Lima is a large, sprawling, and confusing city, so if you want to make quick work of a visit, an organized tour of the major sights might be the best option. Standard city tours are offered by innumerable agencies. Among the most dependable is Lima Tours, Belén 1040 (tel. 01/619-6900; www.limatours.com.pe), which is the only organized tour with access to the Casa Aliaga, one of the most historic colonial mansions in Lima. A standard half-day tour of Lima Centro costs S/75 ($25/£13). Lima Tours also offers visits to Pachacámac as part of its "Lima Arqueológica" tours, as well as highlights packages across Peru.
Lima Visión, Jr. Chiclayo 444, Miraflores (tel. 01/447-7710; www.peruvision.com), offers daylong sightseeing tours of Lima, including a choice of excursions for S/231 or $76 (£39), as well as 2-hour tours for S/66 or $22 (£11). Contacto Lima (tel. 01/224-3854; contactolima@tsi.com.pe) offers half-day city tours of "colonial and modern Lima," full-day tours, museum tours, and trail riding on Peruvian pacing horses, as well as tours to Nasca and Paracas, south of Lima. Fertur Perú, Jr. Junín 211 (tel. 01/427-2626; www.fertur-travel.com), with an office in the Hotel España (and a branch at Calle Schell 485 in Miraflores), is a highly professional outfit, run by a Peruvian-American couple, with reasonably priced city tours and 4-day packages to sights across Peru. Class Adventure Travel, Grimaldo del Solar 463, Miraflores (tel. 01/444-2220; www.cat-travel.com), is an excellent all-purpose agency run by a knowledgeable and friendly Dutch couple; it offers a 3-day city tour and travel arrangements around Peru.
Free short walking tours of Lima are frequently offered by the Municipalidad de Lima (Town Hall). For the latest schedule, call tel. 01/427-4848 or 01/427-6080, ext. 222.
Finally, although it sounds a bit uncomfortably close to those stag or bachelorette bus parties where everyone drinks his or her way across town, dead set on making fools of the guest of honor, El Bus Parrandero, Av. Benavides 330, of. 101, Miraflores (tel. 01/445-4755; www.elbusparrandero.com), is a colorful party bus promoting gregarious evening tours of Lima, with unlimited drinks, snacks, and live music. Tours are given Monday through Wednesday from 8 to 11pm; the ride costs S/60 ($20/£10). It's perfect if you've got your heart set on reliving (or continuing) your college days while you're in Lima.
