Parque de la Exposición

What makes it special

Antonio Leonardi, an Italian architect, gave the Palacio de la Exposición its neo-Renaissance design, and the palace was finished in 1871 for the national exhibition. Its iron columns were imported from Europe, and their making is attributed to the Eiffel firm.

Four smaller pavilions stand in the grounds: the Pabellón del Presidente, the Sismógrafo, the octagonal Byzantine pavilion and the Moorish pavilion. The Byzantine and Moorish pavilions are ornamental buildings in exotic styles, used for travelling exhibitions and workshops.

The grounds also hold a Japanese garden, a botanical garden and the Teatro Sebastián Salazar Bondy, once called La Cabaña. A large fountain was a gift from Lima's Chinese community.

The amphitheatre seats 4,500 and stages large open-air concerts. The artificial lagoon, ringed by tree-lined paths, is home to wild ducks and fish.

Visiting

A walk here starts at Gate 3, MALI's pedestrian gate on Paseo Colón. Stand back from the palace first to take in its whole front.

From there, head out across the lawns to the pavilions. The sights are spread across the park, so make the lagoon your fixed point: you can take a pedal boat out on it, or walk the paths round its edge.

Come back to the palace to leave. MALI is ticketed separately from the free park, so go in on the way out if you have time for the galleries.