10 Best Sights in The North Coast and Northern Highlands, Peru

This branch of Banco Continental is unlike any bank you've ever been in. Go through the central courtyard and up to the small art gallery on the right. Enjoy the current exhibition—anything from modern to traditional works of art—and see a scale model of Trujillo when it was a walled city. Continue to the back, taking in the chandeliers, the large gold mirrors, and the small fountain, and imagine how, in this house, Peruvian republicans plotted the country's independence from Spain, which was declared on December 29, 1820. The house later became the country's first capitol building and meeting place for its first legislature. Fun fact: much of the furniture is original.

The open courtyard, from 1709, is surrounded by beautiful cedar columns, greenery . . . and bankers: as with many colonial mansions in Peru, this one is now owned by a bank. Scotiabank, however, welcomes tourists and clients into the house to see its wonderfully restored beauty. Notice the classic brown stucco-covered adobe walls and Moorish-style carved-wood ceiling. The security guards are happy to answer questions about the house. The entrance is on the corner of Bolognesi and Pizarro.

The enormous, elaborately carved wooden door is a stunning entrance to this beautifully restored neoclassical mansion from the early 19th century. The house is owned by Peru's Central Bank; simply inform the guard that you'd like to go inside and look around. Don't miss the lovely rococo furniture and the fine collection of pre-Columbian ceramics.

Originally known as the Iglesia de Españoles (Spanish Church, because only Spanish colonialists were allowed to attend services), this cathedral on the Plaza de Armas was built in the 17th and 18th centuries. It has an ornate baroque facade that was sculpted from volcanic rock. Like many of the town's churches, the cathedral has no belfry; the Spanish crown levied taxes on completed churches, so the settlers left the churches unfinished, freeing them from the tight grip of the tax collector.

On the city's main square, the cathedral, built in 1588, is one of the country's oldest churches and is worth a visit. Inside you'll find an altarpiece dedicated to the Virgen de Fátima dating back more than 350 years.

The enormous Chiclayo cathedral, dating from 1869, is worth a look for its Neoclassical facade on the Plaza de Armas and its well-maintained central altar.

At the end of Calle 2 de Mayo, steps lead to this hilltop mirador, or scenic lookout, where a bird's-eye view of the city awaits. At the top are many carved bricks dating from pre-Columbian times. One of the rocks has the shape of a throne and has been dubbed the Seat of the Inca. According to local legend, it was here that Inca rulers would sit to review their troops. You'll also find pretty gardens and a maze of winding paths. You can either walk or go by taxi (round trip S/6).

Although people come to Huanchaco for the beach, one of Peru's oldest churches, El Santuario de Huanchaco, on a hill overlooking the village, is a nice side trip. The sanctuary was built on a Chimú ruin around 1540. In the second half of the 16th century, a small box containing the image of Nuestra Señora del Socorro (Our Lady of Mercy) floated in on the tide and was discovered by locals. The image, which is kept in the sanctuary, has been an object of local veneration ever since.

One look at the elaborate courtyard, with its two levels of white columns, enormous tiles, and three-tiered chandeliers, and you'll know why this is called a palace rather than a house. From the intricate white-painted metalwork to the gorgeous Italian marble furnishings, every detail of what was once considered the most exquisite house in South America has been carefully restored and maintained. Remodeled from an earlier mansion in 1842, it's now the home of the private Club Central de Trujillo. Unfortunately, the club only allows visitors limited access, and permission to enter seems to depend principally on the guard's mood for the day. If you do go, prepare to be impressed.

About 35 km (22 miles) southeast of Chachapoyas are the ruins of Purunllacta, a good place for hiking. With pre-Inca agricultural terraces, dwellings, ceremonial platforms, and roads extending for more than 420 hectares (1,038 acres), but few tourists, this can be a peaceful spot, but somewhat boring as you have no explanation of what you're seeing. To get here, drive to the town of Cheto. From the town it's a one-hour walk uphill to the site. Few people know about this or go, so ask in Cheto for directions to the trailhead, and don't be alarmed if you have to ask more than one person.