Lima, 21 September 2025
Late afternoon in Lima’s historic centre feels almost cinematic. The sun dips low, painting the façades of colonial buildings in amber light. At first, the air hums with that unhurried rhythm that only cities by the sea seem to have.
That’s about to change very soon.
This time, I am stopping over in Lima just for an evening, so better make the most of it. And you know world heritage sites intrigue me, so Lima’s historic centre it is. My plan is to walk along El Jirón de la Unión, from Plaza San Martin to Plaza de Armas.
It’s a late Sunday afternoon in September; the weather is pleasant… I expect the old-town pedestrian thoroughfare to be lively. However, it seems to be lively on a different level today. Getting livelier by the minute, actually.
At Plaza San Martín, elegant white buildings curve around the square like an open-air theatre. At its centre stands General San Martín, high on a pedestal. The bronze figure of Peru’s liberator catches the last glow of the day.
At one end of the square, people are flocking around a man with a microphone. More and more join. I move towards the edge of the crowd to see what’s going on. On the ground in front of me, is this sign:
Together against the dictatorship (slightly misspelled, but I get the drift). In defence of the homeland, life and freedom. Only the people can save the people.
Those are words I can get behind.
I don’t catch his full message, but I hear words like corrupción, exigir, pensión, repreción, libertad… It doesn’t take much to guess their beef with the government.
I’m half expecting to see the ghost of Che Guevara just behind him, and get a little caught up in it. Have to keep myself in check. I’m not a rebel. Not today. Move along.
Lima’s Historic Centre: from San Martín to La Merced
Back in the present, shopfronts gleam beneath carved balconies, and the scent of fresh pastries mingles with music from street performers. Michael Jackson imitators are particularly prevalent. Quite a few good dancers here.
A few blocks along, I spot an unusual pink and white building with a delightfully over-the-top entrance. This is Iglesia y Convento La Merced, a Baroque masterpiece.
The façade is a swirl of columns and statues, the details so intricate they seem to ripple in the fading light. It’s a very cool effect that can’t really be captured by a still shot.
Should I go in? Religion and politics all in one late afternoon… Yeh, why not!
As I step inside, the world changes. Suddenly, there is silence!
The atmosphere is hushed. And luminous! Golden altars gleam beneath high vaulted ceilings, and flickering candles cast soft shadows across the marble floor. It looks ornate – and a bit somber.
A quiet pause from the outside
Towards Plaza de Armas
As dusk settles, I continue towards Plaza de Armas, Lima’s historic core, said to be one of the most beautiful squares in South America. I can’t really tell you – or show you, because it has been cordoned off, armed guards at every entrance.
So no Cathedral of Lima to be seen by yours truly today. No Government Palace or glittering fountains.
Instead, I stop by Casa O’Higgins, where the Chilean hero lived and died. An art exhibition is on, Economia Creativa, and I’m drawn in by all the pinkness.
Lima After Dark
Returning to Plaza San Martín, the protesters seem to have given up. Or so I think…
By evening, the city feels transformed. The statues stand tall in the glow of the streetlamps; the colonial buildings shimmer, and somewhere nearby, I hear a guitarist playing in the night. A waltz. My feet take on a life on their own, and I’m not alone. 1-2-3, 1-2-3!
The square looks prettier in the dark. Even the general seems less foreboding up on his horse there.
Lima’s historic centre doesn’t sleep, it seems. It glows, and invites me to linger just a little longer before the night truly begins.
Young protesters in Lima’s historic centre
But I have a plane to catch and head back to my lodgings. Then things happen…
It appears those anti-government protesters didn’t go home. Instead, they are on their way to the Palacio de Justicia, which happens to be just across the street from my hotel. I’m right behind them, keeping a distance.
Even from my room high up, I can hear the shouting, and step out on the balcony. Fighting is going on. Smoke. Bombs going off. All of a sudden, the top floor doesn’t seem so safe, so I go downstairs. More join. More shouting, more confrontations. Anger, frustration, shouting turning to shoving. The atmosphere becomes increasingly chaotic, more and more scuffles breaking out.
I’m on my way out the front door, when the concierge stops me with a ‘please don’t’. I reckon he has seen this before and knows what he’s talking about, so I obey; counter intuitive as that is.
Then the police arrives in full force, with sirens blaring. On foot, on motorcycles, in cars, in busses. First time I have seen police busses.
Protesters are now throwing firebombs at the police, who responds with sprays of tear gas and pellets to control the crowd. Through the glass doors, I see people covering their faces.
After a while, the protestors are outnumbered. Can’t help but wonder what happens to them at the police station – or wherever they are taken.
Things calm down, and I can finally sleep. The next morning, I read about clashes between thousands of young people demonstrating against the government, fuelled by issues like private pension reform (enacted yesterday, 20 September), political instability, and rising violent crime. More here.
An unexpected twist – and a learning experience – to end my Andean journey this time.
Homeward-bound
Historic Centre of Lima is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Here are more UNESCO World Heritage sites we have visited around the world.