A vivacious and friendly city most tourists fly through but do not stop in Lima. The capital city is the embodiment of modern day Peru exuding an energy and fusion unlike anywhere else in the world.

The capital city lies on the shores of the Pacific and the influence of the ocean is imminently apparent throughout. The Lima diet is reliant on local catches from the water and Limeños take full advantage of the adventure and sporting opportunities the oceanfront location allows.

Limeños love to spend their time with family and friends. Though not endowed with a tropical coastline, Lima’s beach does the trick.

Taking it all in from the city’s cliff top promenade.

The bohemian Barranco district is working to revitalize the capital city’s traditional image.

Gaston Arcurio and his flagship Astrid y Gaston is considered to have first put Lima on the culinary map.  At Astrid y Gaston traditional ingredients like alpaca and cuy (guinea pig) get a modern touch. Today, Lima’s culinary scene is one of the most highly regarded in the world.

La Mar Cebicheria, a buzzy Lima restaurant and another Gaston Arcurio original, is a stronghold of Peru’s beloved national dish.

Various renditions of famed Peruvian ceviche- freshness and quality are guaranteed.

Lima’s Central Market provides the provisions for many of the city’s popular eateries. Here, culinary necessities and Peruvian staples are purchased by Lima’s residents and restaurants alike.

The vendors of the fish section display there freshly caught catch.

Peruvian chicken rivals ceviche as the nation’s culinary specialty. At the market, the freshest poultry available supplies the demand.

Every good market needs a good butcher…

… or two.

The strong Asian influence on modern Peruvian culture is evident in the prominence of Lima’s Chinatown.

Yup, still in Lima.

The capital’s historic main square is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for it’s high concentration of original Spanish colonial architecture.

Once done with work, Limeños take to the city’s streets shopping, eating and dancing until well into the night.