Friday, Apr. 02, 2010

7. Larcomar

Along the seawalk in the Miraflores district is Larcomar, a multilevel entertainment, food and shopping megacomplex that caters to most tastes. The first thing you'll notice about Larcomar is that you cannot see it. The entire complex is built into the cliffside, underneath Miraflores — the entrance is on Block 6 of Malecón de la Reserva, across the street from the JW Marriott hotel; take the stairs down just before you get to the cliff's edge.

Larcomar has breathtaking ocean views, which you can enjoy from numerous restaurants offering Peruvian fare, as well as several American franchises serving everything from doughnuts to ribs. Try Peruvian broaster chicken — or pollo a la brasa (literally, chicken over coals) — at Pardo's Chicken or have a cone of homemade ice cream from Gelateria Laritza D', while watching the sun set on the Pacific. There's also a movie theater, bowling alley and pool hall here, and shopping galore. Many Peruvian fashion designers have boutiques in Larcomar, and there's no shortage of high-end jewelry and clothing stores. This is a great place to while away your last few hours in Lima (and buying gifts for friends back home), before catching a cab to the airport.