Travelers to Peru’s Pacific Coast shouldn’t miss Trujillo during visits to nearby Huanchaco and ruins
Peru’s third largest city, Trujillo lives in the shadow of the more visited Lima and Cusco. That doesn’t mean the modest metropolis has little to offer travelers in Peru. When we traveled to Peru for two months we spent time in Trujillo and found it to be a very walkable city. We were staying in nearby Huanchaco at a great place called Oceano Hospedaje where we enjoyed a ceviche cooking lesson and made friends with two Belgian travelers. We wound up making several visits to Trujillo using both shared vans called colectivos or a local bus which runs parallel to the ocean.
Melissa in the Plaza de Armas in Trujillo, Peru.
Founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizzarro, Trujillo is named after the soldier’s hometown in Europe. The city prides itself on the nation’s largest and arguably most beautiful Plaza de Armas. Stone walkways surround a lavish main square, circling around the pedestrian thoroughfare and into the heart of the verdant park with its massive statue. A mammoth basilica catches the sunrays in the morning, scattering light over spring flowers and grassy fields. Beer lovers will love the fact that the city is also home to one of the largest microbreweries in the country called Hops. Just ten minutes south of the plaza, grab a liter of their signature cerveza and enjoy their high ceiling beer hall.
Enjoying a little beer at Hops Brewery in Trujillo.
Hops was a refreshing stop after a full day of touring ruins.
Trujillo is on Peru’s Pacific coast.
The ruins at Chan Chan are a short bus or colectivo ride from Trujillo.
Information is easy to find in Trujillo. Just look for I Peru or get in touch with the South America Explorers Club.
