Frommer's nightlife in Lima

Barranco
De Rompe y Raja, Manuel Segura 127 (tel. 01/247-3271), is a favorite of locals. Look for the popular Matices Negros, an Afro-Peruvian dance trio. The cover is usually around S/25 ($7.14). Las Guitarras, Manuel Segura 295 (tel. 01/479-1874), is where locals go to play an active part in their peña. A cool spot, it's open Friday and Saturday only, with no cover charge and no credit cards accepted. The excellent restaurant Manos Morenas, Pedro de Osma 409 (tel. 01/467-0421), is a sophisticated peña with a $12 cover charge. Shows are given Tuesday through Thursday from 9 p.m. onward, and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 p.m. until 2 a.m. or so. La Candelaria, Bolognesi 292 (tel. 01/247-1314), is a comfortable club celebrating Peruvian folklore. It's open Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. onward; the cover is S/25 ($7.15).

For a unique experience, check out the totally informal and impromptu shows at Songoro Cosongo, Ayacucho 281 at the edge of Puente de Suspiros (tel. 01/247-4730). The owner gets together with local and invited musicians and jams at this airy old house with a distinctly Cuban feel; you'll hear Peruvian classics, Afro-Peruvian numbers, and Cuban son, depending on their mood. The home-cooked food is inexpensive and delicious. Del Carajo, Av. Jorge Chávez 403 (tel. 01/247-7023), on the road to Las Palmas, is another top peña with good live music, percussion, and dance shows Tuesday through Saturday starting at 10 p.m.

Lima Centro
Brisas del Titicaca, Jr. Walkulski 168, the first block of Av. Brasil, near Plaza Bolognesi, (tel. 01/332-1901), is a cultural institution with noches folklóricas and some of the best shows in Lima. It's open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m..

Dance Clubs
Many of Lima's discos are predominantly young and wild affairs. The main drags in Barranco, Av. Grau and Pasaje Sánchez Carrión (a pedestrian alley off the main square), are lined with raucous clubs that go late into the evening and annoy Barranco residents. Check out Deja-Vu, Av. Grau 294 (tel. 01/247-6989); the decor is based on TV commercials, and "waitress shows" tease horny patrons. It's a dancefest from Monday to Saturday; the music trips from techno to trance. Kitsch, Bolognesi 743, Barranco (no phone), is one of Lima's hottest bars -- literally, sometimes it turns into a sweatbox -- with over-the-top decor and recorded tunes that range from 1970s and 1980s pop to Latin and techno. Tequila Rock, Diez Canseco 146, Miraflores (tel. 01/444-3661), continues to be one of Lima's most popular discos, although it's a bit of a meat (or hooker's) market and doesn't usually get going after 2am.

Gay & Lesbian Nightlife

Complete Lima, Peru Guide Frommer's Attractions in Lima Frommer's Shopping in Peru Frommer's Nightlife in Lima

Although Peru as a whole remains fervently Catholic and many gay and lesbian Peruvians feel constricted in the expression of their lifestyle, Lima is the most progressive city in the country, with the most facilities and resources for gays and lesbians, including a significant number of nightclubs. Among the most popular are Gitano 2,050, a.m. 231, Miraflores (no phone), probably the best-known gay disco in the city, with two cruising balconies overlooking the dance floor; Downtown Vale Todo, Pasaje los Pinos 160, Miraflores (tel. 01/444-6433), currently the most popular club with go-go boys, with occasional shows and strippers; Café Bar Kitsch, Bolognesi 743, Barranco (no phone), a funky and highly original bar/disco that's also very popular with straights; and Perseo Palace, Av. Aviación 2514, San Borja (tel. 01/224-3731), a lively disco with an eclectic soundtrack and large dance floor. All are open Wednesday through Saturday (Gitano 2,050 is open Sun as well); cover charges range from S/7 to S/25 ($2-$7.15). A gay-oriented combination sauna/gym/bar/video lounge is Sauna Tivoli, Av. Petit Thouars s/n, San Isidro (tel. 01/222-1705). It's open daily from 2 to 10 p.m.; the cover charge is S/25 ($7.15). There's more information on gay Lima and gay Peru on http://gaylimape.tripod.com.

Cinema
Most foreign movies in Lima are shown in their original language with subtitles. Art and classic films are shown at the Filmoteca de Lima in the Lima Museo de Arte, Paseo Colón 125, Lima Cercado (tel. 01/423-4732), and El Cinematógrafo, Pérez Roca 196, Barranco (tel. 01/477-1961). Commercial movie houses worth checking out include Multicines Starvisión El Pacífico, Av. José Pardo 121, near the roundabout at Parque Central, Miraflores (tel. 01/445-6990); Cinemark Perú Jockey Plaza, Av. Javier Prado 4200 (tel. 01/435-9262); and Multicines Larcomar, Malecón de la Reserva 610, Miraflores (tel. 01/446-7336). Most theaters in the suburbs cost more than the ones in Lima Centro (S/10-S/15 or $2.85-$4.30, as opposed to S/4-S/8 or $1.15-$2.30), but they're more modern and better equipped. Several have special matinee prices and discounts on Tuesday. For a list of films subtituladas (with subtitles), consult the Friday edition of El Comercio. The term doblada means "dubbed."

Casinos
Peruvians are big on casinos, and many of the larger upscale hotels favored by business travelers have casinos attached. Some of the better ones are the Stellaris Casino at the JW Marriott Hotel; Grand Hotel Miraflores, Av. 28 de Julio 151, Miraflores (tel. 01/447-9641); Country Club Lima Hotel; and Sheraton Hotel & Casino, Paseo de la República 170, Centro (tel. 01/433-3320). Most casinos are open Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Friday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m..

Visit our complete Lima guide online at www.frommers.com/destinations/lima.

Frommer’s is America’s bestselling travel guide series. Visit Frommers.com to find great deals, get information on over 3,500 destinations, and book your trip. © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc. Republication or redistribution of Frommer's content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Wiley.