Gay and Lesbian Lima

Though smaller than that in other Latin American capitals, Lima [1]’s gay scene is growing with a few great new discos and bars. There are a number of websites on gay Peru, but the best and most up-to-date information is on www.lima.queercity.info [2]. This site, written in English, has travel tips, a chat room, links, and an opinionated listing of gay and lesbian bars, discos, saunas, cruising spots, and even retirement options. Other sites include www.peruesgay.com [3] and www.gayperu.com [4].

A gay-friendly start to the evening is La Sede in Miraflores (28 de Julio 441, tel. 01/242-2462, www.publasede.com [5], 10 p.m.–late Wed.–Sat.).

Gay and lesbian discos do not start swinging until 1 a.m. and continue until the wee hours of the morning. Entry is typically free on weekday nights and goes up after midnight on weekends.

Miraflores’s hippest, classiest gay and lesbian disco is Legendaris (Berlin 363, www.gayperu.com/legendaris [6], 11 p.m.–late Wed.–Sun., US$4.50 before midnight, US$6 after), which opened in January 2004 with an extravagant decor, great sound system, and room for 350.

The flamboyant Downtown Vale Todo (Pasaje Los Pinos, Miraflores, tel. 01/444-6433, www.peruesgay.com/downtownvaletodo [7], 10 p.m.–late Wed.–Sun., US$4 Fri.–Sat.) is still open despite some citizens’ efforts to shut it down. This disco attracts a younger crowd, with drag queen performances and a cruising bar on an upper deck. The smaller gay disco Splash (Pasaje Los Pinos 181, Miraflores, 10:30 p.m. onward Thurs.–Sat.) is on the same street.

A late-2003 addition to San Isidro is Mercury (2 de Mayo 1545, tel. 01/592-2340, www.peruesgay.com/downtownvaletodo [7], 11 p.m.–late Fri.–Sat., US$4.50, US$6 for couples). This disco has two levels, a good music-and-light show, and is in the middle of one of Lima [1]’s most fashionable districts.

One of the only options in central Lima is Sagitario (Wilson 869, tel. 01/424-4383, www.gayperu.com/sagitariodisco [8], daily, free except after midnight on weekends), one of Lima’s original gay-only bars. The neighborhood is sketchy at night, so travel by taxi.

Avenida 13 (Manuel Segura 270, off block 15 of Arequipa, tel. 01/265-3694) is a gay and lesbian dance club that is women-only on Fridays.

Gay-friendly hotels include Hostal de las Artes in the center, Hostel Domeyer in Barranco, Aparthotel San Martín in Miraflores, and Loft in San Isidro