Trujillo: Travel Guide to Peru's Third Largest City

Trujillo is known for it’s vibrant culture and stunning pre Columbian sites like Chan Chan the largest pre Columbian city in South America.

Where is Trujillo located

Trujillo is located on the northwest coast of Peru 522km(343 miles) north of Lima

How to get to Trujillo

Plane: Planes depart from Lima Jorge Chavez Airport(1hr 10m) as well as other regional airports with LATAM, SKY and JestSMART.

Bus: Buses depart from Javier Prado bus Terminal in Lima(9hrs). You can book online with Cruz del Sol or Busbud also you can purchase a ticket at the station.

Getting Around Trujillo

Trujillo’s sights are mostly located in the central area around the Plaza de Armas where you can get around on foot. To get to the archaeological sights as well as Huanchaco you will need to catch a bus or taxi.

Taxi: Taxis are everywhere constantly driving around looking for a ride and will normally find you even when you don’t need them. Always agree a price before getting in and try to have the correct change otherwise they will claim to not have any.

Buses: There are buses and collectivos that can take you to some of the out of the way places like Huanchaco and Chan Chan. It’s hard to find any information on the routes of the local buses, but they will have the destination written on the windscreen and will stop along the way to let people off.

When is the best time to visit Trujillo

Trujillo’s climate is subtropical desert so there is very little rain, and 2 main seasons a warm season and a cool season.
Warm season (January–March): Warmer weather and milder evenings with temperatures averaging between 18 °C (62 °F) – 25 °C (77 °F).
Cool season (June–November): Cooler weather especially in the evenings but still warm sunny days with temperatures averaging between 14 °C (57 °F) – 22 °C (72 °F)
Peak Season(May-September): Dry season in the Andes with more tourist will be visiting the country

Our Verdict: You can visit all year round but you will most likely want to time your visit with the dry season in the Andes (May- September).

Where to stay

Trulillo: Everything is focused around the central historical area and we would definitely recommend staying in this area as you will be close to attractions and restaurants. We are not sure about safety in Trujillo, but the streets are quite dark at night and we wouldn’t want to stay any more than a couple of blocks away from Plaza de Armas.

Huanchaco: Huanchaco is a seaside town that is 14 km from Trujillo. Most people choose to stay here as it’s quieter and has more of a relaxed beach vibe going on.

We stayed in Trujillo and the plus side is there is not many tourists making it feel more local and authentic.

Things to do in Trujillo

Plaza de Armas

One of the city’s highlights is the Plaza de Armas, a beautiful central square lined with palm trees and surrounded by grand buildings. Locals come here to meet up and chat and it’s a great place to come and relax and soak in the atmosphere.

Cathedral Basilica of Santa María

The Cathedral Basilica of Santa María, was built between 1647 and has been damaged many times over the years from earthquakes but it still stands tall today for us all to enjoy. You can’t miss it really, it’s painted bright yellow off to the side of Plaza de Armas. The interior of the cathedral is spectacular with brightly painted frescos on the roof. Make sure you pop by in the evening as it’s stunning all lit up at night.

Mercado Central

Mercado Central in Trujillo, is a bustling market offering a vibrant array of fresh produce, seafood, meats, and local crafts. Come here if you want a true local Peruvian market experience, there are no stalls here selling trinkets for tourists, just locals selling their produce, going about their daily life and some super local street food.

Chan Chan

Chan Chan is a 20sq km pre Columbian city and capital of the Chimu civilization built around 1300 AD. The city was built in the Moche valley and is made entirely out of mud brick with intricate details carved in the walls. The area that as is open to the public is called Palacio Nik-An which is made up of plazas, temples, storehouses and funeral platforms.

Chan Chan is located 5km from Trujillo, to get there you will need to take a taxi or local bus.
We caught a bus from Ovalo Grau (marked on the map above), a massive traffic circle that is a public transport hub. Jump on a bus heading towards Huanchaco and let the driver know you want to get off at Chan Cahn and the journey will cost 2 soles! There are no signs here on where to stand or anything and it’s quite chaotic. Wait in the area where the buses stop to to let people on and flag down a bus with Huanchaco written on the window.

The entry is 10 soles that also gives you access to the nearby museum as well as the archaeological sights Huaca Esmeralda and Huaca Arco Iris in Trujillo(marked on the map above).

Huanchaco

Trujillo is also the gateway to the beaches of Peru’s northern coast. A short drive from the city will take you to the picturesque coastal town Huanchaco, where you can enjoy the surf, eat delicious seafood, and see the local fishermen riding their traditional reed boats known as “caballitos de totora”

To get to Huanchaco from Trujillo you can take a taxi or catch a bus from Ovalo Grau (marked on the map above) that is heading towards Huanchaco(the bus with Huanchaco written on the window). Huanchaco isn’t very big and all of the action happens along the beachfront in the downtown area. Here you will find the main beaches and the fisherman riding the reed boats. There is also a small handicraft market and some seafood restaurants(check out our food recommendations for the best one!).

Jiron Francisco Pizarro

Jiron Francisco Pizarro is a walking street that runs between Plaza de Armas all the way up Plazuela El Recreo where there is part of the old city wall that once surrounded the city. Along the walking street you will find various shops, restaurants and historic buildings.

What to Eat & Drink

Mercado Central: The best place in Trujillo for local street food.

Puerto Mori: This place serves a Peruvian version of Ceviche called “Leche de Tigre” or the Tigers milk!

Trujillo Beer: A locally brewed beer that you will find in most restaurants, it tasted ok but we didn’t see it for sale anywhere else in Peru so you have to try it at least once.