If you are going to Peru, then more likely than not you are going to Machu Picchu. Therefore, you are probably going to both Lima and Cusco. If nothing else, you will at least see the airport in Lima. The question I get asked is “which city in Peru should I spend more time in, Lima or Cusco?” If you read my previous posts, you can piece this one together. I hated Cusco, read about it here.
It is an easy answer when asked which city I liked more, Lima or Cusco. Lima, Peru was superior in most ways to Cusco. I will breakdown the differences, but in the end, it came down to authenticity. Yes, you will most likely see both Lima and Cusco, but I think the bulk of your time should be spent in the country’s capital, Lima
It could have been that I gotten sick. Or perhaps it was the lousy food in Cusco, I just didn’t enjoy my stay there. Overly fake, touristy, and just boring. It is almost a must stop for those going to Machu Picchu and there are some interesting ruins around the city. Overall, everything was contrived, whereas Lima was a “real” city. I can see through fakeness a mile away, hench my distain for Cusco. Let me do my usual comparison with food, history, activities, beauty, and vibe. Let us start with Food
Which City Has Better Food Cusco, Peru or Lima, Peru
This one is a no brainer, the food in Lima was excellent, and the food in Cusco was below average. On second thought I am being too generous. It was terrible. Mountain food is normally not very good, and Cusco was no exception. Take out the Lama and we were left with bland, boring dishes. I don’t think it was just unlucky choices, I believe the food was just bad in Cusco.
To begin with the market was not very good. It could have been because my illness at the time, but then again, it could have been the dry chicken soup and lack of anything that resembled cleanliness. The restaurant scene was the same. Almost every restaurant, no matter how highly rated turned out to be disappointing in Cusco, Peru.
Lima on the other hand was the exact inverse. Sure, the markets were equally dirty, but take that out and I can say I was surprised, and at times happy by the food scene. Neither Lima nor Cusco had markets like Europe, but Lima did have seafood that was comparable. I ate some of the best seafood on this side of the world in Lima.
Everything was better in Lima in terms of food, and I think I know why. Besides being right next to the ocean Lima catered mostly to locals. A guy in the cab at Cusco even told us, no one from Peru eats in this city. That is a terrible indictment on a food scene. Restaurants in Lima on the other hand were filled with locals, therefore the establishments tried to make things authentic. They could not get away with serving what tourist think Peruvian food should be, they served the real deal.
What you get in Lima, Peru is something not found in Cusco, authenticity. Amazing, unique flavors and fresh ingredients. Even with the handicap of being a mountain area, I think Cusco would have been alright if it didn’t cater to tourists so much. In terms of food when deciding either Lima or Cusco, the choice is simple…Lima.
Point 1 Lima
Which City Has Better History Cusco, Peru or Lima, Peru
From an outsider this is clear, Cusco is probably better for those who love history. Especially if you love Inca history, although there is certainly a big European influence. Not a positive one considering what the Spanish did, but an influence all the same. It could be argued that history is all this city has. Every area is full of either old Spanish buildings or what remains of the temples that weren’t torn down.
It was rather impressive the way they were able to build certain structures that stood the test of time. It was also disappointing, had the Spanish not come and destroyed so much of it there would be a lot more to see. Luckily there is Machu Picchu, that is not too far from Cusco. Of course, any history in Cusco seems to pale in comparison once returning from Machu Picchu. Still, this is a place for history lovers, of course, the locals know it and (overly) act accordingly.
Lima has its history as well, but it is really a normal city. In all honesty I didn’t dig too deep into the history of Lima, I was too busy eating. It has its ruins, but nothing like that of Cusco, you aren’t transported to a different time like you are in Cusco. So, if you are thinking “I love history”, should I spend more time in Cusco or Lima… for this variable only, I pick Cusco, Peru.
Which City Has more to do Lima or Cusco?
Let us take Machu Picchu out of this, it isn’t in Cusco. It is funny, on the surface one would think Cusco is better than Lima in this category but looks can be deceiving. I got bored quickly in Cusco. If you don’t like looking at old ruins (that aren’t really that old compared to the ones in Asia and Europe) then you are out of luck. First, compared to Lima there is no night life, at least none I saw. The bar scene was somewhere between weak and nonexistent. There was one nice place to get a cocktail, but it wasn’t full of people or lively.
There was some, but very little, street food. No real activities outside of seeing old ruins. Even the walkability of Cusco wasn’t very good. Many places had huge hills and if I wasn’t feeling like I was climbing Everest, then I was dodging people selling me crap. It took away from any enjoyment I got from walking and exploring.
Yes, Lima does not have as many old ruins, but it still has more to do. It is lively at night, especially at Barranco. The shopping is better, it has more Museums, and it is on the Ocean. Just walking the city is fun and it goes on a lot longer. Warning: Do not wander into the wrong Neighborhood, especially at night, Lima is not a safe city. I never felt bored in Lima, never searched for a place to eat or a good bar (except at 9:00AM). There were cool parks, nice churches, just a lot of uniqueness to it. In Cusco I was bored within two days, having seen all I wanted to. If you want to know where to spend more time Lima or Cusco, based on things to do…Pick Lima.
Which city Is more Beautiful Lima or Cusco?
They are totally different, but I guess if I am going for purely visual beauty, I would choose Cusco. It also depends on what you like to look at and where you are. If staring at the ocean means more to you than looking at old buildings, then maybe you would prefer Lima. Lima isn’t ugly, in fact I found the tourist areas to be nice. I missed their square, which would have added a whole new dimension.
Still, Cusco almost looked like a movie set. It was well intact and had a great backdrop of the mountains. There was Spanish art and Inca stones throughout the city. Had it been empty, I would have enjoyed walking around it. The main square or Plaza de Arms is a nice place to sit and get a bad meal, overlooking some historic buildings. So yes, I think most would agree Cusco is more beautiful to look at, but…
Which City has a better atmosphere
This is the crux of why I feel one should spend more time in Lima then Cusco. Lima is a city; it is energetic and real. I love real cities, especially when they have a personality. Cusco is a more of a tourist trap. I go into more details here, as to why I hate Cusco, but to be brief, it is fake. Everything from the people pretending to be natives, to food, to the streets it is all geared toward tourists.
At every turn I felt like someone would bother me in Cusco. Who is next to try to take my peace or money? What other thing am I looking at that is just a replica? The whole city is set up to milk tourists as much as possible. You may miss this if you are the type of traveler to hit an Applebee’s in Rome, but if you like authenticity you will hate Cusco.
Lima, felt like a city. Certainly, it had its areas that were more touristy friendly. And yes, some dangerous parts, but at the end of the day it felt like I was somewhere completely different, but real. This is not to say I didn’t run into my share of arseholes or problems, but at the end of the day it was good experience. The Atmosphere is what puts Lima over Cusco by a mile…that and the food.
Where To Spend more Time Lima or Cusco?
So many writers here would say “they are both fabulous cities” but not me. Cusco was terrible. Lima was pretty fun. May never go back, but I had a good time. So where to spend more time on your trip to Peru? Spend 4 or 5 days in Lima and two at most in Cusco. That is all you need in that city.
