Peru 2026 : Lima

Friday 20 to Sunday 22 February

An early flight from Montevideo to Lima and we were at the Hotel Antigua Miraflores before noon; enjoying our first Pisco Sour in the bar while waiting to check in.

We met Fred in the lobby and headed straight out to Barranco. Uber is wonderful in Lima; fast, cheap and convenient with no language barrier. Lima is a coastal city that somehow hasn't managed to capitalize on its beach location at all. The upmarket suburbs of Miraflores and Barranco are perched on ugly cliffs with limited access down to the shore.

Strolling around Barranco was underwhelming as was our visit to the MAC art museum.

Lima is the food capital of South America and we had a fabulous dinner at Tanta by chef Gaston Acurio in Miraflores.

Local favourites made posh.

Causas is a layered potato salad. Salchipapa is chorizo and yellow potatoes. And of course, Cerviche; the national dish.

On Saturday we went to Old Lima city.

The touristy parts are safe and patrolled by police but you do know when you've reached the no-go zone. 

Historic Hotel Maury is the place to go for the original Pisco Sour. 

Historic Resaurante Cordano served the worst coffee ever but we found good coffee at artisanal Sunqu.

Maido Restaurant was crowned best restaurant in the world for 2025/26.

We spoilt ourselves with the full 12 course tasting and wine pairing. The food was spectacular. The whole experience was just amazing.

Sunday was our rest day. We spent the afternoon strolling through Miraflores. Icecream at Helarte.

Piscos at Republica del Pisco.
A Chifa is a Peruvian style Chinese Restaurant. Brought to South America as mine workers, Chinese descendants make up about 3% of the Peruvian population.

Everyone in Lima loves Chifa. Kion is an upmarket Chifa chain.

We enjoyed the wonton soup and fried rice.

Then we were back at Republica del Pisco for live Latin music.

Uruguay : Colonia de Sacramento

Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th February

Another early start for the 2hr drive West to Colonia situated on the banks of the Rio de la Plata.

The lights of Buenos Aires can be seen flickering over the water 50kms away. There are regular ferries between the two cities. Old Colonia is a World Heritage Site, cosy and very, very quiet.

We stayed at the Posada Plaza Major.

We visited Fripp, a small boutique winery in nearby Carmelo with surprisingly good wines that are only available in the restaurant or for sale from the cellar.

Back at Santa Rosa winery we had seen the flagons of unfortified sherry and port maturing on the lawn in the sun. They told us that it is mainly used in baking and in the making of ice cream. At Gelato Bartolot, we got to taste the delicious Sambayon, the specialist icecream made with this wine. 

For dinner we shared a Chivito at waterside restaurant Charco.

Chivito is Uruguay's signature dish; a steak sandwich topped with cheese, egg, bacon and ham. 

The national drink is Mate, a green tea that everyone drinks but it's not sold in cafes or restaurants. It's a ritual and everyone makes it at home and carries it around, hot water flask under one arm and cup and straw in the other hand, sipping all day. And majiuana is legal but not for sale in shops; you have to grow your own. 

On Thursday the bird watching spot we visited was closed but they let us wander around.  It was good to see the countryside and some birds and we did enjoy finding a colony of burrowing owls.

People in Uruguay are very friendly. When we were having trouble paying for our car charge with a foreign credit card, the chap charging next to us paid for us to connect. 

We had an early Mac D's supper at the airport and spent  the night at the Hampton Hotel for an early flight to Lima in the morning.

Uruguay : Montevideo

Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th February

Uruguay is a small country with a population of only 3.5 million. We left early to get back to Montevideo by 10am. It's the Carnaval long weekend in Uruguay, so the capital city was pretty quiet; many people are on holiday. 

We stayed at Hotel Montevideo, modern with gorgeous interiors.

Luckily they have chargers for electrical cars in their basement parking because I had inadvertently rented an e-car. Uruguay runs on 95% green energy; mostly wind and hydroelectric. 

The oldest wineries in Uruguay are in Canalones near Montevideo. We visited Santa Rosa; a 4th generation winery that closed in the 80s and has more recently started producing wine again.

The tasting and food pairing takes place in the old underground cellars.

They are known for their bubblies. We tasted the interesting Medio/Medio. In Montevideo restaurants in the 60s, people found the "champagne" too sweet so they mixed it 50/50 with a chardonnay. Santa Rosa started bottling the mix and they still make it today. Luckily they do also make Brut Methode Champagnoise.

Montevideo is on the Riveria de la Plata, the widest river in the world. Las Ramblas runs for kilometres along the shore. On a warm summer evening "everyone" is out and about at the beach.

We got tickets to an outdoor Carnaval Theatre. As a cultural experience, we enjoyed the music and dancing but we did leave before the end. 

On Tuesday we explored the old city.

Coffee and croissants at historic Cafe Brasilero.

Chorizo and cheese hotdog at La Pasiva.

Albarino at outdoor tables where we met fellow full- time travellers Jennifer and Mark.

Short-rib asado at Cabana Veronica in the Port Market.

Dulce de Leche Pancakes.

And an early night.