This is the 5th of the 6th finalists - New York to follow. Then get voting - see bottom of article

Lima gets a hard rap. Sitting dead centre on the coast of one of the most exotic travel destinations in the world, it is all too often seen as nothing more than a transport hub to the mystical Andes and their Incan relics, to Peru’s tropical Amazon region, or to glacial lakes beautiful mountain ranges.

Shrouded in sea fog for six months of the year, Lima looks dull at first sight. Home to a third of the country’s population, it is also home to a third of its pollution, poverty, traffic and noise.

But pull back that layer of fog, look passed the dusty streets, block out the sounds of a million car horns honking and I promise you there is more to the city than meets the eye.

The bloggers' travel guide to... Marrakesh

One of the six finalists in The Bloggers' Guide search for the best worldwide travel blogger on her home town

• Tangier: the complete guide

The bloggers' travel guide to... Singapore

One of the six finalists in The Bloggers' Guide search for the best worldwide travel blogger on his home town

The bloggers' travel guide to... Melbourne

One of the six finalists in The Bloggers' Guide search for the best worldwide travel blogger on his home town

The bloggers' travel guide to... Barcelona

One of the six finalists in The Bloggers' Guide search for the best worldwide travel blogger on his home town

I have lived here for almost three years, and I tell you, Lima truly is a fascinating place. It is rich in a culture that is warm, vibrant and deep rooted. It has a cuisine that is the talk of the culinary world.

It hides a pre-Columbian history that unbeknown to many actually outstrips that of places like Cusco. It was once the capital of the Spanish Empire and bares evidence of a colonial history that not only defines the city, but also the country and the continent.

To imagine, at one time, this was one of the most important and wealthiest cities in the world.

Five online resources

1. Keeping up with local news in a country where protests are a national pastime is a must. The most prominent local newspaper published in Lima is El Comercio, but if you need your news in English, try the Peruvian Times, the Andina news agency’s English language service or the expat-run site Living in Peru.

The site has information about the latest cultural events taking place in Lima, from culinary fairs to theatre shows, again, head over to the expat site and they list the week’s events below the news section.

2. For those visiting Lima for the first time, an obvious but sound suggestion is Lonely Planet offers some useful recommendations as well as a forum to ask any burning questions and receive help from fellow travellers.

More tourism-focused information can be gleamed from the excellent Peruvian tourist board website Peru.info, including maps, must-see sights and information on transport, lodging, weather and restaurants. If possible, seek out advice from locals or expats like me to put these lists of things to see and do into some kind of order of priority – we were all first time visitors once.

Times recommends

• Britain's top 10 New Year's Day brunches
• Mozambique's lost islands
• The best things to see and do in 2010