Great people, excellent food, and a laid back atmosphere. Though the beaches are not very inviting, Lima is not as bad as some of these critics have been posting. I've been there three times, and am married to a Peruana. I plan on buying a home there in the future, and retiring in bliss.

Ok Its ugly, cloudy, and dirty...but people were soooo friendly...Miraflores and Barranco are worth seeing. Nevertheless, any other place is way better than Lima.

love peru, hate lima

This city was horrible. We couldn't land because of poor visability because there was too much smog, an ominous start. The stench of polution as horrible. Poverty was everywhere. Crime was high. Soldiers walked down the streets with assault rifles. The only saving grace was our Hostel in the burbs was superb and town square with the palace and churches was good looking.

This city has no public toilets. As a result, the place is just one really big urinal. The stench never leaves you until you leave town.

What's the Spanish word for "worse than terrible"?

Yeah OK - its dirty - and you gotta deal with the whole poverty thing BUT... People still smile at you, the food is still great and just grab a ride in an old rusty VW Beetle taxi for the ultimate whiteknuckle ride! As third world cities go, I felt comfortable in Lima. Far less agressive people than Bankok or Manila, less hassle than Cairo or Nairobi. The prevalence of Money changers means financial transactions can be done without all the bureaucratic timewasting that happens in other countries, and the busses and taxis are all easy enough to understand. Best thing - Lima is gateway to the Peruvian Andes, why not sidestep Cuzco and the tourists and get a 10 hr bus ride up to Huaraz in the Cordierra Blanca - Worldbeating scenery and you wont have to share it with the hordes!

Lima is the ugliest, most depressing city I've ever seen. Even for the excitable traveler it is a serious let-down, and I recommend skipping right over it. The architecture leaves much to be desired (except in a few areas where it could be considered interesting -- just use a little imagination to sense what the buildings might look like under 9 inches of exhaust build-up). The climate? DANK. There is a constant, wet haze hanging over the city, even on the hottest days. You'll need a shower after a walk around the block. But since the tap water smells as foul as the river and a shower leaves you feeling like you've just surfaced from an oil spill, it might be a better idea to douse yourself with bottled water -- or go straight from the airport to the nearest bus station and get out of town.

The worst, an absolute dump of a city. Always cloudy, polluted, and depressing. I have been all over Latin America, and this is one of the few places I couldn't stand. Plus, be prepared to get brutally sick - even if you have a stomach of iron. The only bearable place in this festering hole is the Miraflores district.

Ugly, squalid city. Go elsewhere in Peru, but avoid Lima if you can.