Trujillo is the capital of the Peruvian region of La Libertad, which is located in the north of the country to 561 Km (349 miles) at the north of Lima. Trujillo is one of the largest and most important cities of Peru.
Trujillo’s population is 682 834 inhabitants. Besides, Trujillo is the first economic center of northern Peru, it is also the main trade center and the main hub of transport of the north.
The climate of Trujillo is very agreeable all the year, therefore this city is also known as the Capital of Eternal Spring; since, it is very sunny almost all the time.
The average temperature in the city is 21 ºC nevertheless, in summer (from December to March), the temperature can reach 32 ºC. This city is near several beautiful beaches like the famous beach of Huanchaco, where the local inhabitants continue navigating as it did their ancestors, using the famous “caballitos de totora” (horses of totora), which are small rafts made of reeds that the Huanchaco’s people use almost like surfboards.
The city was founded on December 6 by the Spanish Diego de Almagro some time after the invasion of Peru.
The city is very near of Chan Chan, an ancient city of mud brick, which was the capital of the pre-Inca kingdom of Chimu, which ruled in the northern coast of Peru between IX century and XV century. During the colonial period the city was walled for its protection, due to the frequent pirates incursions.
Some remains of these walls are still surrounding the Downtown of the city. Trujillo played also an important role in the Independence war, being the first city of Peru that proclaimed its Independence of Spain in 1820. Since the Independence Trujillo was gaining importance and rapidly became one of the main cities of Peru.
Trujillo’s economy depends since the year 1800 mainly of the agriculture. The sugarcane industry was during long time the main activity of the city and the region. Currently, in addition to sugarcane, the cultivation of rice, asparagus and the production of shoes are the main economic activities of the city.
Tourism is an important industry in the city, because of the beautiful beaches and the great number of archeological sites of the Mochica and Chimu civilizations that are around Trujillo such as Chan Chan, Huaca del Sol, Huaca de la Luna and the El Brujo Complex; therefore the city owns one of the best hotel infrastructures of the country.
Besides, Trujillo offers a great variety of restaurants, where it can enjoy international and Peruvian dishes. The dishes of the northern Peru are some of the most delicious of the world.
Trujillo is also a great cultural center. There are several important universities in the city like the National University of Trujillo or the Antenor Orrego University.
There are also several events and festivals which are celebrated every years, amongst them: the Marinera’s national Contest (a Peruvian Contest of Dance), Exhibition of “caballitos de totora”, the Biannual Festival of Contemporary Art and International Festival of Ballet, The International Spring Festival, the Festivity of the Virgen de la Puerta de Otuzco and many other cultural events and shows.
The city is very well connected to the rest of the country thanks to the Pan-American Highway (which cross the country’s coast from north to south) and the Airport Captain Martinez de Pinillos that receives flights of Lima and other cities of Peru. There are also two ports near Trujillo, Salaverry and Chicama that allow the maritime connection with the world; now Trujillo is a common stop on several cruise ship itineraries.
Trujillo is a beautiful city with an excellent climate, whose historical center has some of the best conserved colonial buildings of Peru. It is the capital of the Marinera dance and the “Peruvian Paso Horse” (a beautiful unique breed of horses).
Trujillo is a cozy city with an impressive quantity of tourist attractions, which have turned the city one of the favorite destinations of the visitors that arrive to Peru.