Peru's capital, Lima, is a vibrant city whose grandeur may be faded but still lives on. Once the heart of Spain's South American empire, modern Lima is a huge metropolis crammed with culture, and a history that pre-dates the Incas.

Halfway along Peru's desert coastline, Lima lies between the Pacific Ocean and the foothills of the Andes. The historic centre, with its Spanish colonial mansions graced by latticed wooden balconies, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lima has beautiful churches, museums, pretty seaside suburbs and a few remaining Inca ruins. It is also a gateway to the marvels of Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and the Amazon jungle.

As Peru's economic powerhouse, Lima is home to around one third of the country's people. Even in the richest districts, signs of poverty are never far away. Shantytowns continue to grow around Lima, while the upper classes have mostly moved to seaside suburbs like Miraflores and San Isidro. With their skyscrapers and international banks, these are now the main business centres, with nearby Barranco a hub for nightlife.

The city was founded by Francisco Pizarro the Conquistador who seized the land of the Incas for Spain in 1535. As the centre of a Spanish viceroyalty that spanned Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Chile, Lima was the most important South American capital until the 19th century. A great deal of Andean silver passed through Lima en route to Spain, and some of it funded the colonial mansions and baroque churches whose altars still gleam with the rich metal.

The climate from May until November can be dismal, as a grey sea mist or garua (known as the ‘belly of the donkey') dominates the skies. The summer months, the best time to visit, are blessed with a hazy heat. Limeños, as the locals are called, head to the beach for the weekend, to enjoy sun, sea and ceviche (raw fish marinated in lime juice), washed down with a pisco sour, the potent Peruvian cocktail.