Rumi means ‘stone’ in the local Quechua language and is the perfect name for a bar that has an entire wall made of original Incan stonework. What we liked about Bar Rumi was that they offer several different experiences within the bar, so it’s much more than just a place to go and have a drink.

The pisco tasting is a great option if you want to learn a little bit more about Peru’s national drink. It includes an explanation of the different types of pisco, the history of the drink and is accompanied with some snacks.

They have a great cheese and wine station in the evenings which serves a selection of Peruvian cheeses and wines accompanied by local seasonal fruits.  They have also just opened a cheese and Iberian ham cellar (make sure to ask to see the cellar when you visit!) where you can try melt-in-the-mouth acorn fed bellota ham and a variety of other platters with prices starting from S/.90 (Approx US$28).

Pisco sour classes are available (book in advance) and their Pisco Sour is one of the best in town! Other great options include ‘Chicherita’, their house cocktail made from a base of pisco, purple corn, quinoa and Andean mint and they have a full range of premium spirits as you would expect, as well as offering more traditional cocktails like martinis and margaritas.

A great option if you are looking for some night-time luxury in Cusco!

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• • Rumi Bar has live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and if it’s a nice evening out ask to have your drink served in the stunning 4 Bustos courtyard.

• • Do book pisco classes or the pisco tasting in advance as when the hotel is full the bar can be busy.

• Next door to Bar Rumi is the Inti Raymi restaurant which is a shrine to Andean food and serves the best of Novo-Andean cuisine from the creative hands of their expert chefs. There is also a fantastic view of the ‘Cuatro Bustos’ colonial patio and under a starlit sky, a dinner here is most definitely a memorable experience!
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  See more of our favourite bars in Cusco here.

   

  Great things to see and do in Cusco.

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A big comfy booth, massive tv, some good tunes, world football and a packet of Camels all to myself. The funny thing is, I despise all sports with a passion and I’m not a smoker of any sorts, but on this night that’s all I wanted to do, and I loved it! I bought my cigarettes from Lucia, the 10 year old girl sitting at the entrance, nice girl, say hello to her as you pass by.

When I walked into this clichéd, but cosy Irish pub, my eyes lit up when I spotted the organic cider direct from the UK. After finally getting the bar staffs’ attention, that beautiful bottle of cider caressed my hands. It was pure love. My eyes lit up when I was asked to pay 20 soles, which is actually a lot of money here in Peru, but to be fair that’s the same price we would pay in the western world, around seven dollars for a liter of Cider. Plus I had skipped lunch, so I’d only need one pint!

I also purposely skipped lunch that day so I could gorge on pub food. “Double cheese burger with an extra plate of fries and some mayo thanks.” The burger was massive and looked so good when it arrived, that a few others sitting nearby ordered the same. I also checked out the all-day breakfast which looked good and contained all the usual suspects – sausages, rashers, the Peruvian version of baked beans, fries, toast and eggs. It’s not haute cuisine, its solid pub grub, and perfect for accompanying a cold beer or whatever football is on the telly.

Paddy’s is also one of the best places to watch the rugby and football with games streamed live or recorded almost every day.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Try the bread and butter pudding,  surprisingly, it turned out to be one of the best we’ve ever tasted.

Click here to see more bars in Cusco

Our favourite things to see and do in Cusco

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The walls are covered with information about the history of pisco and the different pisco varieties and pisco-making equipment adorn the bar. Staff are super friendly and very knowledgeable and are always available to answer any questions  you might have. The dapper pisco ‘sommelier’ is a nice addition to the Museo and he can suggest the ideal pisco drink for your palette so you are sure to leave with more knowledge about Pisco than when you arrived.

The drinks menu itself as you would expect focuses mainly on pisco and boasts 8 grape varieties and 50 brands of pisco. An interesting selection of house-made pisco infusions or ‘macerados de pisco’ include local flavours like coca leaf and purple corn while the pisco cocktail menu offers a nice selection of pisco inspired choices. They also have a full international bar and cocktail menu selection available too.

We were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food in what is a tapas-style menu offering a nice mix of dishes which are perfect for sharing such as the vegetarian antipasto plate or the Peruvian Cheese selection. For those with a bigger appetite the mushroom and shrimp dish sauteed with pisco is delicious and the beef tenderloin is also a nice, filling choice.

The Museo del Pisco Cusco is definitely one of our top picks for bars in Cusco and is the perfect place to combine a cultural lesson in Pisco along with  a taste of some of Peru’s finest pisco. Do be warned however, this bar fills up fast particularly on weekends so book a table in advance.

Best of Peru Travel Recommends:

• Opt for the ‘Pisco Flights’  tasting menu if you want to try a few different varieties of top-class pisco and get a real feel for this grape brandy while in Cusco.

• We also loved the ‘Marticha’ cocktail and of course the unmissable ‘Pisco Sour’. Be warned however, as these drinks pack a punch particularly at high altitude!

• There’s live music every night from 9pm so be prepared to get your dance on! If you are looking for a quieter more restaurant-style atmosphere head downstairs for your meal.

Click here to see more bars in Cusco

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