Trujillo

Trujillo is closely linked with the conquest of America, since many of the explorers who ventured to the New World were born here. Most famous of these is Francisco Pizarro, the conqueror of Peru, whose impressive statue stands in the Plaza Mayor—there is an identical statue in Lima. The Plaza Mayor is especially interesting, with a distinct personality distinguishing it from those in many other towns. Its shape is irregular and the ground slopes so that the buildings border it on various levels. Be sure to take the trail up the hill to the 10th-century fortress, which hovers above the town. Although the fortress is mostly in ruins, the vistas are lovely.