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.
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!
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.