Chorrillos lies at the Southern-most point of the huge bay on which Lima sits, boasting phenomenal views of the coastal curve that starts at Callao on the northern point and, in the distance, the island of San Lorenzo (two other great Lima attractions which we'll get to another time). Founded as a deluxe beach resort in 1824, Chorrillos became a town in 1856 and was then incorporated into the city of Lima during the 20th century. Distinct from posh Miraflores or hipster Barranco, Chorrillos is still very much a local barrio, hosting Lima's only remaining artisan fishing community. The upmarket houses and apartment blocks of the malecón (broadwalk) are merely the gateway to a humble but proud neighbourhood behind, seeped in fisherman traditions which are still active today (and also birthplace of Paolo Guerrero, Peru's most famous footballer of recent times).
Weekend Beach Life
Lima is one of Latin America's few beach capitals and, whilst the grey Peruvian coastline may not have the glamour of Rio or the Caribbean cool of Havana, Lima's Andean-European demographic gives its beach life a unique charm and flavour of its own. Every day at dawn, surfers dot the horizon of a sparkling Pacific and the colourful fishing boats return to the playa de pescadores, where the city's sports enthusiasts are already out, swimming and paddle boarding in the sea and running along the beaches.
Then, on Saturday mornings, Lima residents start trickling down joyfully to playas Agua Dulce and Los Yuyos as they escape a tough week in a chaotic city. Teams of cheerleaders appear in their outfits, practicing dance routines with zest and laughter infront of amused onlookers. Down come families and groups of friends, bringing their favourite soundtracks of salsa, Latin rock and reggaetón, installing themselves for the day by pitching parasols and volley balls nets. Meanwhile, delicious morsels - leche de tigre, ceviche and pescado frito are presented by beach vendors and eagerly consumed. The sea is clean enough to swim and I love just sitting and soaking up the laughter and good vibes of city dwellers in their most relaxed moment.
El Malecón de Chorrillos
Above Los Yuyos beach, joggers, cyclers and strollers move at their various paces along the malecón, enjoying the spectacular view of the bay. Every Saturday, there is an organic farmers market, where you can buy everything from dairy products, exotic fruits and vegetables to oils made from rare amazonian nuts and seeds. And on festive days, it is the best spot in the city to watch the fireworks that Limeños love to set off. New Year's Eve is legendary - an exhileratingly chaotic experience requiring some skill which combines viewing the millions of fireworks from every household in the city up in the sky whilst dodging those being set off all around you. There is literally no other New Year's experience like it, if lightly life-threatening.
Music and Seafood at Sonia's
Up a small side street off the malecón, there is a colourful boat parked on the street, outside a green house, with the Peruvian flag flying above. Everyone knows it to be Sonia's, the restautant and music house belonging to Chorillos' most famous chef and maitron d'. On weekends, even from the malecón you can hear the faint tinkling of the piano and, as you get close, you'll be able to recognise the Latin American standards, played by Ernesto ‘Cachetes’ Vargas. For four hours straight on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, Cachetes will be churning out a century worth of hits from around the continent - from Cuban classics such as Besame Mucho and Lagrimas Negras Mexican boleros and rancheras, such as La Bikina and Cielito Lindo. You can listen to this songbook all afternoon whilst enjoying the great seafood dishes. At some point Sonia's husband will pay homage to his late wife by reciting poetry.
Playa de los Pescadores
The last beach on the bay, before you get to the excluive Club de Regatas, is reserved for the city's only artisan fishing community, playa de los pescadores. Next to it is the fish market which boast an extraordinary array of fresh fish, lobsters, sea urchins, scollops. Restaurants get the best of the first catch prepare ceviche and other dishes on the spot. Apart from being the home of the fisherman, Playa de Pescadores is also the sporty beach. Fisherman, fish and humans in wet suits cohabit seemlessly in this beloved shared harmoniously. You can also learn to padel board there.
The Fish Market
Right next to the beach you'll find the Chorrillos Artisanal Fishing Market, with a massive array of fish to buy, from Lobster and Scalllops to the catches of the day. The fish literally comes from the water, to the market, and then to your plate. Just watching the locals trade in the day's catch, carefully inspecting the quality of the product, is an education in itself. Next to the market, you'll find an array of eating house, where they are quickly preparing the fish dishes of the day from the day's catch. Stop by the "Chilcano" stand and pay 15 soles for a ceviche that you can share between two, as the portion is generous. You'll pay 9 soles for a daily menu with a fish fillet, rice, and fried or grilled yuca. This would be enough for two people.
Señor Chef
Another fantastic restaurant is a few blocks inland from the malecón on the main street. Owned by Alan, who previously worked at Makoto, one of the most famous Nikkei restaurants in Lima, every dish on Señor Chef's menu is exquisite, from the traditional Peruvian dishes such as (my favourite) Causa del pulpo al olivo and ceviches to the huge barcos (boats) of sushis and sashimis. A totally unpretentious abode, at Señor Chef its all about the food. Peru is the only country I've been to where traditional cooking can also result in something close to haute-cuisine and this naturally Nikkei cantina on un unglamorous main street is a prime example. Alans delivers the best of Peruvian cuisine, as good as you'll get in the most celebrated restaurants on Lima's gastronomic tourist route, at a fraction of the price. The Tuna Tataki is truly spectacular, and it also does great pisco sours.
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Herradura Surf Life
You see many serious cyclists wizzing along the malecón and they are invariably going to Herradura, which is only the other side at the cliff at the end of Chorillos' malecón. This tranquil spot among the dusty brown cliffs really feels like the end of the city, if not the end of the world. A popular spot for surfers, La Herradura is a point break off a cliffside that offers some of the best waves in Peru, particularly for intermediate to advanced surfers. Surf sites hail that it is the best spot in Lima proper - a long lefthand pointbreak that peels along the base of a stark, brown cliff - and for those like me who do not surf, watching the stick men as they ride the waves as the sun goes down is super relaxing.
El Salto del Freire
On the way to Herradura, just before you turn the corner, you can get the best view of the bay from the view point and just around the curve and its a wonderful peaceful place to sit and ponder over the Ocean. If you continue round the cliff there is a restaurant and a knife-edge cliff over twelve meters high, where remarkably people are allowed to walk over. Sometimes you see a man dressed as a monk jumping off it for tips in honour of "El Salto del Fraile" - the friar who, together with his secret lover, Clarita, committed suicide back in the early 1860s. Very dramatic!
