- Chan Chan: the largest adobe city in the Americas, built by the Chimú. Walk the Tschudi complex with its carved friezes of fish and waves. Go in the morning before the sun is strong. Entry is about US$4 to 8 including the site museum, and you need 2 to 3 hours.
- Huaca del Sol y de la Luna: a Moche temple with polychrome reliefs still bright after centuries. Guided visits are included in the ticket of roughly US$4 to 7. Allow 1.5 hours, and aim for morning or late afternoon.
- Plaza de Armas: the yellow, blue and pink colonial heart, with the cathedral and the sculpture of Liberty at its center. It is free and best in the early evening when locals gather. Plan 30 to 60 minutes.
- Huaca Arco Iris (El Dragón): a small Chimú temple covered in rainbow and dragon-like reliefs, usually quieter than Chan
- Chan Chan: the largest adobe city in the Americas, built by the Chimú. Walk the Tschudi complex with its carved friezes of fish and waves. Go in the morning before the sun is strong. Entry is about US$4 to 8 including the site museum, and you need 2 to 3 hours.
- Huaca del Sol y de la Luna: a Moche temple with polychrome reliefs still bright after centuries. Guided visits are included in the ticket of roughly US$4 to 7. Allow 1.5 hours, and aim for morning or late afternoon.
- Plaza de Armas: the yellow, blue and pink colonial heart, with the cathedral and the sculpture of Liberty at its center. It is free and best in the early evening when locals gather. Plan 30 to 60 minutes.
- Huaca Arco Iris (El Dragón): a small Chimú temple covered in rainbow and dragon-like reliefs, usually quieter than Chan Chan. Entry is around US$3 to 5, and the visit takes about 45 minutes.
- Casa de la Emancipación: a colonial mansion where Trujillo’s independence was declared in 1820, now an art and history space. Entry is often free or a small fee, and an hour is plenty.
- Mansion Iturregui and other colonial houses: elegant courtyards, wrought iron and ornate balconies around the center. Some charge US$1 to 3. Allow an hour, ideally in daylight.
- Huanchaco: a fishing village where reed boats called caballitos de totora are still launched from the beach. Go at sunset for the best light and a seafood lunch. A walk is free, and a surf lesson runs about US$15 to 25 for 1.5 to 2 hours.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.