Peru/Lima – San Isidro

 

San Isidro is the financial district of Lima where numerous banks and businesses set up their headquarters in modern office blocks. There isn’t much to visit but the district does have a nice atmosphere combining the high towers and the lovely colonial houses. It’s very modern and at the same time very traditional and preserved its former elegance and character. It is also called Lima’s “garden” for its beautiful green areas.

San Isidro is a wonderful district to wander around, visit art galleries, enjoy excellent restaurants (such as Astrid y Gaston) and relax in peaceful parks.

Huaca Huallamarca

One of San Isidro’s main attractions is the archaeological site of Huaca Huallamarca, also known as Pan de Azúcar (Sugar bread). Built and occupied during the Lima Culture by ancient Hualla settlers from the Lima valley, it was home to the “Ishma” (around the 11th century) and Incas (15th and 16th century) as well. In each period “Pan de Azúcar” had a different purpose: first used as a temple, then converted to a cemetery and later changed to a human settlement. The Huac Huallamarca forms a sharp contrast with its surroundings of high buildings, even though it doesn’t feel as big as I expected.

Entrance fee 5 soles
Tie-Sun 9am-5pm
At the corner between Av. Nicolás de Ribera 201 and Av. El Rosario

Bosque el Olivar

The olive grove “El Olivar” is probably San Isidro’s most valuable treasure. Declared as a National Monument in 1959, the beautiful park stands not only for the colonial history and tradition with plantation of olive trees, with an antiquity of more then 450 years, but is today also a green lung for heavy polluted Lima. There are around 1,670 olive trees, today. In and around the green oasis you find the municipal government, the library, an art gallery, the lagoon and beautiful mansions from the beginning of the 20th century. For all bird lovers: the municipality of San Isidro put up signs showing all the different bird species you can watch in the olive grove.

Calle La Republica
Free entrance