Miraflores District of Lima
Miraflores District is located in the west of the city of Lima and is one of the 43 districts that make up the province of Lima. The district is bordered by San Isidro district to the north, Surquillo district to the east, Barranco district to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west.In the pre-colonial period, Miraflores was a small fishing village. After the foundation of Lima in 1535, it became a popular place for recreation. With wealthy European immigrants settling in Miraflores, the area developed into an upscale suburb of Lima. The neighbourhood was officially established as the district of Miraflores in 1857. After the War of the Pacific (1879 – 1883), Miraflores developed into a residential area. Even in the 20th century is was quite small. However, with urbanisation, the population of the neighbourhood increased and it also became an important commercial centre.
Today, the neighbourhood has a population of over 90,000 inhabitants. Miraflores is considered one of the top three most expensive districts to purchase land, homes or apartments. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that the district is mainly inhabited by upper-class families and successful professionals.
1. Visit Huaca Pucllana, the Pyramid of Lima
Can you believe that in the middle of an upscale area of the Miraflores district of Lima you can visit an ancient Peruvian pyramid?
The pyramid, known as Huaca Pucllana, was built by members of the Lima culture around 500 CE. The Lima culture is a Pre-Incan indigenous coastal civilization that lasted from around 100 CE to 650 CE. They were masters of irrigation which allowed them to develop big settlements in areas surrounded by desert climates. The site was an important ceremonial and administrative centre with the 22m high pyramid used for religious rituals. Discoveries show that the Lima culture was overtaken by the Wari culture who used Huaca Pucllana as a burial site.
A guide will walk you along the site and tell you all about the history of Huaca Pucllana and the different cultures. If you’ve just landed in Peru for the first time, it’s a great place to start learning more about Lima and Peru, and you’ll only expand your knowledge more as you travel across the country. Therefore, a visit to Huaca Pucllana is a must when in the Miraflores district of Lima.
Entry Fee – The entrance fee to Huaca Pucllana is 15 soles per person (~£3/$4). This includes a guided tour which lasts around 40-45 minutes. You can reserve your ticket by filling out this form. For more information, check out their official website.
Opening Hours – Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 9:00AM and 4:15PM. The site is closed every Tuesday and Thursday.
Note: every first Sunday of the month Peruvian citizens can enter for free so the site might be busier on that day.
The park’s main attraction has to be the dozens of stray cats. The cats are well-fed and looked after by a team of volunteers. People can also adopt any of the cats, which is overseen by a cat-loving association. If you’re a cat-lover a visit to Kennedy Park should be a must do thing in the Miraflores District of Lima.
Even if cats aren’t your thing, you can always just sit down and enjoy the beautiful green space, and see all the beautiful artwork presented by local artists. If you’re lucky, on certain days you can also grab something yummy from a street food vendor.
4. Walk Along the Malecón de Miraflores
The Malecón de Miraflores is a set of boardwalks in the district of Miraflores. They run along the cliff edges with stunning views of the Costa Verde, also known as the bay of Lima. The Malecón is divided into four boardwalks: Malecón de la Marina, Malecón Cisneros, Malecón de la Reserva and Malecón 28 de Julio.
The Malecón has a walkway and cycle lane and plenty of points of interest along its length which I’ll detail further below. A walk along the Malecón is definitely one of the top things to do in the Miraflores neighbourhood of Lima.
5. Enjoy the Views from Larcomar Shopping Mall
I don’t normally list a visit to a shopping mall as a must do thing in a city unless it’s very unique. Well, visiting the iconic Larcomar Shopping Mall when you’re in the Miraflores District of Lima is definitely something you shouldn’t miss.
The shopping centre is built into the cliffs in perfect harmony with nature and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It opened in November 1998 and today the mall is always filled with both tourists and locals. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor areas, clothing shops, eateries, a cinema and other entertainment facilities.
Although the shopping mall will feel very western, I think it’s still worth a visit. After all, how often do you visit a shopping mall that’s built into a cliff with stunning views?
Also located along the Malecón is a very popular park called El Parque del Amor. Opened on Valentine’s Day in 1993, Lima’s ‘Love Park’ was built to celebrate all forms of love. The park’s main feature is the ‘El Beso’ (The Kiss) statue by Peruvian artist Victor Delfín. Of course, the park also has plenty of flowers, stunning coastal views and curved benches decorated with colourful mosaics. Doesn’t this sound like the perfect setting for a lovely sunset walk?
7. Admire La Marina Lighthouse
Located only a short distance from Parque del Amor is Faro la Marina (La Marina Lighthouse). This active lighthouse was originally built in 1900 at Punta Coles before it was dismantled and reconstructed in Parque del Faro in Miraflores in 1973.
The 22m tall La Marina Lighthouse is definitely a must see feature along the Malecón de Miraflores. You can come here and walk around the park itself at any time of the day. Although, I think seeing the lighthouse during sunset would be absolutely amazing.
