Lima is the capital of the Republic of Peru city. It is located on the central coast of the country , along the Pacific Ocean , forming a vast and populous urban area known as the Lima Metropolitan flanked by coastal and desert spread over the valleys of the Chillón , Rímac and Lurín rivers. It is the most populous city and was founded with the name of Ciudad de los Reyes. The Cuzco or Cusco ( latest official spelling ) , is a city in southeastern Peru , located on the eastern slope of the Andes , in the basin of river Huatanay . Was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire and one of the most important cities of the Viceroyalty of Peru . Declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO, is often called , due to the large number of monuments which has , as the " Rome of America " .