Polo Cusco Hotel

Cusco Hotel / Festivities & Events / New Year in Cusco

   

New Year 2017 in Cusco

Cusco the old Inca town is now a small city of full culture, traditions, and fun. Cusco is the best place to celebrate New Year’s eve in all of South America. A few hundred thousand people gather at the city’s main square (Plaza de Armas) to celebrate. The Cusco city certainly is a magical place to be and many travellers come together here for New Years celebrations. As the midnight approaches, the crowd swells up and completely fills the square and the revelers dance and scream “Feliz Año” (meaning happy new year) to one and another.

One of the favorite places to be and hang around, is the main square in Cusco. Especially if this is your first new year celebration in Cusco this is a recommendation. Big crowds of both travelers and local people gather here a few hours before Midnight and there will be beautiful fireworks.

At twelve, all the people on the Plaza will start to move counter clockwise around the fountain. Seven rounds of the Plaza de Armas brings good luck for the new year. Another interesting tradition in Peru for New Year is that you will see many people walking around the Plaza with their suitcases, 7 times as well: obviously also for the good luck! Two other typical new years traditions in Peru are: wearing yellow underwear, and eating 12 grapes right before midnight. Both bring good luck. On the streets of Cusco and especially in the market area you will see many people selling yellow underwear.

Most of the locals bring drinks with them and go to one of the clubs after the celebration at the main square. such as: Mama Africa, Mythology, Inkateam, Muky. There is also a famous Fallen Angels New Years party but since it´s quite popular you need to buy your ticket in advance.

After a heavy night of celebrating the new year, at dawn many people walk up to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman to have a great view over the city of Cusco. And if they are lucky, they’ll see the Ausangate mountain(Cusco Apu) far way, if it’s not too clouded. Ausangate is one of Peru’s most important holy mountians and seeing it at jan 1st in the early morning is supposed to bring you good luck for the new year 2017.