Best Time to Visit Lima

Summer: January to April

This is Lima's sunny season, and it's the one locals plan around. Days are warm and a little sticky, with highs of 26 to 27°C. The sun shows up for around five to seven hours a day. April is the sunniest month in the data, and it's also dry.

Beach time is now. The Costa Verde, the strip of coast below the cliffs of Miraflores and Barranco, fills with surfers and families. Beaches south of the city, like Punta Hermosa, get packed on weekends. Rain is almost nonexistent, so don't worry about showers. Carnival season in February brings water fights in some neighbourhoods, so you might get splashed.

Winter: June to September

Winter here means grey, not cold. A low cloud called garúa (a fine drizzle-like mist) sits over the city, and in July and August you'll get under one hour of sun a day. Highs stay around 25°C, but the damp air makes evenings feel chillier than the numbers say.

It's the quietest time for beach towns, and the sea feels cold. But it's a good season for museums, food and walking. Try the Larco Museum, the colonial centre, and ceviche lunches in Surquillo. Surfers still come for the winter swells. Late June has the Día del Campesino, and Peru's big Independence holidays fall on 28 and 29 July. Hotels and flights get busier around then, as many Peruvians travel.

Spring and autumn: the in-betweens

October and November are gentle. Clouds start to break, and the sun slowly comes back, with 2 to 3 hours a day. It's dry and mild, which makes it a good time for cycling the Miraflores boardwalk or paragliding off the cliffs. October is also when the Señor de los Milagros procession fills the centre with purple-clad crowds. It's one of the biggest religious events in Peru.

May is a nice quiet month too. It's dry, and the haze hasn't fully set in, though sun drops to about four and a half hours.

Which month for you?

Want beaches? Pick January to April. Hate crowds? Try May, or October and November. Travelling for food? Any month works, though Mistura-style food fairs and restaurant bookings are busiest in the warm months. Heading on to Cusco or Machu Picchu? Lima is a fine stopover year-round, since it barely rains. Peak season there is June to August, so Lima can be a calm start or end to your trip.