For a desert city, Lima has a surprising amount of greenery and green spaces. Not really sure what that means about the city’s water usage, but it definitely makes it an appealing place in which to wander. Most of the parks in Lima have something that makes it unique and it’s these things that make it fun to visit them. Here are three parks you should check out during your visit to Lima.

Parque Kennedy

This park was a lot smaller than I expected but it was neat to have a green space right in the middle of Miraflores’ busy traffic. The highlight of this park is the cats. That’s right – you can get your cute kitty fix here! Parque Kennedy has tons of cats wandering about, lazing in the sun, or watching you as you watch them. No one really knows for sure why the cats are here but they certainly have taken over Parque Kennedy as their own. The cats all look cared for – apparently, the municipality ensures they are sterilized and there are groups out there that take care of their general health.

Parque del Amor

This park lies along the cliff coast of Miraflores. Here, you’ll find all sorts of things – people lounging on the grass, people doing exercise, people admiring the ocean from mosiac’d seating that seems to have escaped from Barcelona’s Parc Guell, people paragliding, people cozying up to their loved one next to the statue called “The Kiss”… It’s a popular park and as such, it’s a great place to people watch. Grab a snack, pull up a bench, and chill with the ocean breeze as the sun sets. Though, if you’re anti-PDA like me, you may not end up staying very long or you may prefer going at high noon instead…

Parque de la Reserva

Most people only come out here for the Water Magic Circuit show. If you do go to this slightly out of the way park, I suggest arriving before the sun sets so you can enjoy the space before it gets dark and crowded. The flowers are pretty and you can take nice photos of the various fountains before the show starts. I was very happy we did as I much more enjoyed the fountains from a photography point of view before the show than during the show. Parque de la Reserva is the Guinness Book record holder for the largest fountain complex in the world with 13 fountains spread out in a park space. All are illuminated at night with coloured lights. El Circuito Magico del Agua (The Magic Water Circuit) show, is a water and light performance. During the show, colourful laser lights mixed with music combine with water arcing into the air in various patterns. It’s a nice way to end your evening!