Barranco
If you’ve been visiting my site for any period of time, you know that I was born and raised in Lima, Peru and that I often head back home and roam the city where I grew up.
This past January was no different, and once again I took the opportunity to head out on daily walks from my hotel to explore the streets of not just Miraflores, but also neighboring Barranco, a bohemian district full of colorful murals, hip coffee shops and beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.
January 2024, images/text: Martin Fernandez
Walking through Lima’s hippest District
During most of my visits I generally keep my walks close to home in Miraflores. This time around I chose to explore Barranco a little more. Barranco has always been a gathering place for artists and considered to be Lima’s hip “bohemian” district.
As you roam its streets you’ll encounter a myriad of colorful murals, hidden cafes, bars, shops and restaurants. La Bodega Verde (below) serves a phenomenal breakfast; I nearly missed it during one of my morning walks since workers were fixing the doors. As I walked by they opened them and reveled the little oasis within…
Probably one of my favorite things about Barranco are the colorful murals (some whimsical) that grace otherwise “bland” city walls. There are several murals by local artist Juan Carlos Chavez-Fernández around the city. The gem below is along la “Bajada de Baños” under one of Barranco and Lima’s most famous landmarks, “El Puente de Los Suspiros”.
BELOW: A few more murals found in and around Barranco.
BELOW: The view from the “Mirador Catalina Recavarren,” named after a local and influential poet who made Barranco her home. In the distance is the Morro Solar and Chorrillos, midway is the relatively new (2009) Lima Marina Club.
One of Barranco’s most visited sites is El Puente de Los Suspiros (the bridge of sighs) (below). Legend has it that if you cross its span and hold your breath, your wishes will come true.
The Bridge is at the center of Barranco’s bohemian identity and has been immortalized by Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda. The Plazuela below is dedicated to her memory.
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Plazuela Chabuca Granda and el Puente De los Suspiros.
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The Stairs leading to el Puente de los Suspiros along Plazuela Chabuca Granda .
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El Puente de los Suspiros as seen along the Bajada de Baños.
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La Bajada de Ba˜nos (left) and Calle La Ermita as seen from the Avenida San Martin overpass
Beyond the digital images above, I brought my Kodak Retina IIIc Film camera along for the trip so that I could also capture Barranco in Film. Last Fall I also captured several images of Miraflores in Film. I inherited the vintage camera from my dad, and have had the chance to shoot film not only in Peru, but also in Italy.
The images below are a handful of frames I shot with the Retina.
ABOVE: Local Limeños enjoying a day out in Barranco. The beaches of la Costa Verde below are easily accessible from MIraflores and Barranco and are popular with local surfers.
The camera is a joy to shoot with and requires a little more thought than just aiming. I’ve found that when I bring the Retina along, I pay a lot more attention to composition. It’s really helped me appreciate photography much more and has also helped me become much more aware of my surroundings.
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Bajada de Baños; People make their way down to and back up to Barranco from the Costa Verde beaches below along the Bajada de Baños.
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A local landscaper ptiently waters the plants and trees that adorn la Plazuela Chabuca Granda in Barranco.
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El Puente de los Suspiros as seen from the Chabuca Granda Plazuela. The Bridge of Sighs is at the center of Barranco’s Bohemian Identity.
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El Puente de los Suspiros as seen from the Bajada de Baños. Legend has it that if you hold your breath when you cross its span your wishes will come true.
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The Monument to Chabuca Granda is made up by a pair of stone statues located at the Plazuela Chabuca Granda in Barranco, including this on of the Peruvian singer-songwriter.
ABOVE: The sun setting on Barranco. The Bohemian district will come alive at night.
Other than some minor cropping and straightening, the images are as they came out of the camera. I’ve done no color, exposure correction, or any other digital work on them.
This journal entry is a “summary” compilation of entries I made in my Moleskine travel journal. Whenever I travel I bring it along for the ride and jot things down so I don’t forge them. I also bring with me a small Digital Bluetooth Printer so I can print out selected images, obviously, none of the ones you see here. The photo paper used on these little Zink printers has an adhesive back so that I can easily peel and paste it in my journal.