The iconic reed fishing rafts of Huanchaco

The third largest city in Peru (after Lima and Arequipa), Trujillo is a stone's throw from some of Peru's most important archaeological sites and the popular beach resort of Huanchaco.

With its charming colonial architecture, palm-lined squares, stately mansions and myriad churches, Trujillo is well worth a stop if you're headed north to Ecuador or south to Lima. 

Although just eight hours' drive north of Lima, Trujillo enjoys significantly more sunshine than its southern competitor. In fact, its mild climate has earned it the moniker  ''the City of Eternal Spring''. 

The area around Trujillo was once home to the Moche and Chimu civilizations. The most significant nearby archaeological ruins include the giant Chimu mud city of Chan Chan and the Moche ruins of Huaca de la Luna and Huaca del Sol.

For those looking for a trip of a very different kind, the communities around Trujillo have become notorious for their curanderos - traditional Peruvian healers who use bloodied live guinea pigs and the hallucinogenic San Pedro cactus to cure all manner of ailments.    

Meanwhile, surfers need only strike 12km west of Trujillo for the thriving beach resort of Huanchaco. There's a great range of hotels and restaurants in this village which has become well-known for its iconic reed fishing rafts or "Caballitos de totora".