Come to the Parque Principal day to people-watch and to enjoy the ornate colonial buildings lining the city’s most popular and central square. Get to know the square as part of a walking tour of Chiclayo's landmarks and attractions including Chiclayo Cathedral, the Municipal Palace, Paseo de las Musas and its grand Greek-style statues. A highlight of many tours is the Witch Market, a colorful and fascinating treasure-trove of unusual herbs and healing remedies just off the square.
Parque Principal is just a few minutes walking from Chiclayo’s main bus station and about a ten-minute drive from the airport. Chiclayo is the capital of the Lambayeque Department and a three-hour express bus ride north from Trujillo. Chiclayo Cathedral is located in the center of Chiclayo overlooking the Plaza des Armas, an easy walk from the city’s top attractions and hotels. Local taxis are also plentiful.
Soak up a festive atmosphere any time of day. At night, the buildings around the park are illuminated in a soft glow. Come in June for a festival honoring San Pedro and San Pablo, the patron saints of fishermen and farmers; and in August when locals hike to Motupe, a highland village just outside Chicalyo, to mark Cruz de Chalpon with dancing, fireworks and music.
Just south of Parque Principal is the Promenade of the Muses (Paseo de las Musas), a relaxing park built in the 1990s with a surprising decorative motif. Arranged around a grand Greek-style temple—inscribed “Heroica Ciudad de Chiclayo” (Heroic City of Chiclayo) to honor the citizens who defended the city in the war of the Pacific—are nine classical statues depicting mythological muses sculpted by local artist Miguel A. Díaz.
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