Diego Rios — Food & Culture Writer, Pueblo Libre Lima

Diego Rios is a Peruvian travel writer, food guide, and local expert based in Pueblo Libre, Lima. He covers the food, coffee, nightlife, and culinary culture of the district for Pueblo Libre Lima, writing from the perspective of someone who grew up here and whose family is still based in the neighbourhood.

Born in Peru and raised between Lima, Cusco, and Sweden, Diego brings an international eye to deeply local knowledge. He speaks five languages — a product of a childhood split between South America and Scandinavia — and spent seven years studying and living in Australia, where he graduated from Griffith University on the Gold Coast with a double degree in Government & International Relations and International Business.

Before turning to writing, Diego worked in Cusco as a bartender and guide, developing hands-on knowledge of Peruvian food, pisco, and the kind of local experiences that don’t appear in guidebooks. He has since spent time travelling Southeast Asia and South America, and returned to Lima ready to share what he knows best: the streets, markets, bars, and restaurants of Pueblo Libre.

Diego’s Tours in Pueblo Libre

Diego leads two tours in and around Pueblo Libre, both bookable online:

His free walking tour of Pueblo Libre runs approximately two hours from Plaza Bolívar, covering the district’s revolutionary history, the Quinta de los Libertadores, Taberna Queirolo, Santa María Magdalena church, the local market, and the Boulevard del Criollismo. The tour is conducted in English and operates on a pay-what-you-feel basis. Book through GuruWalk.

https://www.guruwalk.com/walks/61879-free-walking-tour-pueblo-libre-lima-peru

His food tour — the Magdalena Market Food and Fruit Tasting Tour as Local — takes small groups through the Magdalena Market for an immersive introduction to Lima’s culinary culture. Guests taste signature dishes, traditional snacks, and exotic Peruvian ingredients with a guide who actually lives and eats here. Priced at $65 USD per person, bookable through GetYourGuide.

https://www.getyourguide.com/south-america-l207847/lima-magdalena-market-food-and-fruit-tasting-tour-as-local-t1322255

Find Diego’s writing

Diego shares his broader travel adventures — from Lima and Cusco to Southeast Asia and beyond — on his own blog, Just Cruising Around. His writing on Pueblo Libre Lima focuses specifically on where to eat, what to drink, and how to experience the district’s food culture the way locals do.

https://justcruisingaround.com

Articles by Diego Rios on Pueblo Libre Lima