Lima weather month by month: when is the best time to visit?

Lima almost never sees rain and never sees frost, so "weather" here really means one thing: is the sun out or is it grey? The city sits on the Pacific coast in the tropics, but the cold Humboldt Current keeps it mild all year and produces the famous coastal mist, the garúa. The result is two seasons, and knowing them makes planning easy.

Summer: December to April

This is when Lima looks like the postcards. Sunny days, temperatures of 24-29 °C (75-85 °F) in the afternoon, warm evenings, and the malecón packed with runners, surfers and paragliders. The sea is at its warmest (still refreshing, around 20 °C). January to March is peak summer and also the school holidays in Peru, so restaurants and beaches are lively.

December: summer begins; sunny most days. Christmas and New Year's Eve are the busiest dates of the year on the coast.
January to March: the heart of summer. Sunsets from the terrace every evening.
April: still summer, a little softer; a great month with fewer crowds.

What to pack: light clothes, a hat and sunscreen (the UV index is high), and a light layer for the evening breeze on the seafront.

Winter: May to November

From May the mist rolls in. Temperatures stay mild, 15-19 °C (60-66 °F), it's humid, and the sky is often grey, especially June to September. It sounds worse than it is: it never rains properly, it's never cold, and Lima's real attractions (the food, the museums, Barranco, the historic center, the malecón walks) are all just as good. Locals call it the season for a good ceviche and a pisco sour.

May: the transition; still some sunny days.
June to August: the greyest months. Also the low-priced ones.
September to November: the mist lifts gradually; spring days, more sun, still low-season prices.

What to pack: a light jacket or sweater, long trousers for the evenings. No umbrella needed.

So when should you come?

For sun and the beach mood: January to March (book early for Christmas and New Year).
For value and fewer people: September to November, our low season, when rates at Lima Penthouse start at USD 150 per night for two, and April to May.
For a month-long stay to escape the northern winter: January to March, when it's snowing at home and summer here. See our guide to renting for a month in Miraflores.
If Lima is your gateway to Cusco and Machu Picchu: the Andes have the opposite calendar (dry and sunny May to September), so a spring or autumn trip balances both.

Whenever you come, the view from our terrace is the same Pacific, and the sunsets in summer are worth the trip on their own. Pick your dates on the home page and you'll see the price for your season instantly.