Lima was founded by the spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, who chose it as the capital city because of its strategic location and its main port, Callao, which was a focal point on the Peruvian and South American coast. During colonial times the city was considered the most important metropolis in Latin American. Nowadays, Lima is the economic and political center of tje country and houses almost 30% of the total population of Peru. Its surviving pre-Columbian constructions and colonial temples and houses give the city a magnificent architectural mixture. The downtown area is where you can appreciate this mixture by visiting the Cathedral, The Torre Tagle Palace, San Francisco, Santo Domingo, San Pedro and Las Nazarenas churches, as well the beautiful nineteenth century houses that have stunning balconies. A little further ahead, on the way Miraflores, another important area of the city, you can find the pucllana Indian Tom, an impressive pre-columbian ceremonial complex, which many assure is a very good starting point of the tour. Intense cultural and entertaining activities have characterized this city since the sixteenth century, and now it offers you a number of museums and art galleries as well as modern shopping centers and exciting night life. Another interesting aspect of the city is its rich ethnic fusion that can be seen in its ingenious and playful people, in the tradition of the Lord of the Miracles (El Señor de los Milagros), and also in the wide array of culinary options. In 1991 UNESCO declared Lima mankind's historial monunment, so don't  miss the opportunity to visit this fabulous city.