Trujillo is a city for history buffs and vacationers alike. Founded by Pizarro in 1534 in the fruitful Moche Valley along Peru's northern coast, it became the first Peruvian city to declare independence from Spain and has been known for its rebellious bent ever since. The extravagant and beautifully-preserved colonial buildings that line Trujillo's streets betray its wealth of old and now house some excellent hotels, restaurants and cafés. Nearby lie the ancient Chimú capital of Chan Chan, once the world's largest adobe city, Moche temples of the sun and moon and the sandy beaches of Huanchaco where traditional caballitos de totora (reed watercrafts) still ride the waves. Its pleasantly warm, dry climate is free of the scorching heat found farther north as well as Lima's fog.