LIMA - CITY OF KINGS AND EMPIRES Get a true sense of the historical and cultural roots of Lima, before and after it was founded as the “City of the Kings”, and of the Pre-Incan and Incan empires that existed before the Spanish conquest of Peru. Enjoy some fine Peruvian cuisine of today that surely is a reflection of its rich and marvelous past. Start your tour of this city of Lima by stepping back to the time to 1535, when this city was founded as the “City of the Kings”: you will visit the Aliaga House, an ancient vice-regal house set upon land next to the Government House, which the conquistador founder, Francisco Pizarro, bestowed to one of his captains, Jerónimo de Aliaga, at the time so they could be neighbors. Construction of the Aliaga House started on the same year, and quite amazingly, this genuine jewel of the colonial architecture, the oldest house in the Americas, is still currently inhabited by Aliaga’s descendants. You will find an eclectic style of décor going back centuries, and a wide collection of Peruvian art and artifacts, including Aliaga’s sword used in the conquest of Peru. A stone’s throw away is the city’s main square of the city already known by the name of Lima when Peru proclaimed its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821. There you will see the Presidential Palace, the Archbishop's Palace and the Lima Cathedral. You will also visit Saint Francis' Church, which has an enviable collection of old books and an authentic network of catacombs open to the public. Next for some gold, silver and eroticism all at once! On your tour to the Pueblo Libre district, you will visit the Larco museum. The museum, located inside a vice regal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid of the 7th century, shows the most complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artifacts as well pieces of erotic art. Be amazed by the pristine condition and the completeness of the astounding collection of 5000 years of pre-Colombian treasures and artifacts at this world class museum founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926. Marvel at the high degree of development achieved by the many cultures that flourished before the Inca Empire. You will have time to appreciate the Larco museum grounds and its treasures during and after lunch at their delightful Café del Museo Larco. At the café, you get to savor yet another Peruvian treasure – its superb cuisine.