A Bit on CUSCO!

Food

Polleria Los Angeles- on Plaza San Francisco before the arch. Amazingly salty chicken with crispy skin. Large protions. Great French-fries and fabulous vinaigrette that I liken to pico de gallo. Put all over the mess of chicken and French fries is the best.

Justina- Pizza in San Blas. More than anything this place is very cute. The prices are very reasonable and the garlic bread they serve out is an awesome plus. Best Pizza around!

Paloma Imbis- In “Gringo Alley” right off the Plaza de Armas. Shwarma and Kabab hole in the wall. This place is always packed and for good reason. The rollo is fantastic. Rollo normal at 13soles isn’t the cheapest lunch you’ll find around but it may be the happiest. Damn good. There is a second location on Avenida de la Cultura just past the Mega Supermarket. It is tucked into a Quillabamba Polleria.

Sueno Azul- End of Gringo Alley right off the Plaza de Armas. This Israeli restaurant is very reasonably priced. Their baguette sandwiches are huge and only 10 soles. Get something with hummus.

La Chomba- Famous and very crowded chicharia/picanteria. Try the famous fruit infused Chicha called frutillo. Huge portions. Try the Lechon, fried trucha, cuy or other local specialities. Very fun atmosphere on the weekends with crowded long shred tables and a live ‘mariachi’ band. Very traditional Cusco!

Olas Bravas- Specializes in seafood and ceviche but all the food is great. Lomo Saltado, Ceviche mixta, arroz con mariscos, fried squid these are some of the best plates of food you can find in Cusco. Eat here! Two locations. The main restaurant is on a frontage road of Avenida Cultura with the second location just around the corner.

Don Lucho- Avendia Prado. This place is amazingly popular. It is extremely hard to get a table so prepare for take out. This is a non frills simple place with two options. Pollo y Salchipapas. The 1/4 chicken with Salchipapas is the thing to get. The chicken is great and sort of half way between broaster and a la brasas. The real reson everyone loves this place is their sauces (cremas).

Jacks- Always a favorite. Jacks is a great café and a great change of pace. Reasonably priced fantastic sandwiches and breakfast and other British/American food. Wonderful coffee as well.

Local Specialty Dishes Market- On Avenida de la Cultura behind the market that is just past the bridge after the roundabout. Fronts onto the Wanchaq Square. Great CHEAP local food, Trucha, Anticucho, Cuy, Lechon, etc.

Rodriguez- Avenida de la Cultura Salchipapas, pollipapas, broaster. This fry joint serves the purpose with every combination and large quantities of fried food.

Huancaro Mercado- This market is just a bit outside of town in the suburb of Huancaro। Come here for Trucha al horno। It is amazing and worth the trip। Also sold is lechon and other Andean specialties. The maket itself is enormous and extremely interesting selling anything from potatoes to various livestock.

Bendita Gula- Next to Canasta Market on Avenida de la Cultura. Fast food like Salchipapas, hamburgers, sandwiches, chicken. Amazing because of their huge selection of sauces. Their garlicy sauce makes anything taste good.

Anticucho Restaurant- Avenida de la Cultura past the bridge after the Supermercado Mega and next to an autobody shop. The anticuchos are amazing as is their stuffed peppers.

Lazy Town- near Cuesta Santa Ana- 24 hour delivery of pizzas and pizza empanadas. Order or try to find its ‘hidden’ location. Walk up the street on the right side and knock on the door with the most motos in front of it. That’s the place!

Juice Stands in Mercado San Pedro and Mercado Wanchaq- Awesome combinations of exotic fruit juices. Try fresh passion fruit juice

Bars

Garabatos- Peruvian club up on third floor through a restaurant. Between Plaza Armas and Plaza San Francisco

Don Diablo- Peruvian Club popular with the student population

Mithology- Normal run of the mill club on Plaza de Armas. Better music and atmosphere than Mama Africa or Inca Team

Paddys- On plaza de Armas. Paddy’s is overpriced but a very cool environment. Great for watching football or rugby matches

Cicciolina- above Plaza de Armas towards San Blas. Luxuriousbwine and tapas bar. Great for a date.

Loki Hostel Bar- If you feel like partying on a random night this is your best bet. This bar is crazy every night. Loki is like an island of British/American Home complete with Sheppards Pie and Beer Pong. So not very Peruvian and a bit sad. But yes a good party.

Drinking in Liquor stores is often permitted and there are plastic chairs and tables or you just sit on the crates. A popular alternative is having a ‘Callejon’, simply drinking in the street.

Markets

Baratillo- Saturday mornings. Black market buy anything from stolen ipods and phones to artisanal crafts and second hand clothing

Molino- This is the more streamlined ‘black market’ good for bootlegged DVDs and knock-off products. Lots of fake North Face and other outdoor brands sold here. Nearby is also an interesting foods market.

Breaking Down Barcelona

Barcelona is easy to navigate and an awesome time.
Everything is centered off of the Ramblas. On Ramblas facing the harbor you have Barri Gotico (the expensive but Gothic part of the city) on your left and the Raval(cheaper, ghettoer, bar area) on your right. Your border to the left is the Picasso Museum and the Congress buildings and your general border to the right is Avenida Paral-lel/ Parque Montjuic. Behind you your other border is Avenida Diagonal. You will stay in this general area that is all walkable unless you go to Sagrada familia, Barceloneta, or some of the Gaudi sites.
Barceloneta is walkable or a confusing metro ride. You just head to the water ,make a left and walk by all of the harbor hugging the coast and then left around a corner onto the strip of beach.

Hostels
Kabul Hostel is the "best" but the hardest to get into during the summer. It is in Placa Reial, or Plaza Real which you should visit regardless and is right off of the Ramblas.
Graffiti Hostel isn't well known but is funky and very fun. Staying near the Ramblas is probably your best option.
Fuck staying out by the famous Cathedral, Sagrada Familia unless you stay at "Graffiti Hostel"
The Hostel by the beach in Barceloneta is supposed to be a party hostel. There is good food, and a couple good bars, and the Beach is amazing. Too bad its so far from the Ramblas.
Hostels by the ramblas are expensive but cheaper if you stay on the Raval side. Try and stay around here if you want to be in the center of everything.
Things to Do
Go the Beach. Go on the self guided tour of the mansions and architecture off of the main shopping street Avenida Diagonal. eat Churros y Chocolate, eat jamon iberico (proscuito ham), See Sagrada Familia. Fuck parque Montjuic, wander around Gotico, the medevil part of town, Fuck tapas its just frustrating and a stereoptype that isnt true(much more a madrid thing), Go to the Market right off of the Ramblas, its beautiful and has some places to eat.
Tips

Try drinking their version of 40's called Xibeca. Bottelon it!
Negrita Rum with a splash of Coke is cheap but amazingly good.

Now for the important stuff.
Fuck paying for the Metro, you can just hop over especially later at night.
WATCH YOURSELF. YOU have had the rumors about pickpockets, people being robbed etc. ITS TRUE. Its by FAAAAR the most dangerous city I have been in for being pick-pocketed. At night after clubs and bars and in the metro be on your guard and check nuts.

Places to EAAAAAT
Pollo Rico - #31 Carrer de Sant Pau (Raval) Super cheap restaurant right near where I lived. I ate here every day. The cheapest best place to get. The chicken and frenchfries is awsome. The steak is pretty good. They serve beer you can sit at the counter. This place is the BEST.

La Bella Napoli- Calle Margarit 101, Off of Paral-lel. between metro Poble Sec and Paral-lel. by Montjuic. The best pizza you will ever have! I Guarantee it. Reasonably priced. I ate here every two days. best pizza in the world (besides actually in Naples)

La Champagneria- Okay cheapest place to eat byyy far! and bomb as all hell. This spot over by the beach is awsome for an afternoon or early evening of drinking cheaply priced amazing champagne and sandwiches. Its in Barceloneta. MAKE SURE YOU GO HERE.

Kabob places, Shwarma, etc. are the cheapest way to eat in Barcelona. They are often very good. The few on the Ramblas del Raval are very good.


BARS
oh man is Barcelona good...


Bar Marsella (Raval) On Carrer Sant Paul. right near the Rambla del Raval. it parallels the Ramblas. The Raval is where all the best bars are. It is sketch near here with all the prostitutes but this bar is legedary for its absinthe and its history of great artists, writters etc. Not expensive, historical, and Awesome. THIS IS A MUST.

L' Ovella Negra- The Black Sheep.(Raval) near the Ramblas. Everyone goes here you will definatly go here. Yes its the best. This place is like a cave beer den with long wooden tables and always jam packed. Awsome, awsome for meeting people. There is also another location that is bigger but Its far away.

El Bosc de las Fades. The Fairy Forest. Whatever its candy ass but awesome. Expensive for drinking but really interesting. decorated like a scary forest.

El Quatre Gats, Carrer Montsió 3 the most historical restaurant/bar. Its in the medevil side of the ramblas. Expensive but good for a drink or a walk by.

Kentucky- (Raval)Carrer de l'Arc del Teatre 11. Awsome dive bar. This is hard to find But an awesome change of pace. It imitates an American bar. It has no tourists and only Spanish people which is rare for being near the center of town.

Barcelona Pipa Club akaThe Shelock Homes bar- AFTER HOURS BAR- 3 Placa Reial. this bar stays open after the others close. IF YOU can find it YOU are awesome. It like a speakeasy and extremely hard to find. Directions:
Once you get into Placa Reil (Plaza Real) make a left and follow the wall until you see a buzzer and an entrance that looks like it is just for an apartment or something. Ring the buzzer and you will be let in.
Then you take the stairs up to the 2nd or 3rd floor anf the bar is there. Its like somebody's house with a pool table and a stage for music. Its dark and secret and awesome. The best place to end a night when you are not clubbing



Music Venues/ Clubs

Razzmatazz- Calle Almogravers 122. Take yellow line L4 to Marina or Bogetell. This has shit going on every night. it is always a dance club and also has live music. Awsome. known worldwide and rightly so. Use the metro cuz I have no idea where this actually is. But its outside of your general boundaries. Saw Ratatat play here!

Apolo- Carrer Nou de la Rambla 111। and Avenida Paral-lel। Very close to the Metro Paral-lel Green line। Walking distance from the Ramblas and through the Raval.Great live music, live dj and an awsome club. The best I found closest to the Ramblas.

Most people just go to the clubs right on Rambals so these are overrun with dudes, pretty skeezy crowd.

Between Carrer Nou de La Rambla and Carrer de l'Arc del Teatre on either Carrer de L'Est or Carrer de Guardia there is a great club। the name escapes me.
Near here is also a bar La Concha which is relaxed but very cool.

All the locals go out in "Gracia" that is the hip place for the college kids and 20 somethings. Its far away and overrated but if you wanna see what the locals do on a night out its the palce to go. Its out West past Avenida Diagonal.