Perhaps this is naive of me, but before arriving to Cusco, I did not think of it as a party place. I was caught up in the culture, history, and archeology I would see, but Cusco has shown me it has another side. The Plaza De Armas and surrounding areas are filled with nightclubs and bars that guarantee a good time.
So far, I have gone out in Cusco three times.
1. The first time, I went to a bar called Nuevo Mundo. It is definitely a tourist spot, but they have great mojitos and happy hour deals. Here I tried Pisco Sour (the drink of Peru, pictured above). It is made with lime juice, simple syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters. It is very, very sour. They also have food options (I did not try it) and a veggie burger on the menu! As a vegetarian, I am excited to go back and try that as Cusco is not very vegetarian friendly. They also have a live music band (they play soft rock mostly). Following this bar, my friends and I headed to a club called Inca Team. It was 3 floors of American Music and strobe lights. It was a fun place, but given I had obligation the following morning, we left early.
2. The second night I went out, it was with my host brother. This was definitely a more Cusqueño experience of nightlife. After grabbing dinner at the mall, we headed to the Plaza. There, we started the night at a hip bar with darts and outdoor balcony seating overlooking the plaza. We drank Cusqueño beer and watched the rain fall over the plaza. From there, we walked across the Plaza to Chupeteria (a shot bar). It was also a tourist-y location, but I definitely recommend. They have ski shots and great shot specials (6 for S./36). They also have absinth for those who are daring.
After the "pre-game", we headed to the club my host brother works in (Caos). It is a few blocks outside of the Plaza De Armas, and definitely Cusqueño. My friend and I were the only foreigners. They mostly played Spanish music and danced salsa all night. It was massive, people didn't speak English, and it was unlike anything I would have experienced or found exploring Cusco without a Cusqueño .
3. My third time going out was in celebration of a friend's birthday. We started the night at Chupeteria again. I got a mojito and had the Gaylord shot. Our group stayed there mingling for some time before 4 of us headed to Mama Africa. This 3 floor dance club was my favorite of all the places I've been in Cusco. They played a good mix of English and Spanish music with strobe lights everywhere. They had a bar (that I did not order anything at), that I danced on for a greater portion of the night. They had employees pouring shots in guests mouths and sprayed foam from behind the bar. We danced for what feels like forever and had a great night.
After leaving Mama Africa, we stopped by Inca Team again to redeem our free drinks and dance a little more. Our stop was brief as we headed to Indigo, a relaxed bar/lounge. We made nice conversation with our server and ordered a drink called Adios MF. It was the strongest drink I've ever tried in my life and the splash of sprite did nothing to mask the vodka, rum, gin, and curaçao in my glass. It was a happy hour special 2 for S./30, but I should have heeded the warnings before ordering. They had food and my friend ordered a Pad Thai while I ate Falafel I had bought on the street. It was a very chill place to end the night. From there we headed back home after a wild night in the plaza.
While it was fun to experience, I don't think I will be going out every weekend here. It can get expensive quickly in touristy locations. Additionally, there are so many places to explore around Cusco on the weekends that hangovers and recovery days are a waste of my time here. Nonetheless, it was amazing to get a taste of Cusco nightlife and I highly recommend anyone who is here to check it out.
Stay tuned for my upcoming post on Lake Humantay!
XX Didi
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