What to do at night in Cusco? Best ways to enjoy a night in Cusco City

The Cusco night is a fun place to be! Nightlife in Cusco offers a bit of everything. For a relatively small city, it is packed with good eateries, pubs, dance clubs and much more to beckon all of you night owls. For those who looking for party time, at night downtown Cusco is a party town! And if you prefer quieter venues for relaxing and socializing, yes, we definitely have that, too.

The nighttime atmosphere in the historic downtown is enhanced by its unique architecture. Its many plazas, cobblestone streets, lighted fountains, Inca and colonial buildings and walls, vintage-style lampposts and all those lights twinkling on the hills above give Cusco its exotic ambience- it’s perfect for romantic walks.

One night in Cusco City

Day or night, take a stroll up from the Plaza de Armas along Triunfo and Hatunrumyoc streets up to the grand fountain at Plaza San Blas. You’ll be charmed, and you’ll find plenty to eat, along with fine drinks and varied entertainment.

Start off your evening with a delicious dinner. Cusco restaurants offer everything from fine international dining, to traditional Peruvian specialties, to good ol’ hearty comfort food.
On the main Plaza de Armas, restaurants including Limo and Ceviche offer excellent seafood and sushi, burgers and beer at nearby Papacho’s, vegetarian fare at Greens and many others, and yummy pizza and craft beer at Bodega 138 are just a few of the many choices within a block of the main Plaza.
Many more restaurants are found along Plateros Street, up in the San Blas neighborhood, or really any direction walking from the main square.

Later, you’re in the mood for some refreshing after dinner drinks? First-class cocktail lounges and pubs abound around the main Plaza and on the surrounding streets.

Fine drinks of all kinds, with delicious snacks and tapas, are served at two of Cusco’s best cocktail lounges (which have similar names): La República del Pisco, and El Museo del Pisco, both within a block of the main square.

Remember, Pisco is Peru’s traditional grape brandy, the main ingredient in a wide variety of amazing cocktails and infusions made with exotic tropical fruits. You can’t miss trying a Pisco Sour, the most traditional Pisco cocktail. The list of creative and unique infusions goes from there, and it’s up to you to discover your own favorites.

Many microbreweries have opened in Peru in the past five or so years, and craft beers can now be found everywhere in Cusco.

Bars and pubs

Norton’s and Paddy’s, both just across the street from the Plaza de Armas, are two of of Cusco’s traditional and most lively pubs. Great places for quaffing good beer and hanging out with your friends, dive-bar style. The pub with the best view of the city is Limbus Restobar, up in the San Blas neighborhood.
Other nighttime hot spots include Nuevo Mundo, Cholo’s, Los Perros, La Emololienteria and many others. The trick is to choose the places that are best for your taste, and that might take time and wandering, so hopefully you’ll have a few nights to roam the downtown.
For all night dancing, Cusco night clubs are wild, loud, and pure enjoyment. Mama Africa and Ukukus are two hot spots, offering a musical blend of techno-pop, salsa, reggae, regatón, rock and whatever the DJ happens to be spinning.

All this being said, a friendly suggestion- please remember that at this altitude, alcohol is best avoided on your first day- you might want to drink very lightly or opt for virgin drinks on your first night out, so as to not risk a terrible headache.

However, most people adapt pretty quickly to the altitude, so don’t worry much. Also, even though downtown is pretty safe, you might consider a taxi or walking to your hotel with company, just to avoid any unexpected unpleasantness. As you would anywhere in the world, be aware and be wise.

How to experience all this fun? One way is to contact us at andeanlodges.comto reserve your acclimatization tour of Cusco, which includes plenty of time to experience all that Cusco has to offer. Then, follow that with one of our treks to Ausangate, and make it the trip of a lifetime!