Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [278]
IMMIGRATION
Oficina de Migraciónes (28-2217; Larco, cuadra 12) Does visa extensions.
INTERNET ACCESS
InterWeb (Pizarro 721; per hr S2; 8:30am-11pm) One of many internet places, this spot offers a decent connection.
LAUNDRY
Most midrange hotels supply laundry services at reasonable rates.
Lavanderías Unidas (20-0505; Pizarro 683; per kg S2.50; 8am-9pm)
MEDICAL SERVICES
Clínica Americano-Peruano (23-1261; Mansiche 702) The best general medical care in town, with English-speaking doctors. It charges according to your means, so let the clinic know if you don’t have medical insurance.
Hospital Regional (23-1581, Napoles 795) For more rudimentary care.
MONEY
Changing money in Trujillo is a distinct pleasure; some of the banks are housed in well-preserved colonial buildings, and all have ATMs that accept Visa and MasterCard. If lines are long, visit the casas de cambio (foreign-exchange bureaus) near Gamarra and Bolívar, which give good rates for cash.
Banco Continental (Pizarro 620) Housed in the handsome Casa de la Emancipación. Good rates for cash.
BCP (Gamarra 562) Has the lowest commission for changing traveler’s checks.
Interbank (Gamarra at Pizarro) Reasonably fast service.
Scotiabank (Pizarro 314) Has an ATM.
POST
Post office (Independencia 286; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 1pm Sat)
TOURIST INFORMATION
Local tour companies can also provide you with some basic information on the area.
iPerú (29-4561; cnr Almagro & Independencia, Municipalidad de Trujillo, mezzanine level; 8am-7pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun) Provides tourist information and a list of certified guides and travel agencies.
Dangers & Annoyances
Single women tend to receive a lot of attention from males in Trujillo – to exasperating, even harassing, levels. If untoward advances are made, firmly state that you aren’t interested. Inventing a boyfriend or husband sometimes helps get the message across. Click here for more advice for women travelers.
Like many other cities, the noise pollution levels in Trujillo are high. Civic groups have attempted to protest the constant bleating of taxi horns.
Sights
Trujillo’s colonial mansions and churches, most of which are near the Plaza de Armas, are worth seeing, though they don’t keep very regular opening hours.
Hiring a good local guide is recommended if you are seriously interested in history. The churches often are open for early morning and evening masses, but visitors at those times should respect worshippers and not wander around.
The creamy pastel shades and beautiful wrought-iron grillwork fronting almost every colonial building are unique Trujillo touches.
PLAZA DE ARMAS
Trujillo’s spacious and fetching main square hosts an impressive statue dedicated to work, the arts and liberty. The plaza is fronted by the cathedral, begun in 1647, destroyed in 1759, and rebuilt soon afterward. The cathedral has a famous basilica and a museum of religious and colonial art.
One elegant colonial mansion now houses the Hotel Libertador (Independencia 485). Another, Casa de Urquiaga (Pizarro 446; admission free; 9:30am-3:15pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1:30pm Sat), belongs to the Banco Central de la Reserva del Perú.
At 8am on Sunday there is a flag-raising ceremony on the Plaza de Armas, complete with a parade. On some Sundays there are also caballos de paso (pacing horses) and performances of the marinera (a typical coastal Peruvian dance involving much romantic waving of handkerchiefs).
EAST OF PLAZA DE ARMAS
The Iglesia de la Merced, built in the 17th century, has a striking organ and cupola. Uniquely, an altar here is painted on the wall, an economical shortcut when funds ran out for a more traditional gold or carved-wood alternative.
Now the Banco Continental building, the Casa de la Emancipación (Pizarro 620; 9am-1 & 4-8pm Mon-Sat) is where Trujillo’s independence from colonial rule was formally declared on December 29, 1820. Nearby, the canary yellow 19th-century mansion Palacio Iturregui (Pizarro 688; 8am-10:30pm) is unmistakable and impossible to ignore unless you’re color-blind. Built