The Gay Travel Guide to Lima
Lima is the capital of Peru in Latin America, a city with around 9 million people. That’s statistically almost 1 million gay boys waiting to meet you.
The majority of the gay life in Lima is in Miraflores, which comes alive at weekends. A typical night out starts at Lola Bar at around 11pm, before moving on to Valetodo at 1am, and then the late night party boys head on to Legendaris from 3am.
This gay guide to Lima was written by gay couple Stefan and Sebastien who spent several months travelling in Peru.
Gay Bars and Clubs in Lima
Miraflores and Barranco are the main touristy areas of Lima, where the best restaurants and the majority of the Lima gay scene are based.
1. Lola Bar
Lola is the popular gay bar in Lima where most start the night from around 11pm. It then becomes a dancing venue after midnight. Look out for the cool Coca-Cola display at Lola Bar which makes for an awesome Instagram pic.
2. Valetodo DownTown
Valetodo is our favourite gay club in Lima. The night starts with some very funny drag shows and then morphs into the ultimate party in town spread over two dancefloors – one with Latino pop, the other techno house. Another Instagram opportunity here: look out for the giant angel wings.
3. Legendaris Legendaries
Legendaris is the late night place for after-parties.
It starts from around 3am and they have different themed evenings like Stripper Night or Leather Night, all complimented with drag shows.
4. La Jarrita
La Jarrita is a gay bar in Downtown Lima, popular with the gay military Peruvian boys.
It opens from 5pm on Thursday to Sunday and becomes a dancing venue from midnight till 4am.
5. Picas Bar
Picas is a gay-friendly mixed bar in Barranco neighbourhood located under the romantic wooden Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs).
It is owned by Congressman Carlos Bruce who came out in May 2014 and was the first openly gay member of Congress in Peru.
Gay-Friendly Hotels in Lima
Most will base themselves in Miraflores or Barranco to be near the gay nightlife and the best restaurants in Lima. These were the places we tried, loved and were welcomed as a gay couple.
Budget: Airbnb
Lima is an expensive city, so it may be worth considering booking an apartment on Airbnb.
There are plenty of apartments to rent in Miraflores and Barranco, but being touristy, they can also be expensive.
For more cost effective options, check out the Jesus Maria and San Isidro neighbourhoods – they’re both safe and a short taxi ride to Miraflores or Downtown Lima.
If you’re a first time user of Airbnb you can use our coupon to claim £31/$40 off your booking and save more.
Boutique: BTH Hotel
BTH Hotel is a very cool and trendy boutique hotel in the San Borja neighbourhood, close to Miraflores.
Everything from the decoration to the staff makes you want to dress in your best clothes and spend hours snapping away. It even has its own in-house barber shop! Rooms at BTH start from $137 / £110.
Mid-range: Libertador Hotel
Libertador is a 4 star hotel based in the San Isidro neighbourhood, safe and close to the airport, making it a convenient base in Lima.
We had a large room with king sized (and really comfortable) bed. Rooms at Libertador Hotel start from $150 / £120.
Luxury: JW Marriott Hotel
The Marriott is one of Lima’s top luxury hotels. It is located in the heart of Miraflores, walking distance to the gay bars and the Barranco neighbourhood.
It’s also right by the beach front, so you wake up to some pretty sweet sea views. Rooms at JW Marriott start from $310 / £250.
For more information about what to do in Lima, check out the Nomadic Boys’ gay guide to Lima – and use their gay friendly travel itinerary to Peru to help plan your holiday.
Stefan and Sebastien are a gay couple who left their lives in London in 2014 and have been travelling the world together since.
They are currently on a big adventure around Latin America and you can follow them on their gay travel blog Nomadic Boys.
