Semana Santa in Lima: Free Things to Do
If you’re like us, you relish long, holiday weekends in Lima. The sparse streets inviting your two wheels to rebel beyond the narrow barrier of the designated bike lane, the hushed grocery outings with the absence of a nerve-wracking 20-minute wait in line, the quiet evenings found with a book thanks to vacationing neighbors— it’s the small things that make misanthropists smile.
It’s still possible to get a change of scenery and escape routine if you stayed in Lima this Semana Santa, and these five activities (free of cost) prove it:
Photo courtesy of Museo MATE
MATE
This museum of fashion photographer Mario Testino has been housing some of the most exciting contemporary shows in Lima since its opening in 2012, and current temporary exhibits from French artist Yann Gerstberger and Peruvian Raura Oblitas will not disappoint. Inspired by his experience living abroad in Mexico City, Gerstberger’s colorful tapestries (“A Mangrove at Dusk”) will whet the appetites of textile lovers, while sculpture artist Oblitas (“LOTE”) uses her pieces to speak upon public space and the right to inhabit such areas.
When: Thursday-Saturday, 10:00am-6:30pm
Where: Avenida Pedro de Osma 409, Barranco
Photo: Casa Inclan Facebook
Casa Inclan
Books, plants, coffee. All of our basic needs under one roof. Take a stroll around this single-storey boutique shop and catch yourself swooning over the tranquil, picture-perfect atmosphere. Bookstore Babel offers up rarities in literature, Plantique provides the flora, and Zara Alanye awakens the soul with hot coffee and homestyle pastries. It’s an out-of-Lima experience in the heart of Miraflores, so get dressed and quick because it’s only open until 8pm this Thursday (April 18) during Semana Santa.
When: Thursday, 11am-8pm
Where: Calle Coronel Inclán 300, Miraflores
OMMA Cafe (Photo courtesy of Erick Andia)
Cafe con Editores
What’s the process behind getting published? Intimidating enough to crush your literary dreams, you say? One of Barranco’s newest cafe’s, OMMA Cafe, invites you for an afternoon of eye-opening ins and outs in the publishing world. Experts in the field such as Victor Ruiz of Editorial Planeta will lead the discussion that covers copyright issues, whether to go the route of print or virtual, and other dilemmas that have caused potential writers to hit CTRL-ALT-Backspace.
When: Friday, 5:30pm
Where: OMMA Cafe, Jr. Cajamarca 404, Barranco
Da Vinci Experience
Peru’s Ministry of Culture, in part with Lima’s Italian Cultural Institute (Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Lima) takes up back to the time of the Renaissance with their latest exhibit. “Da Vinci Experience and His Real Machines” is a family friendly sensory show of the vision and process behind the some of the polymath’s greatest works. Scaled reproductions, immersive areas and more await in this timely show that honors the quincentenary of Da Vinci’s passing.
When: Thursday-Sunday, 10am-5pm
Where: Sala Kuelap, Ministry of Culture, Av. Javier Prado Este 2465, San Borja
Britanico’s tribute to Ryszard Jaxa-Malachowski (Photo courtesy of Susana Lay)
Ryszard Jaxa-Malachowski
Architect, illustrator, and painter, Ricardo de Jaxa Malachowski (referred to as Ryszard in his native Poland) shared his perspective of Lima, his adoptive city, through his art as seen in the latest exhibit at Britanco’s cultural center. Running until May 21, the images are scenes from daily life in the early 20th century, interpreted through the eyes of a foreigner. Jaxa Malachowski’s time in Peru led to the design and creation of the Government Palace and countless other remarkable buildings that dot the city.
When: Thursday - Sunday, 2pm-8pm
Where: Britancio Cultural Center, Bellavista 531/ Malecón Balta 740, Miraflores