Procuradores (Gringo Alley)

Overview and Location

Calle Procuradores is a narrow, sloping street that runs just one block north of Cusco's Plaza de Armas. It's short, maybe 150 meters end to end, but it packs more nightlife per square meter than anywhere else in the Peruvian highlands. The street connects the plaza area to the streets leading uphill toward the San Blas neighborhood, and every doorway along the way belongs to a bar, club, hostel, restaurant, or massage parlor.

Locals and every guidebook call it "Gringo Alley," and the name is accurate. The bars here cater almost exclusively to international visitors: backpackers, gap-year travelers, tour groups staging for Machu Picchu, and the occasional older tourist who stumbled up from the plaza. On a busy night during peak season, you'll hear more English, French, and German on this street than Spanish. It's fun, it's loud, and it's the place where most of Cusco's drink-spiking incidents happen.

Legal Status

Prostitution is technically legal in Peru for adults over 18. Licensed establishments can operate under municipal regulation, and workers are required to carry a carnet de sanidad (health card). In practice, Cusco's nightlife scene is not primarily about commercial sex. It's a backpacker party strip.

The bars and clubs on Procuradores hold standard entertainment licenses. The tourism police (POLTUR) maintain a visible presence around the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding streets, including Procuradores. They're accustomed to dealing with foreign visitors and speak some English.

That said, the line between nightlife and transactional encounters exists here as it does throughout Peru. Some interactions in and around the bars carry an economic dimension, and tourists should be aware that not every friendly approach is purely social. The legal enforcement focus in this area is on public safety, particularly drink spiking and theft, rather than on regulating the nightlife industry itself.

Costs and Pricing

Cusco is cheap by Western standards, and Procuradores reflects this, though prices on this street run higher than what locals pay elsewhere in the city.

Beer: A large Cusquena or Pilsen Callao runs 8-15 PEN ($2-4 USD) depending on the venue. Craft beer at Cerveceria del Valle Sagrado on Procuradores 358 costs 15-22 PEN ($4-6 USD) per pint.

Cocktails: Pisco sours, the national drink, cost 12-20 PEN ($3-5 USD) at most bars. Mixed drinks and shots range from 10-20 PEN. The fancier cocktail bars near the plaza charge 20-30 PEN for specialty drinks.

Club entry: Most clubs on Procuradores charge no cover. Mythology, one of the biggest clubs, offers free entry and sometimes hands out complimentary drink tickets to get people through the door. The business model relies on drink sales, not door charges.

Happy hours: Most bars run happy hour specials from roughly 8:00 to 11:00 PM, with discounted pisco sours and two-for-one beer deals. Mama Africa on the Plaza de Armas portals runs happy hours from 8:30 to 11:00 PM.

Pub crawls: Organized pub crawls run most nights during peak season, typically costing around 60 PEN ($17 USD) and including a cocktail, shots, and VIP club entry. These are operated by hostel-affiliated companies and are one of the safer ways to experience the street if you're solo.

Food: Late-night empanadas and street food near the plaza cost 3-5 PEN. A full meal at one of the tourist restaurants on Procuradores runs 25-50 PEN.

Taxis: Within the historic center, rides cost 5-8 PEN. To the airport, expect 20-30 PEN. Always negotiate the fare before getting in.

Street-Level Detail

Walking from the Plaza de Armas toward Procuradores at 10 PM on a Friday during dry season, you'll encounter the promoters before you even reach the street. Young men and women stand at the intersections holding flyers and calling out in English, offering free entry and a free drink (usually a small Cuba libre or pisco sour) to pull you into their bar.

The street itself is narrow and cobblestoned, lined with colonial-era buildings converted into multi-story bars and clubs. Neon signs and thumping music compete for attention from every doorway. The ground-floor venues tend to be smaller bars and restaurants. The clubs occupy upper floors, with steep staircases leading up to dance floors where reggaeton, electronic music, and pop play until the early morning hours.

Mythology, located along the street, is one of the largest clubs. It opens around 9 PM with free salsa classes, and the dance floor fills up after 11 PM when the DJ takes over. Mama Africa sits on the portals of the Plaza de Armas rather than Procuradores itself, but it's part of the same nightlife circuit, drawing a mixed crowd of tourists and young Peruvians to its second-floor location overlooking the square.

Cerveceria del Valle Sagrado at Procuradores 358 stands out as a craft beer alternative to the club scene. It's a microbrewery open from 5 PM to 1 AM, attracting a slightly older, calmer crowd interested in local beer over loud music.

Indigo sits at the top of Gringo Alley, offering cocktails, table games, and a warmer atmosphere than the thumping clubs. It runs from 4 PM to 4 AM and works well as a starting point before the clubs ramp up.

Safety

Drink spiking is the defining safety threat on Procuradores. This is not a theoretical concern or an occasional incident. It's a well-documented, persistent problem.

• Altitude affects everything. At 3,400 meters (11,150 feet), two beers can feel like four. New arrivals should wait at least 24 hours before drinking
• Petty theft is common in the crowded bar environment. Keep your phone and wallet in front pockets or a secure body pouch
• The walk back from Procuradores to most hostels and hotels in the center is short, but poorly lit side streets off the main route should be avoided
• Carry only the cash you need for the evening and a photocopy of your passport, not the original

Cultural Context

Cusco's population is predominantly Quechua, the indigenous people of the Andes. The city's identity is tied to its Inca heritage and colonial history, not to its backpacker bar scene. Procuradores is a tourist creation, and locals view it with a mix of economic appreciation and mild exasperation.

The heavy tourist presence drives the local economy, but rowdy behavior doesn't play well. Cusco is more conservative than Lima, and public drunkenness is poorly received by residents. The bar staff on Procuradores are used to it, but staggering through the plaza at 3 AM shouting in English earns you no goodwill.

Coca tea (mate de coca) is legal, common, and culturally significant. It's a mild stimulant that genuinely helps with altitude symptoms. It's not cocaine. Drinking it is part of Andean life, and it's offered in most hotels and restaurants without any stigma.

Scam Warnings

Credit card overcharging: Some bars run credit cards for inflated amounts, adding drinks or charges that weren't ordered. Pay cash whenever possible, and if you do use a card, check the amount before signing.

The massage hustle: People approach tourists on the plaza and along Procuradores offering massages, friendship bracelets, or paintings. While some are legitimate vendors, the interaction can serve as distraction while a partner pickpockets you. Keep your hands in your pockets and your bag secured.

Fake tour packages: Unlicensed operators approach tourists on the street selling discounted Machu Picchu treks and Sacred Valley tours. These may use unsafe equipment, skip required permits, or simply not happen. Book through established agencies with verifiable reviews.

Nearby Areas

Plaza de Armas is Cusco's main square, less than a minute's walk from Procuradores. Bars and restaurants ring the plaza on multiple levels, with balcony seating overlooking the square. The plaza is the most heavily policed area of the city and the safest part of the nightlife zone.

San Blas is the artisan neighborhood uphill from the plaza, reachable by a steep 10-minute walk through cobblestone streets. It has quieter bars, live Andean music venues, galleries, and a more relaxed atmosphere. The Plazoleta de San Blas is its social center.

Meeting People Nearby

The backpacker hostel circuit runs strong in Cusco. Social hostels like Pariwana and Loki organize pub crawls, group dinners, and day trips that double as social events. If you're staying in one of these places, meeting people is effortless. Walking tours, cooking classes at local markets, and Sacred Valley day trips create natural connections during the day. San Blas attracts a more settled crowd of longer-term residents, artists, and yoga retreat visitors who are easier to have genuine conversations with than the fast-moving backpacker crowd on Procuradores. For a broader overview of Cusco's social scene, see the main Cusco city guide.

Best Times

• 8 PM - 10 PM: Happy hours at most bars, lighter crowds, good for a relaxed drink
• 10 PM - 1 AM: Peak hours, the dance floors fill up, promoters are most active
• 1 AM - 4 AM: Late-night crowd thins, clubs start winding down on weeknights
• Dry season (May - October): Maximum tourist numbers, liveliest nightlife every night
• June: Inti Raymi festival brings the biggest crowds of the year
• Wet season (November - April): Quieter, cheaper, but Procuradores still has action on weekends
• Nights are cold year-round at this altitude, dropping to 0-5C. Bring a jacket

What Not to Do

• Do not go out drinking on your first night in Cusco. Give your body at least a full day to adjust to 3,400 meters of altitude
• Do not accept open drinks from bar promoters or strangers
• Do not leave your drink unattended, even for a moment, even to go to the bathroom
• Do not walk alone on unlit streets away from the Plaza de Armas
• Do not carry your passport; a photocopy is sufficient and reduces your loss if you're pickpocketed
• Do not flash expensive electronics or jewelry on the street
• Do not resist a robbery; hand over your belongings and report it to POLTUR (tourism police)
• Do not buy tour packages from unlicensed operators on the street
• Do not engage with anyone who appears underage; Peruvian law enforcement takes this extremely seriously