Circuito Mágico del Agua

The Parque de la Reserva was rebuilt around a set of thirteen fountains, and the result holds a record for the largest fountain complex in a public park. Some are simple jets and basins, some are interactive: a tunnel of arched water you walk through, and a labyrinth of jets that switch on and off and soak anyone who times it badly. The centrepiece is a long fountain used as a screen for projected images set to music, which runs several times each evening. Everything is lit after dark, which is when the park is worth visiting; by day the fountains run but the effect is ordinary.

What you actually see

• The Fantasía fountain - projections and music on a wall of water, several shows each evening.
• The tunnel fountain - an arched water passage you walk through without getting wet, in theory.
• The labyrinth - jets that turn on and off unpredictably, popular with children and soaking.
• The lit basins - the smaller fountains, coloured and changing through the evening.

When to go

Evening only, in practice. The lighting and the projection shows start after dark and run at fixed times posted at the entrance. The park closes one day a week and its hours are limited, so check before crossing the city. Weekends are busiest. Lima's winter evenings are damp and cold, which matters when the attraction is water.

Honest expectations

It is a municipal fountain park and the entertainment is fairly simple; adults without children in tow may find an hour is plenty. The projection show is dated and the music is loud. Queues form at the entrance on weekend evenings. The interactive fountains genuinely soak you and there is nowhere to dry off. Photography in low light is difficult.

Nearby

The Estadio Nacional is next door and central Lima is a short taxi ride north.