. For days, I assumed it was just a decoration—until my last afternoon in Lima, when I finally went up to check and discovered it was, in fact, a very real cat who simply loved that spot.
Another notable place in Miraflores is the coolest mall I have ever seen: Larcomar, a shopping center built directly into the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It’s three stories tall but designed like a labyrinth of escalators and terraces, and the views are amazing here. From Larcomar, you can look down toward the beaches below, where surf schools line the coast. Instructors rent boards and wetsuits and offer lessons. I didn’t try surfing myself, but I loved walking past and watching the surfers.
Midweek, I joined a full-day tour to Paracas and Huacachina, two destinations in the Ica region. The morning started early, a 5 a.m. hotel pickup, but by 7 o'clock, I was in Paracas boarding a boat to the Ballestas Islands, often called the “Galápagos of Peru." The energy of these islands was electric: Flocks of birds swirled overhead, filling the air with their caws, while families of penguins and sea lions basked on the sun-warmed rocks below.
Afterward, we stopped at a local vineyard for a Pisco tasting and lunch before continuing to Huacachina, a natural oasis surrounded by rolling sand dunes. The adventure began with a wild dune buggy ride—it honestly felt like a roller coaster the way they whip you around—and ended with our group sandboarding down steep dunes as the sun began to set. It was the perfect way to wrap up the day, though by the time I got back to my hotel around 11 p.m., I was completely exhausted… in the best possible way!
If I could do this trip again, I would definitely consider spending the night in Huacachina. There are companies that offer private sandboarding lessons, and I would have loved another morning to soak up the warmth of the desert before heading back to Lima.
Now, let’s talk about food. If you didn’t already know, Peruvian cuisine is often ranked among the best in the world, and as a self-proclaimed foodie, I can confirm that the rumors are true. My gastronomic experience in Lima absolutely blew me away.
The highlight of my trip was my birthday dinner at Osaka Pardo y Aliaga in nearby San Isidro. This fine dining restaurant specializes in Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions born from Japanese immigration in the late 1900s. Though the experience is pricey, it was flawless from start to finish. I started with duck gyoza filled with caramelized onions and mushrooms, topped with a creamy yellow chili sauce. The main courses, Nikkei Bar Omakase, was a chef’s selection of ceviches, tiraditos, sushi, hosomakis, and tender ribs over mushroom and pea risotto, and I finished with a deconstructed raspberry cheesecake for dessert.
If Osaka is the fancy dinner, then Siete Sopas is the cozy, affordable one. A friend from Lima recommended it, and I am so glad I followed through. The food was unbelievably flavorful and comforting, and it cost only about $10 USD per entrée. Their chicha morada was the best I’ve had in Peru, and the complementary garlic bread paired perfectly with my creamy chicken stroganoff. I also loved the atmosphere here, with a clear view of an open kitchen of chefs calling our orders and stirring huge steaming pots. The whole experience felt like stepping into a scene from Ratatouille. If I make it back to Lima before leaving, Siete Sopas will be my first stop.
All in all, my week in Lima barely scratched the surface of what this region has to offer. Between the ocean views, the food, and the warm weather, it was exactly the kind of reset I needed. I headed back to Cusco sunburned, full, and ready to take on the altitude again.