Trujillo

About

Settled since prehistoric times, the town fell during the Muslim invasion in the 8th century and remained in their control for centuries. A walk around the castle perimeter, and it’s easy to see why Christian forces considered it a miracle they retook the town in 1232. The town’s heyday came in the 16th century, when many of the town’s young men set off to the New World in search of wealth. Perhaps most famous was Francisco Pizarro, who launched the capture of the Inca Empire and founded the city of Lima. When the conquistadors returned home, they reinvested in the city, building up the Plaza Mayor, with its tiered town hall, stately San Martin church, 12th-century Casa de los Cardenas, Palacio de la Conquista, and an imposing statue of Pizarro.