The dramatic centerpiece of the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas—the park that bridges the Palermo and Recoleta neighborhoods—is the Floralis Generica. This gigantic, 18-ton metallic flower sculpture has become one of Buenos Aires’ most instantly reboldcognizable landmarks.
Nicknamed the Garden City and located just an hour from Santiago, Viña del Mar is a charming seaside town famous for its flowers and its beach. Top attractions include the seafront Wulff Castle, the Flower Clock (Reloj de Flores), and Francisco Fonck Museum, the entrance of which is marked by a stone moai statue from Easter Island.
The Pisac Indian Market is one of the most popular and picturesque of the indigenous markets in the Cusco region. Travelers from all over the world make the pilgrimage to this mountain town to purchase all manner of textiles, ceramics, jewelry, ponchos, rugs, alpaca and llama wool clothing, Andean instruments, ceramics, and a host of other lovely souvenirs.
Close to the center of Rio de Janeiro, the cobbled district of Santa Teresa has long been a visitor favorite. Though it started out as an upper-class neighborhood, it has now become an artistic enclave that’s famous for its bohemian cafes and galleries.
Bogotá’s main square is built on a grand scale, from a landmark statue of Simón Bolívar to the 16th-century La Catedral Primada. In between is a colorful crowd of vendors, travelers, and downtown workers. A starting point for exploring the historic La Candelaria neighborhood, the Plaza de Bolivar is a key stop for visitors to Bogotá.
The world-famous Panama Canal is a must-see for visitors to Panama City, but to fully appreciate it, head to the Miraflores Locks. The engineering marvel in action is a mesmerizing scene, with some 700 tons (635 tonnes) of machinery, reinforced against the mighty Pacific, and cargo-laden ships squeezing through with just inches to spare.
Wisps of fog trail through the lofty canopy of the 35,089-acre (14,200-hectare) Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve in the Costa Rica highlands, creating the perfect environment for thousands of animal and plant species. Here you can find wild orchids, colorful birds, sinuous jungle cats, and scenic mountaintop vistas. Among the natural crown jewels here is the brilliant-hued resplendent quetzal—a bucket-list sighting for bird-watchers from around the globe.
Baru Island, which sits in the glass-clear waters of the Caribbean, south of Cartagena, has long been touted as one of Colombia’s most serene beach resorts. The aptly named Playa Blanca is the undeniable highlight, an expanse of powdery white sand perfect for spending a day swimming and sipping tropical cocktails.
The largest and arguably most impressive of the four archaeological ruins on the outskirts of Cusco, Sacsayhuaman was built by the Incas from massive stones weighing up to 300 tons. A critical military site in the battle with the Spanish for the Inca empire in 1536, the ruins offer impressive views over the city below. Architecture and engineering buffs will be most impressed by the 3-tiered zigzag fortifications that exemplify innovative Inca engineering.
Few places in Buenos Aires are photographed as frequently as Caminito Street. The main artery of the waterfront La Boca neighborhood is a jumble of old buildings, brightly painted facades, and street-side market stalls, with hawkers, buskers, and tango dancers adding to the atmosphere.
The lake is divided between Peru and Bolivia, which bookend its beauty with the small cities of Puno and Copacabana, respectively. Both are fine bases to explore the lake's amazing islands, replete with hotels and restaurants.Carved into a warren of salt mines 623 feet (190 meters) below the ground, Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral (Catedral de Sal) is one of Colombia's most unique religious attractions. Venture inside to see chapels and altars carved directly into solid rock and gaze at the largest cross ever built in a subterranean church. But that's not all there is to see—other highlights include a replica of an ornate door from St. Peter's Basilica and a mining route.
Miles of white-sand beaches, aquamarine waters, and a backdrop of forested mountains help to make Angra dos Reis, or Bay of Kings, one of the top attractions of Brazil’s Costa Verde (Green Coast). Come to chill out, soak up the sun, and escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
The central barrio of San Telmo is one of Buenos Aires’ tango haunts. Formerly an upmarket residential area, the area’s “old mansions and faded glory” vibe set the perfect scene for the artists and musicians who now call this enclave home. The streets here are picturesquely cobbled, and the fascinating little shops are well worth a browse.
Between Cusco and Machu Picchu lies the mystical Sacred Valley of the Incas, home to some of Peru’s most interesting pre-Columbian ruins. Nestled among the spectacular scenery of the Andean highlands are exquisitely preserved archaeological sites that offer insight into the innovative Inca civilization. Highlights include the concentric Agricultural Terraces of Moray, the powder-pink Maras Salt Pools, and Ollantaytambo, a former administrative center featuring intricately decorated temples.
At the Train Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes) on the outskirts of Uyuni, hollowed out locomotive shells from Bolivia’s Gilded Age sit out in the open, many heavily corroded from the salt of the nearby Salar de Uyuni—the world’s largest salt flat. The train bodies are climbable, and one has even been converted into a swing.
Rio de Janeiro’s vibrant and bohemian Lapa neighborhood is the epicenter of the city’s music scene, with an abundance of bars and clubs hosting local samba and forro bands. After dark, revelers spill onto the sidewalks of Rua da Lapa and Rua Joaquim Silva in the heart of Lapa.
Barrelling through the center of Buenos Aires, the grandiose Avenida 9 de Julio boasts some of the Argentinian capital’s most recognizable landmarks. The giant Obelisk reigns supreme over the thoroughfare, which is bordered by other big hitters such as Colon Theatre (Teatro Colón) and Avenida Corrientes, and was modeled on Paris’ grand Champs-Élysées.
The Church and Convent of San Francisco is one of most-important sites in the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Lima. A spectacular example of Spanish baroque colonial grandeur, the church has a labyrinth of underground catacombs, and the convent has a remarkable library of antique texts and a tranquil cloistered garden.
An elegant residential district just north of downtown, Recoleta is Buenos Aires at its most polished—think luxury apartments, upscale boutiques, and perfectly manicured parks. The grand centerpiece is Recoleta Cemetery, a mini city of marble mausoleums and ornate crypts, where Eva “Evita” Perón was laid to rest.
With sweeping plains, rocky mountain trails, and glassy lagoons, Ecuador’s largest and most-visited national park is a spectacular setting for an outdoor adventure. Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, Cotopaxi National Park is most famous for the much-photographed Cotopaxi volcano, the highest active volcano in South America.
The Buenos Aires Obelisk (Obelisco de Buenos Aires), among the city’s most iconic landmarks, towers over the intersection of two main thoroughfares. Erected in 1936 to commemorate the quadricentennial of the city’s founding, the pencil-like column stands a striking 220 feet (67 meters) tall and marks the spot where the nation’s flag was first flown.
The enchanting colonial Plaza de Armas in the heart of the Trujillo’s historical district built by the Spanish conquistadors upon founding the city in 1534. Nearly 300 years later, the resistance of Trujillo declared the city’s independence from Spain, the first municipality in Peru to do so.
Lima is dotted with sacred pre-Columbian ruins and ceremonial sites known as huacas. Located in the coastal Miraflores neighborhood, the Huaca Pucllana complex, with its towering stepped adobe pyramid, is one of the city’s largest and most important ancient monuments. Built around the fifth century, it was once an administrative and ceremonial center of the indigenous Lima Culture civilization.
The presidential palace known as La Moneda Palace (Palacio de la Moneda)is one of Santiago’s architectural icons. A giant Chilean flag billows before the white, neoclassical building, which houses movie theaters, art galleries, and an independent bookstore. Look for the statue of former president Salvador Allende at the southeast corner of Plaza de la Constitución.
Located five miles from Cusco, Tambomachay is also known as “the Baths of the Inca”. For the Inca, water was a sacred element, and due to the scattered pools here, historians believe the temple was reserved for Inca royalty. Throughout, the spring waters are masterfully diverted into aqueducts, pools, and stone-carved waterways.
The graceful and carefully planned Spanish colonial city center, known as La Candelaria, is the oldest part of Bogotá, Colombia. Now a vibrant hub of activity for young artists, bohemian university students, and hip indie businesses, La Candelaria centers on Plazuela del Chorro del Quevedo, the spot where the city was founded in 1537.
Barranco is an atmospheric, seaside neighborhood in Lima known for its street art and hip, bohemian culture. The area was once a summer playground for fashionable Limeños and is full of old colonial buildings. Small cafes and artist-run boutiques buzz during the day, while bars and dance define the area at night.
Santa Cruz is easily the most central island for Galapagos visitors. One of only four islands where visitors are allowed to stay the night, the island can serve as the perfect home base from which to explore the archipelago. In addition to being the most cosmopolitan, Santa Cruz also offers beautiful beaches and wildlife, plus the Charles Darwin Research Station is located here.
The mighty Amazon River and its enormous, thickly forested basin are the heart of South America and the guardian of 20 percent of the Earth's fresh water. Visitors from around the globe come to Iquitos to cruise the river's storied waters and catch a glimpse of diverse fauna both above and below the surface.
The site on which the city was founded back in 1541, Plaza de Armas is both the heart of Santiago de Chile’s historic district and the epicenter of the modern city. The leafy, palm-fringed plaza is surrounded by grand monuments and architectural landmarks, and it’s abuzz with activity at all hours of the day and night.
