Central & South America attractions

Surrounded by the lush green trees typical of Mendoza (despite its desert-like climate), Plaza España is a cultural gathering spot a few blocks from Plaza Independencia, the city’s main square. Its crown jewel is the fountain in its center, on which artfully carved women represent the relationship between Spain and Argentina.

The Iglesia de San Francisco, a National Historic Landmark in Mendoza, is a Renaissance-style pink basilica dating from 1875, which houses the tomb of the daughter of General San Martín. The church is also known for its elaborate altar and Virgin’s chapel, as well as a variety of religious artifacts on display.

Despite its altitude and aridity, the Atacama Desert has hosted human settlement for thousands of years. The ruins of the village of Tulor are one of the most tantalizing archaeological clues left behind by some of the earliest peoples in the region. As one of the oldest archaeological sites in Chile, it dates back to 300 BC, according to carbon dating.

Visit Maranhão’s largest water park, Valparaiso Acqua Park, for an alternative to the sun-soaked beaches of Brazil’s north coast. Set within a scenic forest reserve, the park is an ideal family day out, with water slides, swimming pools, and activities to entertain all ages.

Abutting the Plaza de Caicedo, the Metropolitan Cathedral is arguably Cali’s most important church, as it is the official seat of the city’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese. Construction of the cathedral began in 1772, although it was not completed until 1841, 69 years later, for political reasons. It was designated as a national monument in 1982.

The Chilean building boom of the late 1800s, spurred by rising silver, copper, and nitrite prices worldwide, inspired some of the city's most marvelous architecture. Grand palaces were built with neoclassical facades fashionably adorned with baroque and art nouveau touches. The finest of them all is located in the heart of the Calle Dieciocho neighborhood: the Cousiño Palace.

In a city infamous for a lacking cultural center, Managua’s National Palace of Culture stands as a testament to Nicaragua’s rich history. The complex houses the National Museum (Museo Nacional Dioclesiano Chávez), the National Archives, and the National Library (Biblioteca Nacional Rubén Darío) all under one stunning neoclassical roof.

House of the Three Worlds (Casa de los Tres Mundos), a nonprofit arts and cultural organization in Granada, is housed in a former colonial mansion. It hosts a variety of artistic showcases including film screenings, poetry readings, and dance performances. Both local and international acts visit this venue in Nicaragua.

The Museum of the Revolution (Museo de la Revolucion Salvadorena) is located in the rural area of Perquín, a four- to five-hour drive from the capital, San Salvador. Past guerilla fighters from the country’s Civil War act as guides for the museum. Visitors come to get a civilian viewpoint on the war and to learn about the artillery and artifacts used.

One of the oldest wineries in Cafayate, Vasija Secreta Winery (Bodega Vasija Secreta) is a popular Salta destination for learning about wine. Visit the vineyard to learn about the high-altitude microclimate of Cafayate and its aromatic wines. Head to this winery for a guided tasting and to explore the small on-site museum that includes winemaking artifacts from the last century.

Located within a sprawlingfazenda (ranch) 32 miles (51 kilometers) outside of Bonito, the Recanto Ecológico Rio da Prata offers prime snorkeling in Brazil. Travelers float down crystalline rivers while observing some 50 species of tropical fish, including giant dourados and large schools of pacus. Along the shores, exotic birds, tapirs, monkeys, and other animals can be spotted among the trees.

Historically, Chiclayo is an epicenter for the gathering of shamans and healers. Within the Witch Market’s cluttered and odiferous alleyways, healers hawk everything from dried snakes and monkey skulls to pieces of Andean condors, and you’ll find all manner of exotic herbal remedies and exotic cures, including hallucination-inducing cacti and frog juice promising virility.

Hollywood Dream Cars museum, in Gramado, Brazil, offers visitors the chance to step back in time. This unique and quirky attraction explores the golden age of both the automobile and the movie industry by showcasing vintage cars in a setting that evokes the glamour of the first half of the 20th century.

Located in Villavicencio, Bioparque Los Ocarros is a nature reserve dedicated to protecting the flora and fauna of the Orinoquia region of Colombia. Spanning 14.3 acres (5.8 hectares), the biopark is home to more than 190 species and 1,900 specimens of mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish, many of which were rescued.

La Laguna Botanical Garden is in a volcanic crater that erupted more than 2,200 years ago. After years of development for other commercial purposes, the land was turned into a botanical garden in 1976. It hosts more than 3,500 species of plants, including those used for medicinal and industrial purposes.

Sao Paulo’s Latin America Memorial (Memorial da America Latina) is a vibrant cultural complex celebrating the rich diversity and heritage of all 33 Latin American nations. Designed by celebrated Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, this architectural masterpiece beckons curious travelers with its striking design and captivating exhibits.

Don’t let the lack of spires and bell towers fool you—Managua’s modern Metropolitan Cathedral (New Cathedral, or La Nueva Catedral) is intended as Nicaragua’s preeminent church. A unique structure of a square base topped by 63 translucent domes built in 1993, the then-controversial cathedral is now an unforgettable sight.

Founded under the order of Sebastián de Belalcázar in 1555, Guadalajara de Buga is one of Colombia’s oldest cities. Guadalajara de Buga—or Buga, as it’s more informally known—attracts more than three million pilgrims a year seeking its salmon-pink Basilica of the Lord of Miracles (Basílica Menor Señor de Los Milagros) and its crucifix, which legend says grew from a small statue to its current life-size version without human intervention.

Characterized by a Romanesque steeple, Recoleta Convent provides a pocket of tranquility in the midst of the Historic Center of Arequipa. As well as boasting traditional sillar (white volcanic rock) cloisters, the convent has a museum of Amazonian artifacts—which include preserved jungle animals—and a library with more than 20,000 books.

The former regional capital of Popayán is best known for an abundance of whitewashed buildings, earning it the nicknameCiudad Blanca (White City). Popayán is among Colombia’s best preserved colonial cities, and is home to one of the country’s oldest, most prestigious universities, which counts 16 Colombian presidents among its alumni.

Not to be confused with the hill of the same name near Córdoba, the Andean peak of Cerro Colorado sits just east of San Martín de los Andes. Scaling the 5,833-foot (1,778-meter) summit of the now-dormant volcano is a popular challenge for hikers, affording magnificent views across the Andes Mountains and the Lácar and Lolog lakes.

Located in the heart of Trujillo’s historic center, this cathedral (aka the Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary), brightly painted yellow with white wedding-cake piping and twin bell towers, is a stalwart representation of the city’s colonial past. Highlights are its noteworthy altarpieces and religious paintings in the cathedral’s art museum.

Against a backdrop of the Mantiqueira Mountains, the gardens of the Jardim dos Pinhais Ecco Parque offer a tranquil retreat and are ideal for strolling and picnicking. Explore gardens with themes ranging from the zen-like Japanese garden to the palm-shaded tropical one and Renaissance-inspired Italian garden.

This long, white sand beach outside of Natal is divided in two by the Pirangi river, creating Pirangi do Norte and Pirangi do Sul. Its calm, turquoise waters make it a popular place for swimming and water sports such as surfing and diving, with frequent competitions on the beach. Plus, you can hop in a buggy to zip around the sand dunes.

At Biopark Reserve (Bioparque La Reserva) outside Bogotá, get up close and personal with animals rescued from illegal trafficking, while immersing yourself in several unique and varied Colombian ecosystems. Visitors can learn about the importance of conservation and sustainability at this family-friendly animal sanctuary.

Constructed in 1743, Antigua City Hall (Palacio del Ayuntamiento) once served as the seat of the Spanish colonial government seat as well as an 80-person jail. Today, the building is the city’s administrative center and home to the Museo del Libro and the Museo de Santiago. The hall’s visually striking two-story façade has a double layer of stone archways and Tuscan-style columns.

Learn about marine dinosaurs that inhabited prehistoric Colombia and modern paleontological research techniques at the Paleontological Research Center (Centro de Investigaciones Paleontológicas). A modern research facility, CIP also houses a large collection of fossils from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras.

Jockey Plaza is one of Lima’s biggest, newest, and most popular shopping malls. The bi-level American-style outdoor shopping complex in the Surco neighborhood offers over 400 small boutiques hawking well-known international brands, and popular South American department stores.

Composing part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay, this 180-mile (290-km) long estuary is formed by the confluence of the Uruguay and Paraná Rivers. After multiple explorations by various Spanish navigators, the waterway came to be known as the Rio de la Plata (River of Silver) for the promise of riches thought to lie upstream.

Guatemala’s Estación Biológica las Guacamayas (EBG), named for the country’s endemic scarlet macaw, is an ecotourism-focused environmental research and conservation center. Its mission is to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Laguna del Tigre National Park in the Maya Biosphere Reserve of Petén. The name means Las Guacamayas Biological Station.