The district is considered to be the city's most romantic and bohemian, being the home and working place of many of Peru's leading artists, musicians, designers and photographers.

Today, Barranco's beaches are among the most popular within the worldwide surfing community, and a marina completed in 2008 provides state-of-the-art services for its yacht club.

The Bajada de los Baños is a walkway which lead from Barranco's municipal park and central business district to the Costa Verde Avenue and the beaches.

The bottom of the walkway leads to a viewpoint known as the Mirador Catalina Recavarren, built in late 1898 under the administration of Mayor Pedro Allemant Centeno (1896–1899).

[4] The park's church, Santísima Cruz, was built to replace the Hermitage of Barranco, damaged during the 1940 Lima earthquake.

It was consecrated by Juan Landázuri Ricketts on June 1, 1963, during a ceremony attended by Pedro and Angélica de Osma Gildemeister, who served as its godparents.

Saenz Peña is home to 19th century architecture and an Obelisk as well as a sculpture of famous cartoon heroine Mafalda overlooking part of the district's Malecón.

Barranco has many houses in the colonial and Republican style (called "casonas"), flower-filled parks and streets, and appealing beachfront areas.