A nondescript town with little to visit except a large Chimú temple nearby, this is a stop for those who are either determined to see every archaeological site in Peru or do not have the time to go to Trujillo or Chiclayo, but would like to see some northern ruins. To get here, head north from Lima on the Pan-American Highway through the bleak, empty coastal desert, passing several dusty villages, and arriving in Barranca.