What's on in Lima, Peru through the year

Peak crowds — the editor's peak month, Beach season on the south coast

• Season

  Beach season on the south coast

  1 Jan – 31 MarSea warm enoughCrowded

  The overcast lifts and Lima decamps to the beach towns south of the city at weekends. Asia and Punta Hermosa are full; the city itself is easier than usual.

Still on: Christmas and New Year (20 Dec – 2 Jan)

Peak crowds — the editor's peak month, Beach season on the south coast

Nothing new starts in February.

Still on: Beach season on the south coast (1 Jan – 31 Mar)

Busy — between the peaks, Beach season on the south coast

• Holiday

  Semana Santa

  29 Mar – 5 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowdedBook early

  A national travel week: Lima empties towards the mountains and the coast, and domestic flights to Cusco and Arequipa go early and expensive. Source ↗

Still on: Beach season on the south coast (1 Jan – 31 Mar)

Busy — between the peaks, Semana Santa

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Semana Santa (29 Mar – 5 Apr)

Quiet — the editor's quiet month, May break in Peru

• Season

  Garua season

  15 May – 15 Nov · usuallyFog season

  A low grey ceiling sits on the city for months and drizzles without ever really raining. Climb to the hills above the cloud and the sun is there the whole time. Source ↗

Quiet — the editor's quiet month, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  National Ceviche Day

  28 JunMajor festival

  The 28th of June, set by the production ministry, when the cevicherias in Surquillo and Barranco run queues out of the door and a lot of them put on a fixed price. Peru takes the date seriously. Source ↗

Still on: Garua season (15 May – 15 Nov (usually))

Quiet — the editor's quiet month, Fiestas Patrias

• Holiday

  Fiestas Patrias

  28–29 JulNational holidayCrowdedClosures

  Two days of independence holidays with the military parade on Avenida Brasil. Shops shut, hotels fill in Lima and Cusco alike, and flights are booked out well ahead. Source ↗

Still on: Garua season (15 May – 15 Nov (usually))

Quiet — the editor's quiet month, Santa Rosa de Lima

• Holiday

  Santa Rosa de Lima

  30 AugNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  A national holiday on 30 August, with a queue down the block at the sanctuary near Congress to drop a letter into the saint's well. Offices, banks and most museums are shut for it. Source ↗

Still on: Garua season (15 May – 15 Nov (usually))

Shoulder season — between the peaks, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Garua season (15 May – 15 Nov (usually))

Busy — between the peaks, Senor de los Milagros

• Festival

  Senor de los Milagros

  1 Oct – 1 NovMajor festivalCrowded

  Hundreds of thousands walk behind the image in purple through the centre, with the main days on 18, 19 and 28 October. The whole month dresses in that colour. Source ↗

• Festival

  Dia de la Cancion Criolla

  31 OctMajor festival

  The 31st of October belongs to criollo music rather than Halloween. The penas in Barranco and Brena take bookings weeks ahead and play well past dawn. Source ↗

Still on: Garua season (15 May – 15 Nov (usually))

Busy — between the peaks, Senor de los Milagros

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Garua season (15 May – 15 Nov (usually)), Senor de los Milagros (1 Oct – 1 Nov)

Peak crowds — the editor's peak month, Christmas and New Year

• Holiday

  Christmas and New Year

  20 Dec – 2 JanChristmas & New YearClosures

  Midsummer here. Lima empties towards the beach towns from Christmas Eve, everything shuts on the 25th and the 1st, and the fireworks come off balconies rather than from a municipal display. Source ↗