Lima currently has an extension of 2,664.67 km² (total area of the province) through the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers and the desert between them. Many commercial establishments such as pharmacies, supermarkets and stores serve the public 24 hours a day and some operate without closing throughout the year. This is especially observed in the Services area (supermarkets, gas stations, banks, shopping centers, restaurants, etc.). Lima has large and modern shopping centers, approximately 15 throughout Metropolitan Lima, including the province of Callao.
There is a wide range of nightlife centers such as bars and discos, spread around bohemian districts such as Barranco, Miraflores and residential and business areas such as San Isidro, San Borja, La Molina, Santiago de Surco. It is worth highlighting the economic boom that emerging sectors of the city are having and where an important commercial movement is generated, among them the Los Olivos District (north of Lima) where commercial activity has the record of highest sales in the capital exceeding long to traditional districts such as Miraflores or San Isidro, or the particular case of the District of San Juan de Lurigancho, which with its 898,443 residents has an export that exceeds some regions of the interior, which is an indicator of progress that is already the subject of analysis by many economists and attraction for many investors.
The city
Before the Viceroyalty , the so-called City of the Kings was an important religious center for its residents, proof of this is the archaeological complex of Pachacámac, which was invaded and looted by the Spanish. Later in the Viceroyalty, Spain was in charge of building, in the Hispanic way, on the foundations of indigenous buildings, large houses, cathedrals and squares. Lima was also known as the “garden city” due to the large number of parks it had, especially at the beginning of the 20th century. Today the city tries to recover the greenery that characterized it at that time. Beautiful parks, ornamental fountains and tree-lined avenues can be seen in multiple neighborhoods.
Sports
The main sport practiced in Lima is Soccer, as in the rest of the country. In the mid- nineteenth century, the first soccer teams began to emerge in Peru, which led to the subsequent organization of soccer clubs or the inclusion of this sport in clubs already formed. La Liga Peruana de Fútbol was created on 27 February of the 1912 and beginning one had teams Lima that were reinforced with players’ chalacos “(from the province of El Callao).
Currently, four teams from Lima participate in the First Division of Peru: Alianza Lima, Sporting Cristal, Universidad San Martín de Porres and Universitario de Deportes. Alianza Lima, Sporting Cristal and Universitario de Deportes are considered the most important teams in the country. Between these clubs the superclassic and the modern classic of Peruvian soccer are traditionally disputed, and together they are the most popular in Peru.
The main sports venue in Lima for the practice of soccer is the National Stadium of Peru, inaugurated in 1952, which has a maximum capacity for 45,574 spectators. Other important football stadiums are: the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium(headquarters of the Alianza Lima Club), the Monumental Stadium (headquarters of the University Sports Club), the Municipal Stadium of Chorrillos, the National University of San Marcos Stadium and the San Martín Stadium. of Porres.
Other sports less practiced in the city, but no less important, are: Athletics, Triathlon, Badminton, Cycling, Horse Riding, Futsal, Karate, Paleta Fronton, Paragliding, Rugby, Squash, Surfing, Tennis, Table tennis, Shooting, Triathlon and sailing. For the practice of these other sports, the city of Lima has: the Mariscal Cáceres Coliseum (owned by the Peruvian Army), the Eduardo Dibós Coliseum, the Amauta Coliseum, the Campo de Marte (owned by the Peruvian Sports Institute), the Terrazas de Miraflores Tennis Club, the Lawn Tennis Club of the Exhibition (headquarters of the Davis Cup Team of Peru), the Lima Cricket and Football Club and the Athletics Stadium of the National Sports Village. Also noteworthy is the fact that the city itself has 7 golf courses and the Monterrico Racecourse in the Surco district (owned by the Jockey Club of Peru).
The city has hosted various important events, in Lima four editions of the Copa América were played (1927, 1935, 1939, 1953 and the final in 2004), and the 2005 U-17 Soccer World Cup. In January 2009, the first date of the World Qualifying Seriesof Surf was held in Lima, and in November the sixth date of the ASP World Tour will be held in the female branch.
Regarding multidisciplinary competitions, Lima hosted the II Bolivarian Games in 1947 and the IV South American Games in 1990. Currently the city of Lima is a candidate to host the XVII Pan American Games in 2015, the final verdict will be announced between July or August of the 2009 by PASO. There is also talk of a possible candidacy to host the Olympic Games in 2020 or 2024.
Parks and gardens
According to zipcodesexplorer, the largest parks in Lima are located on the outskirts of the city and are known as Parks Zonales, while in the historic center are the Reserve Park, the Park of the Exhibition, the Champ de Mars and University Park. The Reserve Park has the largest pool complex in the world, known as “The Magic Water Circuit”. Several other important parks are found in various parts of the city, such as Bosque el Olivar, Parque Reducto No. 2, Pantanos de Villa, Parque de las Leyendas, Malecón de Miraflores and Parque Kennedy, to name a few..
