If you are traveling to Lima and want to explore the prettiest neighborhood of the capital, Barranco is the place to be. Here is a comprehensive guide to the best things to do in Barranco so that you don’t miss any of the best spots. I grew up and live in Barranco so I made sure to include the hidden gems as well!

Are you planning your trip to Barranco, Lima?

Check out the best things to do and the top hotels in Barranco.

Best tours in Barranco:

1. Walking food tour
2. Private tour of Barranco
3. Bike tour along the boardwalk from Miraflores to Barranco

Best Hotels in Barranco:

1.  Hotel B (High-end. My FAVORITE.)
2. Second Home Peru (Mid-range. Great views overlooking the cliff.)
3. 3B Barranco (Mid-range)
4. Viajero Kokopelli (Mid-range/budget)

Barranco is in my opinion, the nicest neighborhood in Lima. The neighborhood is pretty small (it’s actually the smallest one in the city), so it has a more intimate and charming atmosphere than other popular areas in Lima, such as Miraflores.

Walking around the neighborhood, you will be able to appreciate the views from the boardwalk, from where you can walk down to the beach. And as you walk towards the inner streets of the Barranco, you will be surrounded by mural art mixed with old mansions, and a bohemian and artsy vibe. This area has been the preferred living area for artists for many decades, and for good reason!

The area is also home to many restaurants and cafes, where you can chill while enjoying some of the best Peruvian coffee. There are also a couple of shops you shouldn’t miss if you are looking for unique souvenirs to bring back home

Let’s take a look at all the things you can do in Barranco , Lima, so that you don’t miss anything!

1. Walk Around the Area of the Main Square and the Bridge of Sighs

The most picturesque area of Barranco is the one around the Bridge of Sighs, which is just one block away from the main square. This is the best area from where to start exploring Barranco.

The Main Square of Barranco

The Barranco main square is the heart of Barranco. It’s surrounded by a church and a library, and it’s relatively quiet during the day. It becomes alive at night, especially on weekends, when you can find people hanging out, street musicians and breakancers.

Some weekends, in front of the church, they organize small open air markets, with special themes. For example, a few of the ones that I remember from these past months have been focused on Mexico, Cusco, books, chocolate, coffee, among others.

Just a block away from the square, you can see an old tram parked on a corner. This is the tram that used to connect Barranco and Miraflores, in the times when there were lots of fields and not that many houses in the neighborhood (just around 60 years ago!).

The Bridge of Sighs

The Bridge of Sighs is a small wooden bridge that connects two sides of an old gorge, which crosses what nowadays is used as a pathway to walk down to the ocean.

They say that if you cross the bridge while holding your breath, your wish will come true.

From the bridge, you can admire a beautiful street mural of a boy with the silhouette of a heart on his face. That belongs to artist Jade Rivera, which I will mention further down.

The area surrounding the bridge is a very picturesque area of Barranco, where you will find several old houses along the cobblestone pathway that leads down to the beach.

La Ermita Church and Viewpoint

Next to the bridge, you will see the old Church La Ermita, which has been closed for around 80 years, after it was half-destroyed in an earthquake. If you follow the narrow pathway to the left of the church, you will get to a beautiful viewpoint, which is great for admiring sunsets on clear days.

Bajada de Baños

The street you see right below the bridge is the Bajada de Baños. That is the pedestrian street that goes down to the sea, lined with some houses, bars and cafes.

Bajada de Baños Towards de Sea

While you walk down path don’t miss on your right side Cholo Terco Cultural Center. Cholo Terco is a cute space that combines a cafe, a small colorful shop and couple of rooms that work as an art gallery. It’s a great place to get cute T-shirts or prints, and even some original souvenirs from Peru, such as Peruvian birds made of folded cardboard.

If you want to enjoy a meal with a nice view, don’t miss Javier, a restaurant on your right side (there’s another Javier on your left). And if if you are visiting during the night, you can visit El Gato Tulipán, a bar with a rooftop where they sometimes play live music.

Further down, you will find artisans selling bracelets, necklaces and other accessories, especially during the weekends. During the weekends, you might also find one or two street musicians along that street.

At the end of the street, you will see the sea, and you can continue your way down if you want to walk around the beach.

Bajada de Baños on Your Way Up

When you walk back up, very near the bridge, on your right hand, you will see a shop belonging to artist Jade Rivera. That is the artist that painted the mural you could appreciate from the bridge. He sells beautiful prints, paintings and sculptures.

Further up you will find a yellow bridge, painted by the same artist. Under the bridge, you will find more colorful street art by another artist. It’s a great spot for taking pictures!

Visit La Feria de Barranco

Continue your way up past that yellow bridge and you will end up in Domeyer Street.

Walk along Domeyer, to your right, towards Grau Avenue and cross the avenue to get to Union Street. Towards the beginning of the street you will find La Feria, a small but vibrant market that is open from Wednesday to Sunday.

La Feria is a great place to experience the local culture and shop for handmade crafts, clothes, and artisanal products. This is the place where you will be able to get anything from independent designers T-shirts to essential oils and bubble tea. You can even adopt a puppy there. There are also a few food stands (including ones that cater for vegetarians!).

In the evenings, the market comes alive with live music or other kinds of shows.

Walk Around Domeyer Street

Retrace your steps and get back to Domeyer. Cross San Martin Avenue and on that block, you will find several cafes and restaurants.

Cafes

There are many cafes in Barranco and you can find several of them on that block.

The street gets lively on weekends, and it’s a nice place to grab a coffee and sit on one of outdoor tables if the weather is nice. In that street, you will find Alanya (with amazing stuffed croissants), Demo (one of the best places for coffee), Mona Rosa and Casa Lola.

If you enjoy a good coffee in a nice atmosphere, make sure to read this post about the best cafes in Barranco.

Restaurants

There are also three good restaurants there. Mainly, the famous Isolina, which is one of the best places to eat Peruvian food not only Barranco but in Lima. You might want to book in advance, especially on weekends.

Not only is the menu very varied and the food is great, but also the place itself is nice, recreating the atmosphere of a traditional old Peruvian eatery.

Unfortunately, if you are a vegetarian like I am, they don’t have any options on the menu. But you can ask for the “lomo saltado” without the beef (sometimes depending on the waiter it’s either super easy or they can be difficult about it, but in the end I have always been able to order it). It’s delicious!

There’s also Siete in that street, another famous restaurant, catering more towards people looking for fine dining. And you can also find Indio, a new small place serving good pizza.

Art

Make sure to not walk past Oders on that street. Walk up the stairs and you will find a small art gallery and artists’ workshop, with a small shop inside.

Walk Along the Boardwalk

At the end of that block with restaurants, turn right, on Junin street. From there, after a couple of blocks, enjoy walking along the boardwalk and admiring the sea of Lima from the cliffs of Barranco.

Along the way you will find a couple of cafes, an ice cream shop, and Artesanias Portico, a small but well-sorted souvenir shop.

After some blocks, you will find some small stairs to walk up to Paseo Saenz Peña. On that street you will find, sitting on a bench, a sculpture of Mafalda, a very famous character from an Argentinian comic strip.

Shop at Dedalo

On that same street, Paseo Saenz Peña, you will find Dedalo.

This is a one-of-a-kind store that sells handmade crafts, jewelry, and other artisanal products made by local artists/artisans.

This is the best place in Barranco, and likely in Lima, to shop for a unique souvenir from Peru. Generally, whenever I have taken traveler friends there, they have always bought something even if it wasn’t in their plans.

The store’s beautiful products include handmade clothing, jewelry, pottery, and more. Contrary to other places where you can shop for souvenirs, the items that you will find at Dedalo are made by artists, nothing is mass-produced. The products are also of a very good quality and feature great designs. There’s also a room where they feature art exhibitions by local artists.

The shop also has a nice cafe at the patio, where you can enjoy a drink or meal.

If you are looking to doing more shopping, you can take a look at this post about shopping in Lima, where I also include more details about other good places to go shopping in Barranco.

Explore the Jade Rivera Museum

On the opposite corner of the block where Dedalo is, you will find the The Jade Rivera Museum. As you can imagine, the museum portrays the works of the Peruvian artist Jade Rivera.

Many of the street art murals you will see around Barranco are his, like the one on the picture below and the one you can see from the Bridge of Sighs. What you could find near the bridge was his shop. Here, at the museum, you can appreciate his trajectory as an artist, featuring his paintings, sculptures, and other works.

As of 2024, the museum is located at the corner of San Martin Avenue and Saenz Peña, Check the location before going, since the one appearing on Google maps might still be incorrect.

Enjoy Barranco at Night

Barranco is the best place to be in if you want to experience the Lima nightlife. It’s the neighborhood where most people head to on the weekends to go out for dinner or for a drink.

Dine at Central Restaurant

If you are a foodie visiting Lima and you have enough money to spend on a fancy gourmet meal, something you should absolutely do is book a table at Central, near the main square of Barranco.

As of 2024, Central is ranked the #1 restaurant in the world by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

This top-rated restaurant serves creative dishes that blend traditional Peruvian ingredients with modern cooking techniques. Chef Virgilio Martínez creates the ever-changing menu using the freshest ingredients of the season. Since there is no option of ordering a la carte, but just the tasting menu, you will try a bit of everything.

To get a table at Central you must book months in advance. If you weren’t able to get a table but you still want to visit, considering visit Kjolle (this one by chef Pia Leon, Virgilio Martinez wife and also one of the world’s best), at the same location. You can read here my review of my fine dining experience at Kjolle restaurant.

Get a Drink at Ayahuasca Bar

One of the best things to do in Barranco is to spend a night out at Ayahuasca Bar, one of the nicest bars in Lima.

This is a pretty very big old mansion, beautifully decorated. They offer a wide selection of cocktails and beers and a couple of starters and main dishes. Don’t go too late at night because even if the place is very big, it could be full.

Besides just going for a drink, it’s a great chance to see how one of this old mansions look from the inside.

Watch Peruvian Dances at La Peña La Candelaria

A visit to Peña La Candelaria, in Barranco, is one of the best things to do on a night out in Lima. La Candelaria is a famous and traditional Peruvian “peña”. Peñas are restaurants where they play traditional live music and show folk dance performances.

At La Candelaria, you will be able to see dances from many different regions of Peru. Among them, you will be able to see the “Scissors Dance”, also known as the “Danza de las Tijeras”. This is a unique traditional dance from the Andean region of Peru, where dancers dance with scissors, which is considered a World Heritage.

In between shows, you can head to the dance floor and dance to the live orchestra.

It’s a great place to learn more about the local culture. They offer shows Fridays to Sundays, and you might need to book in advance.

Head to a Local Bar to Enjoy the Night

If you are planning for a relaxed night out to party, you can head to El Boulevard de Barranco, a small pedestrian street lined with bars that becomes super crowded during the weekends.

If you are looking for a more chill bar, I recommend La Noche, which is at the end of the street, on a corner. The bar is divided in two spaces. One is the bar itself, and the other one a space where you can enjoy live music (for a fee).

Another emblematic bar in Barranco is Sargento Pimienta, which is the place to go if you are looking for music in English from the 1980-2000s. It’s a big space with space both to hang out and to dance. Make sure not to go too late or you will have to make a big line to get in.

Museums

Pedro de Osma Museum

A beautiful museum that you shouldn’t miss if you have enough time to spend in Barranco is the Pedro de Osma Museum, just a few blocks away from the main square.

The museum is housed in a restored 19th-century mansion and holds one of the most important collections of colonial art in South America.

I strongly recommend going on a guided tour so that you can understand better the history and symbolism behind the paintings on display. You will also find sculptures, everyday colonial household items, jewels, and more. Art and history lovers must see it.

MAC, the Contemporary Art Museum

This is a small museum surrounded by a garden, in the limit between Miraflores and Barranco. The museum itself, in my opinion, is quite small and usually not very special. Though time to time there is an interesting exhibition going on.

Still, it’s not necessarily one of the best things to do in Barranco if you have limited time. But the garden is a nice place and it has a cafe, which can be a nice place to have breakfast if you are staying close by. There’s no fee to enter the garden.

MATE (Museo Mario Testino): Permanently closed

Just a heads-up about this museum. You will see it coming up in lots of blogs about Barranco, but unfortunately it has been permanently closed for around 3 years, since the pandemic. It was dedicated to showcasing the work of the famous Peruvian photographer Mario Testino.

Explore the Street Art

Barranco is a hub for street art and has some of the most vibrant and captivating murals in Lima.

If you’re a fan of street art, you should visit the area around the Bridge of Sighs, 28 de Julio street of Barranco, and Bolognesi avenue, among others. Walking around these colorful streets is one of the top things to do in Barranco!

The street art in Barranco is a true reflection of the neighborhood’s eclectic and bohemian spirit.

Visit the Organic Market

If you are going to spend in Barranco a few days or more and like to cook, you might want to visit the Organic Market, “La Feria Ecológica de Barranco”.

The market is open every Sunday from around 8:30am to 3pm, at Nicanor Rivera school in Miraflores street (calle Miraflores, in Barranco, not to be confused with Miraflores neighborhood).

At the market you will be able to find all kind of organic products, including fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, tofu, honey, oil, chocolate, and more.

Stay at a Hotel in Barranco to Better Enjoy the Neighborhood

Barranco is not just a great place to visit in Lima, but in my opinion, the best place to stay in as welI.

These are my favorite hostels and hotels in Barranco:

• High-end: Hotel B: This is the best hotel in Barranco. This is a fancy boutique hotel located in a beautiful restored mansion one block away from the sea. I’ve been to the restaurant there several times, the food is delicious and of high quality.
• Mid-range: 3B Barranco: This is a popular B&B. It’s located 3 blocks away from the sea and a 10-minute walk to the main square of Barranco. I know many people who have stayed here and they have been very satisfied with their stay.
• Mid-range: Second Home Peru: This is a small beautiful hotel at the cliff overlooking the ocean, very near the Bridge of Sighs. It’s actually located at the big house of an important artist of Barranco, Victor Delfín, so the hotel is full of art. I’ve visited the house and the view of the ocean is really beautiful!
• Budget: Viajero Kokopelli: This hostel is located in a beautiful old mansion. It is the most trendy and popular backpacker’s place in the neighborhood. They have dorms and private rooms.

If you have been reading about Lima, you have probably read that Miraflores is the most popular neighborhood for tourists. Even though I prefer Barranco, Miraflores has its advantages as well. For more details, you can read my post about staying in Barranco vs. Miraflores.

Take a Tour in Barranco, Lima

If you don’t have enough time to explore Barranco on your own or if you prefer an organized experience, there are tours that will take you around the main sites.

For example, booking a private tour of Barranco can be an interesting option to explore the neighborhood at your own pace.

A popular option is to take a bike tour from Miraflores to Barranco. It’s a nice ride along the boardwalk (the malecón) that will take you around the main sights of each neighborhood.

Another interesting option would be to take a walking food tour in Barranco. That way, you visit the main spots in Barranco while at the same time trying great food.

If you want to find the best art murals, consider booking a street art tour. That way you will get to walk both around the touristic areas and more off-the-beaten path streets as well.

Before You Go…

These were some of the best things to do in Barranco and the best hotels to stay at in this trendy neighborhood in Lima. Make sure to add it to your Peru itinerary!

Also, take a look here to see how many days to spend in Lima if you want to visit Barranco, but also Lima center and Miraflores.