Cerro San Cristobal in Lima, Peru

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One place in Lima, Peru that many tourists fail to visit is Hill San Cristobal, called Cerro San Cristobal in Spanish. The hill is part of the Rimac valley mountain range and got its name in 1535, shortly after the Spaniards erected a large cross on the side of the hill. The site was selected because it was the closest hill to the majorly populated areas of Lima, meaning the majority would be able to see and visit the cross.

Since its construction, the cross has stood atop the hill looking over Lima, and although damaged by native tribes over time, it has prevailed. On a clear day (unlike the one when I visited) it is possible to see most, if not all, of Lima from the side of this hill. Even on the day I went, as overcast and drizzly as it was, I could see a vast majority of the city, from the colorful slums right below me, to the districts of San Isidro, Miraflores, and Barranco off in the distance.

Cerro San Cristobal is a site of pilgrimage for many Peruvians. The first Sunday of May and Easter Sunday are two days when masses of people flock to this cross, covering the entire hillside.

The Cerro San Cristobal was part of a tour that I took solo. A mini tour is offered by locals who direct you to a bus that begins at the Plaza de Armas and takes you to the hill for only 10 soles ($3.25). A great deal by any means, although I did not foresee how terrifying the bus ride would be. To get to the top of the hill we ascended on a very narrow road that seemed to only fit one-way traffic and came to a full stop when a car came the other way. As we rose, I looked out the window only to notice that we had inches of space before we would be rolling down the hill, and on top of that there were huge cracks in the road and people walking here and there. Simply enough, I was terrified. It was more frightening than the ride I took up to Machu Picchu during my Machu Picchu vacation package.

Once we reached the top safe and sound I had a little bit more faith in the bus driver and I was not really worried anymore. When I stepped out of the vehicle and looked around, all I saw was some shops to buy chips and other snacks, and a museum. The vast majority was just an empty parking lot and finally a huge cross in front of the museum. The space was truly not that large but it was littered with trash and in all I was not impressed, that is, until I looked over down on Lima below.

Below me, all of Lima was spread out and went on until the land met the horizon. Even on an overcast day, it was beautiful. The slums directly down the hill were especially my favorite though because they had so much more color than most other neighborhoods in the city. Miraflores, Barranco, and San Isidro are beautiful and have majestic views of the ocean, but none have the colors that were displayed below.

We stayed atop the hill looking down below just long enough for me to get some chips and a Coke and have a good look on all sides of the hill, but before I knew it we were boarding the bus again on our way back down to La Plaza de Armas. This is not a site that is visited by many tourists, but rather is more for local people to enjoy and pray at. With this being said, I still took this bus ride as a tourist, and in fact enjoyed it more than some of the conventional tourist sites in Lima. For 10 Soles, it was definitely worth the trip and especially the view, which in my opinion could match that of any beach setting in Lima. So be sure to consider a trip up Cerro San Cristobal during your next South America tour to Peru!

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