Lima's Historic Centre: Guided Tour or Go Alone?
4 min read
For most visitors: the half-day city tour with the historic centre and catacombs. It is rated 4.7 from 760 reviews and starts at €17.94, but read the next paragraph before you compare it with anything else.
The price shown on that page is for the Essential option. Hotel pickup and the entry ticket to the San Francisco Convent and Catacombs are only part of the Premium or Private option, according to the booking page. With Essential you pay the convent entry yourself; the page gives it as 46 soles or 13 USD per person. For the walking-only tours below, the comparison is simpler.
What the centre actually is
Lima’s historic centre has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988 (the boundaries were extended in 1991). The layout goes back to the founding of the city by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, and UNESCO counts the Convent of San Francisco as part of the protected area (UNESCO World Heritage Centre). Everything worth seeing sits within a short walk: Plaza San Martín, the pedestrian street Jirón de la Unión, the Plaza Mayor with the Government Palace, the cathedral and the town hall, and then the San Francisco monastery with its catacombs.
Four ways to do it
| Tour | Length | From | Rating | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City tour: historic centre, Love Park and catacombs | 2 to 4 hours | €17.94 | 4.7 (760) | Bus tour with Parque del Amor; catacomb entry only in Premium |
| Historic centre walking tour with guide | 2 hours | €12.56 | 4.6 (139) | Walk only, ends near the catacombs |
| City highlights walking tour and catacombs | 2.5 to 3.5 hours | €31.40 | 5.0 (154) | Catacomb entry included |
| 360° panoramic bus with catacombs | 4 hours | €40.37 | 4.2 (643) | Bus from Miraflores, then on foot |
The half-day city tour
It starts with a stop at Parque del Amor on the Miraflores cliffs and a photo stop at Huaca Pucllana, then drives to the historic centre for about an hour of guided walking and a 45-minute visit to the catacombs, with the entry ticket included only in Premium. The guide languages are English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Huaca Pucllana is a photo stop only; the page says entry is not included.
See dates and options for the half-day city tour
The walking tours
The two-hour walking tour starts at 11 am at the Gran Hotel Bolívar on Plaza San Martín, with an optional earlier meeting in Miraflores at 10 am. It ends outside the San Francisco convent, so plan the catacomb visit separately if you want it (see below). Transport to and from the historic centre appears in its list of services; ask the operator whether it is included if you want to join from Miraflores.
The walking tour with catacombs lists the catacomb entry as included and offers pickup. According to the booking page it is wheelchair accessible and a smooth walking tour, and the page asks you to say in advance if you bring a stroller or wheelchair.
Going alone
The centre is compact enough to walk without a guide. What you lose is the guide’s explanation of the squares and buildings. If you go alone, plan the monastery visit separately: one of the tour pages gives the entry as 46 soles (about 13 USD) per person, so check the current price at the convent.
Our recommendation
If you have half a day and want the city in one go, book the half-day city tour, and check whether you are choosing Essential or Premium. If history is the point and you do not need Miraflores, the walking tour with catacombs is the more complete option on foot. More options are on the city tours page.
