Lima boasts a vibrant community of foreign born individuals who have come to know and love the charms of the city of kings. Although it’s not uncommon for residents to gripe about the weather or traffic, this is no different than the love/hate relationship that you hear from the inhabitants of New York, Paris, or any other major metropolitan area. Residents take pride in their ability to navigate a city’s pratfalls, and derive a certain delight in watching newbies fall into them. The charms of Lima’s best secret attractions outweigh the detriments of the city, and it’s fun to explore the hidden gems that do not garner their deserved worldwide attention.
To this day, most tour books criminally ignore many of the exciting attractions that Lima has to offer. For many years, most books recommended you grab a few winks at the airport before boarding a plane directly to Cusco. With the gastronomic revolution of the last few decades, the perspective is changing, but old habits die hard and much of Lima remains overlooked.
One way to help improve Lima’s worldwide standing is simply to flood the internet with stories about its charms. I recently did an article for Vocal.Media entitled “A Local’s Guide to Lima Peru,” where I highlighted a few lesser known Lima attractions. However, it will take more than one person and one article to change the worldwide narrative regarding Lima.
Discussing Lima’s charms so as to encourage engagement and visibility can be done in a number of ways. New attractions appear all the time, and the more that they are discussed, the greater the possibility the world eye will turn in that direction. It is also important to maintain the discussion about already popular attractions with a new slant that helps keep them fresh and interesting. Sprinkling the names of already famous locations and places in an article that also mentions new attractions, helps bring further notice to the items to which you wish to draw attention.
People who love Lima always enjoy singing its praises to the world, but make sure you like, share, and comment on articles you see as well. These days a set of mysterious algorithms define what is regarded as popular truth, and if you make a commitment to active engagement, you can bring a surprising amount of attention to areas in need.
I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting areas to promote in Lima. If any of you have knowledge of a secret destination that you feel is criminally ignored, please send an email with the suggestion. I’ll happily check out your recommendations and post my findings where the world can see. Also, don’t hesitate to be controversial, or to send a justification as to why you think a place should be included. Human beings are diverse and wonderful creatures, and a proclivity to disagreement is inherent to their nature.
In my most recent article I included Mesa de Piedra, the Circuito Magico del Agua, and the Ballet Municipal de Lima. Although these destinations are hardly secrets to Limenos, they remain underrepresented worldwide. I’m just getting started on this project, and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of Lima’s unknown gems. If you disagree with my selections, perfect! Please send your recommendations and together we can help shine a spotlight where it is most deserved.
I’ve often heard Peruvians comment that Peru is more than Machu Picchu and Lima is more than Miraflores. They’re right! Let’s make a commitment to showing the world everything they’re missing!
Please send your Lima secret destination suggestions to: editor at streetsoflima.com. Please put “Secret Destinations” in the subject line.
Also, if you want to check out my list of the best of Cusco, click here, or check out this great article about Inti Raymi!
