Cooking Class + Market Tour + City Walking Tour (Full Day).

This Lima experience is interesting because it stitches together three parts that usually feel separate: buying ingredients, learning Peruvian cooking hands-on, and then walking Lima’s classic sights with a real guide. The market-to-meal format keeps the day practical, and the small group size helps you get personal attention.

I like the chef-guided market stop in Surquillo, where you shop for the exact items you’ll later cook. I also like the old-city pacing, with short, focused photo and history moments tied to major landmarks like Plaza San Martin, Jirón de la Unión, and the Cathedral. One thing to keep in mind is that it is a full 8-hour day starting around 8:30 am, so plan for some walking and standing.

Key Things You’ll Appreciate About This Full Day in Lima

• Surquillo Market No. 2 shopping with a chef so you buy ingredients that match your meal
• Ceramic-pot cooking designed to keep flavors natural
• Lunch included with appetizers, a fruit festival, a starter, and a main course
• Catacombs at Museo Convento San Francisco with an included ticket
• Old Lima highlights on a guided walk, from Plaza San Martin to Plaza de Armas
• Private round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, max 10 people

Market No. 2 Surquillo: Shopping for Lunch Like You Mean It

The day kicks off with hotel pickup, then you head to Market No. 2 in Surquillo with your chef and guide. This is not a quick glance and leave stop. You walk stands, learn what Peruans buy every day, and then you purchase the ingredients you’ll cook later.

I love this part because it turns the cooking class into something you can actually repeat at home. When you understand the ingredients, you start to notice flavors and textures instead of just following a recipe. You also get a sense of local food culture right away, from the produce choices to the way the market is organized.

One practical detail: the market stop runs about 45 minutes. That is enough time to shop with purpose, but it still moves at a lively pace. If you like slow browsing, keep your expectations realistic, and treat this as ingredient hunting first, souvenir shopping second.

Cooking Class at Haku Tours: Ceramic Pots, Real Technique, Real Food

Once you’ve got your ingredients, the group moves to the kitchen area. Before cooking starts, you chop and prep in a guided way so everything is ready to go. In a nice touch, they use ceramic pots, described as a method that helps keep flavors natural, like cooking the traditional way.

The class includes multiple courses, not just one dish. You’ll cover appetizers, a fruit festival, a starter, and a main course, and lunch happens during the cooking session. Bottled water and snacks are included, which matters when you are learning and eating on the same clock.

From one of the best parts I took away, the hosts make the menu feel adjustable for your group. In one case I heard, the guide Jose helped participants pick from a set of appetizers and entrees, then the team worked from that choice at the cooking station. It is a small-group vibe, not a factory line.

Also, pay attention to how the chef and guides handle the workflow. Prepping happens early, cooking follows, and you get chances to taste as fruits and dishes come together. It is the kind of structure that makes the class fun even if you are not a confident cook.

Diet note: a vegetarian option is available, but you need to request it when you book. If you have other dietary restrictions, tell the operator ahead of time, because the class is built around what you purchase in the market.

The City Walk Starts at Plaza San Martin, Then Keeps Tightening the Story

After lunch, your guided sightseeing shifts from cooking to walking. First comes Plaza San Martin, a square locals love for its gardens and atmosphere. Your guide gives context on Peru’s people and local life, and you get an easy entry point to the rest of old Lima.

Next is Jirón de la Unión, often called an unmissable street. This is where you get the architecture fix: wooden balconies, church altars, and religious details, plus everyday street life like shops and local music. You also get panoramic viewing moments along the way, so you are not just walking past buildings, you are stopping to look.

The time windows here are short, so don’t expect museum-depth explanations at every stop. Instead, treat these segments as guided orientation. You’re getting the feel of where things sit, what matters visually, and how Lima’s colonial-era influence shows up in the urban layout.

If you want to make this walk work for you, come with comfortable shoes and a mindset of quick snapshots. The tour moves, then pauses, then moves again.

San Francisco Monastery and Catacombs: The Stop That Changes Your Pace

One of the most memorable parts of the day is the Monastery of San Francisco and the Catacombs. You head there after the walk around Jirón de la Unión and some street travel between areas. The Catacombs entry is included, and this is the kind of attraction where the scale and atmosphere do more than fill time.

This stop is framed as a window into Lima life during the colonial era, covering the 16th through 18th centuries. You learn about the traditions of city inhabitants during that period, and you see why the site is often described as one of Lima’s standout experiences.

Time is tight here too, at about 30 minutes. That is enough to get the impact of the place without rushing so hard you miss key details. If you tend to like to read everything slowly, you might wish for longer, but for most people this duration hits a good balance.

Palacio de Gobierno, Cordano Bar, and the Cathedral: Quick Hits With Big Name Recognition

After the catacombs, you get a cluster of famous landmarks with tight viewing windows.

At Palacio de Gobierno, you get a panoramic look at the presidential residence and workspace, with background from your guide. The changing of the guard happens daily, and even with a short stop you get the sense of why this area matters in national life. The viewing time is about 5 minutes, so focus on photos and the guide’s explanation.

Then you stop at RESTAURANTE CORDANO, known as one of Peru’s oldest official bars and famous for past presidents and writers, including Ernest Hemingway. This is also a useful palate moment. The bar is tied to classic Peruvian dishes like aji de gallina and ceviches, and it’s well known for pisco sours. The tour treats it like a quick visit, not a full meal here, but it helps set up the day’s pisco angle.

Next is Lima Cathedral, where you get a panoramic view for photos. The explanation centers on the cathedral’s colonial power and rules about church construction height. It is a short stop at about 5 minutes, but the building’s presence makes every minute worth it.

Pasaje Santa Rosa and Santo Domingo: Short Stops With Meaning

Two smaller stops help round out the story of Lima beyond big plazas.

At Pasaje Santa Rosa, you visit a street locals use for day-to-day life and you may see temporary exhibitions. There is also a strong cultural note here: the place is tied to a sacred rock used by still-living native communities for offerings and rituals connected to Mother Earth. You get a learning moment that feels different from the colonial focus elsewhere in the day.

Then there’s the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo. The tour describes it as one of the oldest convents in South America, with a historical note about its tower size in the 17th century. This stop is mainly from the outside, and the tour note even says you might get a quick look inside only if the church is open.

These two stops are brief, around 5 minutes each, so they work best as context builders. If your interest leans toward religion, indigenous traditions, and how they coexist in modern Lima, you’ll appreciate the variety.

Plaza de Armas: The Big Square, Plus a Quick Market Detour

The day’s walking finale is Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor). This is a major highlight and the guide connects it to Spain-influenced architecture from the colonial period. You also see it surrounded by early palaces and mansions from the colonial era, with a central garden that makes the square feel like more than just a photo spot.

Before you reach Plaza de Armas, there’s a short walk on Ancash Street to visit the Happy Inka market. The focus here is on local indigenous carvings and textiles, and you get the chance to buy a souvenir. The time for this segment is short, around 20 minutes, so keep purchases simple and stick to what you can carry comfortably.

Pisco Moment Built Into a Food and Sights Day

The tour overview includes a pisco tasting session, and the day’s food theme lines up with that. You’re not just tasting for novelty. You’re tasting after seeing ingredients at a market and after eating a multi-course Peruvian lunch you helped cook.

Even if you don’t become a pisco expert by the end of the day, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of where pisco fits into everyday Lima culture. That is the real value of pairing it with context instead of treating it like a standalone stop.

Price and What You Get From $110 Per Person

At $110 per person for about 8 hours, this can feel like a lot until you break down what’s included.

You are paying for:

• a professional chef
• a full lunch during the cooking class
• snacks and bottled water
• a professional guide
• entrance tickets to the Catacombs
• an air-conditioned vehicle for transport
• and round-trip private transportation from your Lima hotel

So you are not arranging separate tickets, transport, and guided time. It is a package designed for convenience, especially if this is your first day in Lima or if you don’t want to figure out logistics.

What costs extra is basically drink add-ons: alcoholic beverages are for sale, and soda/pop is for sale. If you keep drinks simple, your total spend stays pretty predictable.

Also, the group size matters for value. With a maximum of 10 travelers, you’re more likely to get help during cooking and enough attention during the walking stops.

Small Group Feel: Guides Matter

One thing that came through in strong feedback was how the guides keep the day smooth and personal. I heard stories of pickup happening early, plus a sense that the hosts actually check in and make sure everyone understands what’s next.

Guide names that stood out:

• Jose, mentioned as a guide who coordinated early pickup and helped with course choices during the cooking class.
• Nindi, described as the chef who supervised the cooking flow and worked with the group.
• Filippe, described as another guide who handled much of the walking tour and discussion of old Lima architecture and history.

Even without focusing on names, the point for you is clear. When the guiding is this hands-on, the day feels like Lima is being explained to you, not just shown to you.

Who This Full-Day Lima Combo Is Best For

This tour is a good match if you want:

• hands-on Peruvian cooking with real market ingredients
• a guided walk that covers major old Lima landmarks without you planning each stop
• enough structure that you can enjoy the day even if Lima is new to you

It also works well for people who like the “taste and learn” style of travel, where food is the entry point into culture. If you are traveling with someone who loves food but also wants history and architecture, this format is a strong pairing.

Less ideal if:

• you hate tight schedules or short viewing stops
• you want a long, slow museum day instead of a mix of short sites
• you prefer public transit only, since this day relies on included private transport

Should You Book This Tour?

Book it if you want one day in Lima that combines market shopping, cooking, pisco, and guided city sights with minimal stress. The strongest reason is the way the cooking class is tied to what you buy in Surquillo, then backed up by an expert guide across iconic old-city locations.

Skip it if you already have a separate cooking plan and you mainly want deep, stand-alone time in catacombs or museums. This day is designed for variety, not for long solitary exploration.

One last practical tip: since it is commonly booked around 21 days in advance, if you’re traveling at a popular time, lock it in sooner rather than later.

FAQ

How long is the full-day cooking class, market tour, and walking tour?

It lasts about 8 hours (approx.).

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Av. José Larco 724, Miraflores 15074, Peru, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

Is transportation included?

Yes. You get round-trip private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle from your Lima hotel.

What’s included in the cooking class lunch?

Lunch is included, with appetizers, a fruit festival, a starter, and a main course.

Are catacombs tickets included?

Yes. Entrance tickets to the Catacombs at Museo Convento San Francisco are included.

Is there a vegetarian option?

Yes, a vegetarian option is available. Tell the operator when booking.

Do I have to pay extra for drinks?

Alcoholic beverages and soda/pop are for sale, so those are not included. Bottled water and snacks are included.

How big is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 10 travelers.

What is the cancellation timeframe for a full refund?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience’s start time.