5 free things to do in Lima, Peru Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 11:04 a.m., Thursday, June 21, 2012 LIMA, Peru (AP) — The coastal Peruvian capital of Lima is home to a third of the country's population and most live in dusty barrios on a coastal desert where it never rains. Attractions include colonial and neocolonial architecture from the city's three centuries as the seat of the Spanish viceroy as well as pre-Columbian sites. Grassy parks and a bike path separate a coastal bluff from the "Malecon" road in San Isidro and Miraflores, the wealthiest districts. At the heart of Miraflores' commercial district, probably Lima's best people-watching venue. The municipal government organizes free music, dance and theater performances evenings Three blocks north of the park on Av.