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Trujillo

Trujillo (Peru)

Practical information on Trujillo

  • Beach / Seaside Resort
  • Place or Religious Monument
  • Archaeological Site
  • Museums
  • Handicraft
  • Place or Historical Monument
  • Unesco World Heritage
3 / 5 - 3 reviews
How to get there
7 to 8 hours by bus from Lima
When to go
From December to March if you want to go to the beach. If not, then the archaeological sites can be visited all year round.
Minimum stay
2 to 3 days

Reviews of Trujillo

Virginie Bigeni Seasoned Traveller
49 written opinions

Trujillo is Peru's third largest town. It is in the north of Peru, on the Pacific coast, and is one of the cradles of Peruvian history. Most people go there for the cultural and archaeological sites.

My suggestion:
If you want to use public transport then you need to be patient. Getting on a "colectivo" is a truly unique local experience. It's also a complete mess. They are everywhere. You don't know which one to choose.
My review

Trujillo is very authentic. The town isn't on every itinerary for a trip to Peru. You need to have the time and the desire to go north. Compared to the south, I met few tourists. As a result the town is still authentic and it's a pleasure to walk around it. The Plaza des Armas is magnificent - brightly coloured with a really pleasant atmosphere .

Trujillo is full of life. The streets are riddled with "colectivos" - those little taxi vans that are heaving most of the time, each with its conductor: people get on, get off, crowd together...there's not a shadow of a doubt - you'll feel it's like nothing you've seen before.

It's a particular sort of tourist that comes to Trujillo: those who love ancient history and culture and want to see the remains of the area's two cultures, the Moche and the Chimù. Chan-Chan and the Sun and Moon Temples are fascinating. They are the reason why Trujillo is seen as the capital of Peruvian culture. You can also eat very well there.

Moon Temple
Seasoned Traveller
129 written opinions

It is called the city of eternal spring, as in Trujillo the weather is sunny all the time! This city has a magnificent beach, an archeological site and colonial buildings, which in themselves are good reasons to go and visit.

My suggestion:
If you like archeological visits, near to Trujillo, you can find the ruins of Chanchán, a pre-Incan civilisation. There you can see the temples of the sun and the moon, to name but a few.
My review

I went to Trujillo mainly for work. Briefly, my work consists of meeting with non-profit and associative organisations to offer them the chance to participate in a tourist platform that benefits the communities. The objective is to offer them this opportunity to create a platform on which they can present what they offer to tourists. Thanks to this, I had the chance to visit different social projects, to understand the problems that a part of the population of Trujillo faces each day, but above all to meet the people who have the future of there community at heart.

It was incredibly inspiring to find out about the different initiatives. This allowed me to get to know different parts of town, with some of them being less tourist-focused, such as la Esperanza and Huanchaquito, but with the help of a local guide are really worth a visit.

During my visit to this part of Peri, I was also lucky enough to stay with the uncle of a friend, whose birthday it was. We partied until early in the morning as is the tradition in Peru and danced to Huayno music. On the menu was delicious guinea pig prepared by the mamas - all in all a perfect night!

The Plaza de Armas in Trujillo
michael mamane Seasoned Traveller
53 written opinions

Trujillo is an interesting place to visit for anyone touring northern Peru in order to see and explore ancient buildings and ruins.

My suggestion:
Trujillo should be thought of more as a city to stop off at briefly on the way elsewhere than as a place to stay at for an extended period. If your budget allows it, opt to travel between Lima and Trujillo by plane: the journey by bus is exhausting.
My review

When I made my trip to Peru back in 2013, I set out with the intention of exploring the northern region of the country, which is both less visited by tourists and rich in ancient buildings. To save time, I travelled from Lima to Trujillo by plane then spent two nights in the latter.

I have not been left with lasting memories of Trujillo. The city doesn't have anything of major interest to offer and looking around it doesn't take long. I found the Plaza de Armas to be quite an attractive and photogenic place, with the palace, the cathedral and the other old buildings.

Though I haven't been left with great memories of Trujillo, the prospect of visiting the wider region – especially the wonderful sites of Huaca del Sol y Huaca de la Luna and Chan Chan – made my stay their enjoyable .

For travellers interested in ancient ruins and archaeological/historical sites, I thoroughly recommend a trip to this part of Peru as the region has a great deal to offer in this respect.