Hotel B

Worth getting out of bed for

There’s a bohemian air to Barranco, brimming with bars and cafés, galleries and shops – with the soundtrack of Pacific surf never far away. To the north, the modern magnificence of Miraflores lies between you and the city centre, bringing more shopping and dining, as well as the marvellous Malecón, a six-mile stretch of palm-dotted green spaces along the clifftops, just made for strolling, jogging or cycling.

Barranco itself is home to two notable addresses for art lovers – the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, a trove of modern art from mid-century to right now, and a museum dedicated to Peru’s most famous photographer, Mario Testino at Museo Mate. On your very doorstep, the hotel’s curator offers private guided tours of the on-site art collection. Highlights of El Malecón include the Gaudí-esuqe Parque del Amor, sea-air-fuelled runs along its walkways with Peruvian sculptures for waymarkers, and watching the parasailers brave the thermals with lemming-like jumps from the cliffs.

Get to the heart of the city at Plaza de Armas, the capital’s central square, home to the Government Palace and Casa de Aliaga, a centuries-old house, now a museum full of art and artefacts that’s been around nearly as long as Lima itself.

Local restaurants

The French pastries and rustic breads at El Pan de la Chola are worth the short hop to Miraflores for brunch, where the coffees are short and the list of buttery temptations long. Try the fig frangipane tarts. If you’d rather walk to brunch, La Panetteria is worth seeking out – a tucked-away temple to moreish morning treats such as avo on toast and freshly squeezed orange juice. Let the focus on wine and tapas at Miraflores institution La Preferida be your cue to linger over lunch at this deli-bodega turned restaurant. Shelf-lined walls and sultrily soft lighting give José del Castillo’s traditional taberna Isolina an old-fashioned feel that suits low-key suppers à deux. Don’t let the fish starters fool you – this is the place for hearty stews and offal in abundance. Oceanfront Cala ups the sense of occasion as well the scenery in a timbered temple to fish and seafood that excels at ceviche and paella. Ask for a table on the terrace for superlative sea views.

Local bars

A central chandelier-crowned bar sits beneath a vaulted ceiling at colonial house turned dimly lit cocktail den Ayahuasca. Low-slung sofas and lively crowd aside, it’s the line-up of pisco sours you’ll fall for.