By early evening the streets around the Plaza de Armas fill with diners, vendors and travellers, and the churches, shops, restaurants and bars that surround the square stay busy well into the night. Further out, the pace is set by neighbourhood markets, small bars and dance schools rather than by any single strip.
Cusco's nightlife is spread across a historic centre that is easy to walk, with the main square as the anchor and a handful of other pockets within a short walk of it. It suits visitors who want an evening built around eating, drinking and talking rather than a long, formal night out, and who are happy to move between a square, a market street and a dance floor on foot.
Where to go out in Cusco
1. Plaza de Armas and the historic centre
The Plaza de Armas is the park square at the heart of the historic centre, surrounded by churches, shops, restaurants and bars. It is the obvious place to start an evening and to return to later, since the surrounding streets keep the same mix of places to eat and drink.
Expect street vendors and hawkers selling cheap paintings and other souvenirs in and around the square; the sources note they are everywhere here and that they somewhat spoil the experience. If you want a quieter evening, treat the square as a starting point and drift into the surrounding streets.
2. Plaza de San Francisco and the main market
A few blocks southwest of the centre, Plaza de San Francisco is a good base for an evening built around coffee shops, with the city's main market next to the plaza. The market is fairly traditional, with stalls selling food and household items alongside clothing and souvenirs.
This suits a low-key, early part of the night rather than a late one, and pairs well with a walk back into the centre afterwards.
3. Chicharías and the game of Sapo
Chicharías are the local drinking spots where chicha, a corn beer, is served, and where the traditional bar game of Sapo is played. The game involves throwing small coins, called fichas, at a table with a bronze sapo (toad) attached; you score points for landing them in holes on the table and far more for getting one into the toad's mouth.
This is a night for sitting with locals rather than moving between venues. The sources suggest asking older men to show you the correct throwing form, as the game is difficult to master, and note that talking to bartenders and waitresses is a good way to find the best places to try cuy, alpaca and chicha.
4. Salsa classes and dancing
Salseros Cusco is named in the sources as a small salsa school offering private and group classes at minimal price in two central locations, with enthusiastic teachers and a number of styles taught. It is described as a good way to polish your moves before heading to a dance floor.
This suits an evening that starts with a lesson and continues afterwards, and the sources note you can ask for Franshesco Efernetti if you want private classes.
5. The road up to Sacsayhuamán and the small bars along it
The climb from the Plaza de Armas up Plateros street, which changes to Saphi, leads towards the Sacsayhuamán ruins above the city. Small mud brick bars are intermittent between the archaeological sites along this route, according to the sources.
This is a walk for those who can handle the climb and the altitude, and it is better done in daylight: the sources report that robberies have been reported in the mornings and evenings on this route, so plan accordingly.
6. Planetario Cusco
Planetario Cusco, with pickup from Plaza Regocijo, runs at 18:00 and covers Inka astronomy, a projection and explanation of the southern sky in the dome, and observing stars, planets and other objects with telescopes. The sources list the price as S/75.
This suits an early evening, before dinner or drinks, and is a fixed-time activity rather than something to drop into.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not describe a fixed evening schedule for Cusco. What they do show is that daytime excursions tend to run from around 07:00–09:00 until 15:00–16:00, with the city tour of the archaeological sites running later, roughly 13:00 to 19:00, which leaves the evening free. Planetario Cusco starts at 18:00. Beyond that, the sources give no set times for eating, going out or how late venues stay open, so it is worth checking locally on the day.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Battle of Angamos — 8 October
- All Saints' Day — 1 November
- All Souls' Day — 2 November
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception — 8 December
- Battle of Ayacucho — 9 December
- Christmas Eve — 24 December
- Christmas Day — 25 December
- New Year's Eve — 31 December
- New Year's Day — 1 January
- The Three Wise Men Day — 6 January
- Maundy Thursday — 25 March
- Good Friday — 26 March
Frequently asked questions
Where do people go out in Cusco?
The Plaza de Armas is the main anchor, with churches, shops, restaurants and bars around it. Plaza de San Francisco, a few blocks southwest, is another option, with coffee shops and the main market next to it.
What is there to do in the evening besides drinking?
You can take a salsa class at Salseros Cusco, which offers private and group classes in two central locations, or visit Planetario Cusco for a session on Inka astronomy and stargazing, which starts at 18:00.
Is there a local drinking custom worth trying?
Yes. Chicha, a corn beer, is drunk in chicharías, where the traditional game of Sapo is played by throwing small coins at a table with a bronze toad attached.
Is it safe to walk up towards Sacsayhuamán at night?
The sources report that robberies have been reported in the mornings and evenings on the route up from the Plaza de Armas towards Sacsayhuamán, so it is better treated as a daytime walk.
Plan your evening around the square and one or two nearby pockets, and check local timings on the day so the night runs at your own pace.