Mercado Central Lima

The Mercado Central occupies a block in the old centre next to Calle Capón and the Barrio Chino, and it is where Lima's downtown does its shopping: fruit piled by the crate, fish and shellfish, meat, herbs and dried goods, kitchenware, and rows of counters selling set lunches, caldo de gallina, ceviche and chifa dishes for a few soles. It burned down in 1964 and was rebuilt, and it has been reorganised repeatedly since. The surrounding streets - Ucayali, Andahuaylas, Paruro - continue the market outward in a dense informal sprawl that spills over the pavements, selling everything from electronics to plastic goods, and the whole area is one of the busiest parts of Lima. It sits directly beside the Chinese quarter, so a market visit and a chifa lunch are the same trip. Standard central Lima precautions apply.

What you actually see

• The market halls - fruit, fish, meat, herbs and dried goods in dense aisles.
• The lunch counters - caldo, ceviche and set menús for a few soles.
• The surrounding streets - informal trade spilling across whole blocks.
• The Barrio Chino - the Chinese quarter directly alongside.

When to go

Year-round. Mornings for produce; midday for the food counters. One to two hours. Sundays are quieter inside and busier outside.

Honest expectations

Extremely crowded, and pickpocketing in this area is common - carry nothing loose. Wet floors and strong smells. Food counters vary; pick busy ones. The surrounding streets are chaotic and not a place to wander after dark.

Nearby

The Barrio Chino is adjacent; the Plaza Mayor is a few blocks west.