I have never partied as much in my life as in my time in Peru… Why? Firstly, because in the Netherlands I never had that much time (being hungover takes time as you might know). Secondly, there are so many great places to go to: too many clubs to list, house parties and pre-drinks. The nightlife in Lima-Peru is out-of-this-world! Most important though, during your exchange, you have such a nice group of people to have a good time with. Wednesday in Bizarro was some sort of Exchange gathering. Everywhere you looked you saw your Exchange friends, it was legendary.
A week guide to the Nightlife in Lima-Peru
To make it as legendary for you too, together with my buddy Bruno Mazzini and multiple exchange friends we cooked up a special recipe for you today: the Lima Party Itinerary. A week agenda with which club to lose your dignity at which day. For each night we will give you our preferred option with some explanation and most important: How to get onto the guestlist.
We will end with some tips to make sure that you do it in a responsible way of course. Nightlife in Lima-Peru, Vamossss!
Tuesday – Salsa at Sargento Pimienta
South America pretty much equals Salsa dancing of course. The people in Peru grow up with it and have some truly impressive skills which they show off at Sargento Pimienta each Tuesday. With our European dance skills, we will stand out (in a negative way most probably) but people are super kind and really want to help you learn it. Go together with your buddies, Fabrizio, for instance, is a LEGEND (and a good teacher). What we particularly loved is that you change partners after each song. No hard feelings, no strings attached, just dancing (or pretending to do so).
Guestlists & Entrance
At times the first 100 people get in for free. After 11:00 you pay 20 soles entrance fee, BUT you get a gigantic beer or a bottle of water at the bar in return for your ticket. They do not ask for ID.
Tuesday – Beerpong at Loki or Pariwana
Better at beer pong than Salsa dancing? In that case, beer pong should be part your week. Both Loki and Pariwana have beer pong tournaments on Tuesday nights. Arrive around 8 at Loki and put your team (with preferably a bad name) on the list. An employee will be walking around to ask who is joining. If you arrive when happy hour is still going on, buy big. You do not need to pay for participating but you do need to pay for the beers.
Guestlists & Entrance
No Guestlists or entrance fees apply. You only need to show up with a photo of your passport to get the “Loki-visitor” bracelet.
Wednesday – UP Gathering at Bizarro
The Wednesdays were by far the best. Why? Because that is the night most Universidad del Pacifico (UP) students went out. Bizarro would always be the final destination for dancing, but the best conversations you would have at the pre-drinks. Every Wednesday there were among 3 different pre-parties to attend. Bring your own booze is the basic principle (and this is where to get your alcohol the cheapest). Every time we would have such a good time, it would be a hurry to Bizarro to still get free entrance (see guestlist & entrance).
Are you in Bizarro and do you see a red light pointed at your head or chest? Don’t worry, no one is aiming at you with a sniper. It is just a guard that is telling you to stop jumping. Too many red lights in a night: you are out. It seemed Bizarro has a whole team of guards that had the sole purpose to stop Sebastian and Ryan from jumping. Some other advice: try to avoid the photographer. Your every move (or kiss) is documented, keep that in mind. Bizarro, such a strange place, but I might possibly miss it the very most of all places in Lima.
Guestlists & Entrance
To get onto the list, keep an eye out for the put your name on the list in the UP facebook group or group chat via a google form. For non-exchange students, WTD –What to do Peru also always posts the lists in their facebook group. The list often closed around noon. Make sure you bring a photo of your passport.
To get your free entrance you need to arrive before 1 am, otherwise you pay 50 soles. If you are lucky, you get a bracelet too that allows you to get a free chilcano cocktail before 1. Personally I think it’s a myth. I have never had one, and I was in Bizarro pretty much every week. To get this “free” chilcano” you need to know the buddy that is in contact with the club. They hand bracelets to the exchange students they know.
Thursday – Local at Casona
Located in one of the worst places in Lima, Casona in the historical center should definitely be part of your party itinerary. The place is huge and has a different music style in every room, which is great if one of your friends loves techno and you definitely do not (I mean you, Julia). At times they have live salsa, they always have the basic reggaeton and a lot more.
This is where you find the Catolica exchange students on Thursday evening. Moreover, you find a lot of Peruvians. The prices, therefore, are a lot cheaper. A big beer for 10 soles? Give me two! Regardless of the location, I never experienced Casona as dangerous. You just had to be cautious with your valuables. I remember making full iPhone back-up before my first night there. However, I have not heard any bad stories about Casona in my time in Peru.
Guestlists & Entrance
Entrance is at worst 20 soles, not a bad price either but they do not really work with guestlists. Although WTD Peru at times posts an event and list with entrance before 23:00 pm. They also create events with their own lists on the Casona Facebook Page.
Weekend – The choice is yours
No trips planned during the weekend, don’t worry. There is enough to do in Lima to keep you busy. This applies to the days as well as the nightlife in Lima-Peru. There are so many clubs it would be impossible to list them all. Accordingly, we sat together and made a selection.
Antiqua – Party at the Ocean
We mainly went to this club on Fridays and during your exchange, you should certainly go once. The reason is the location: it is located directly at the ocean in Barranco. Accordingly, you can have chat outside on the terrace with a view over the water accompanied by the sound of the waves. If you are in a really crazy mood, you could hypothetically go for a swim. The club itself has a very open feel to it, because of all the windows. The music is a mix between the basic reaggaton, but this time mixed with some English hits.
Guestlists & Entrance
Antigua works with a guest list. The list is posted in the WTD Peru Facebook group with all the details. Often this is that you need to add your name before 9 pm. Next, you need to enter before 1:30 am and present a copy of your passport.
Noise – Party in Barranco
One of the places to be in Lima on a Friday night is definitely Noise. It is a huge club in Barranco and very popular. They work with a guest list that is always posted on the Facebook page of WTD Peru on Fridays.
Guestlists & Entrance
Often you have to enter your name before 8/9 pm and you have to enter before 10:30 pm, which is quite early. If you get your name on the list via the UP Buddies, you often get to arrive somewhat later (11:30 at times). These lists close a lot earlier in the afternoon but are posted in the UP buddy team facebook groups.
TIP: Lines tend to be really long too if you are too late. So, if you want free entrance, make sure you are really early.
Fuga – Techno
Are you tired of all the reaggeton? The nightlife in Lima-Peru also offers some Techno clubs and Fuga is an example! It is a techno club located in Barranco. Unlike the paparazzi in Bizarro, the photographers in Fuga actually make really pretty photos. Not the posed ones, but the action dance shots. The atmosphere is very relaxed as well.
Guestlists & Entrance
Fugas guest lists are not supplied by third parties. They create events for their major nights and to get free entrance or a discount you will have to hit “going” and put your name on the wall before 9 pm. How the list works exactly will probably differ per night and you can read in the specific event. What we found is that in general, you enter before for free before 12 pm and afterward for 10 soles. In case you are not on the list, the entrance fee is 30 soles.
Sunday & Monday – rest
Most probably there will be a place to go on Sunday and Monday too. But after a week full of activities, you might want to recharge. Getting ready for another week of fun.
This Post Has 2 Comments
Love this! Going to Lima, Peru for a month in January to learn Spanish and Im excited to have a great time! Did you get travelers diarrhea while you were there lol? Thanks
Hey Kayla, How incredible that you will be learning Spanish in Peru! I am sure it will be amazing. Interesting question indeed, but no I did not. The thing you really need to watch out for is drinking water: you cannot drink water from the tab in Peru. I wrote an article on that earlier, you can find it here. Next to that, it is mostly using your own judgment whether food looks good 🙂 Have fun in Peru!