Central & South America attractions

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.

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.

Towering 10,341 feet (3,152 meters) tall at the edge of Bogotá, forested Mt. Monserrate (Cerro de Monserrate) can be spotted from across the city. Set like a pearl on the summit is the Monserrate Sanctuary, a 17th-century church whose shrine is a major pilgrimage place for Colombian Catholics.

Some historians say that if it weren’t for San Felipe de Barajas Castle (Castillo San Felipe de Barajas), South America would now speak English. The 14th-century fortress protected the coastal city of Cartagena from English invasion, allowing the Spanish to maintain their rule. Besides the role it plays in Colombia’s history, the castle attracts visitors with its panoramic harbor views.

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.

One of the largest neo-Gothic churches in the Americas, La Basílica del Voto Nacional is an unmistakable feature of the skyline. Perched on a hill, the 19th-century beauty has three towers, which may be climbed to enjoy a fantastic city panorama. Technically unfinished, local legend opines that when the completion of the basilica arrives, so will the end of the world.

Salkantay Trail, a remote trekking route in the same Andean region as the Inca Trail, offers travelers spectacular scenery. Trekkers pass soaring mountains, picturesque villages, lakes, and lush jungle. While Inca Trail tours are typically booked far in advance, Salkantay offers another (more affordable) way to reach Machu Picchu.

Dating back to the eighth century and partially restored, Xunantunich in western Belize once served as a Maya civic-ceremonial center. Xunantunich, which means “Maiden of the Rock,” features towering temples and replica stucco friezes, giving visitors a sense of how impressive this city would have been in its heyday. Keep your eyes open for a glimpse of the maiden’s spirit—she’s reported to have red glowing eyes and lingers near the main temple complex.

A symbol of both Incan cosmology and their brutal conquest at the hands of the Spanish, Qorikancha (Coricancha) is one of the most important sites in Cusco. The sacred temple—which the Incas created to worship their sun deity and then swathed in gold—was looted and destroyed by conquistadors, who built a colonial church atop the temple ruins.

The Middle of the World Monument (La Mitad del Mundo) commemorates the site where the 18th-century French explorer Charles Marie de la Condamine once calculated the globe's equatorial line. A trapezoidal monument in the center of the park houses a viewing platform, while a small museum on the equator pays tribute to local Indigenous cultures. Other highlights of the complex include a planetarium and museums dedicated to beer and trains.

Quilotoa Lagoon was formed when a now-extinct volcano collapsed and the resulting crater was filled with a startling emerald-green lake, the color resulting from volcanic minerals. Just south of Quito, the village and lagoon of Quilotoa have become a popular day-trip destination, affording spectacular views and photo opportunities.

The Vista Chinesa (Chinese View) is one of the most striking monuments of the Tijuca Forest, erected in 1903 to honor Rio’s Chinese immigrants. The Chinese-style pavilion perched atop Alto da Boa Vista, some 1,247 feet (380 meters) above the city below, offers a stellar view away from the masses of Sugar Loaf and Corcovado.

Thanks to its designation as a UNESCO World heritage Site, the historical center of Lima is immaculately preserved. Encompassing the area between Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin, the core includes the majority of the city’s outstanding colonial attractions and palm-fringed green spaces, all within easy walking distance.

Cerro Concepción is a charming hillside neighborhood in Valparaiso, Chile, that draws visitors with its kaleidoscopic streets and stunning panoramic views of the city, Pacific Ocean, and Concón Dunes. Be sure to budget vacation time to explore its winding alleys filled with cafés, boutiques, and art galleries.

The historical heart of Ecuador’s capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Quito Old Town is the first port of call for most visitors to the city. Known for its cobblestone lanes, Spanish colonial architecture, and beautiful churches, it’s Quito’s most atmospheric district.

Nearly 12,000 feet (3,600 meters) above sea level, the sky high Q’engo temple features some of the best examples of intact Inca carving. The name Q’enqo, which means labyrinth in Quechua, refers to the zig-zagging channels the Inca carved into a single rock monolith, used for mysterious death rituals not yet fully understood.

Plaza Botero is one of Medellín’s most important outdoor spaces, home to 23 bronze sculptures of chubby cats, voluptuous women, and fat fingers designed and donated by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. Beneath swaying palms and native ceiba trees, snack on street food and snap photos alongside the larger-than-life sculptures.

Once the shimmering capital of the entire Inca Empire, Cusco is the gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the ruins of Machu Picchu. Bearing its original Inca name, meaning “Navel of the Earth,” Cusco pulsates with a unique and magical energy rivaled by few other South American cities, most notably in its historic center.

Built atop the Inca palace Viracocha, the Cusco Cathedral was a triumphant statement for conquering colonists who laid the foundation stones in 1559. Now Plaza de Armas’ showpiece, the cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cusco and a significant cultural monument holding the largest collection of Cusco School paintings.

Separating Argentina's Tierra del Fuego from remote Chilean islands, the narrow Beagle Channel serves as a waterway for the world's southernmost city, Ushuaia. It’s one of the most important bodies of water in South America, as it connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and boasts the spectacular scenery that makes Patagonia so famous. Think snow-capped mountains and islands inhabited by penguins and sea lions.

From the coastal deserts of southern Peru to the frigid peaks of the Andes, every part of the vast Inca Empire traced back to Cusco. Tucked within the Andean mountains, the scenic capital city was the beating heart of one of the greatest civilizations in history. Today, you can feel this powerful history most palpably in its central square, Plaza de Armas.

With 14 cascades tumbling over 260 feet (80 meters) into a cloudy mist as they hit the frothing water below, Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo) is easily the star of Iguazú Falls. The tallest of Iguazú’s 275 waterfalls, Devil’s Throat is evenly split across the border of Argentina and Brazil, making it easy to visit no matter your starting point.

One of Antigua’s most photographed structures, the saffron-coloredxa0 Santa Catalina Arch was built in 1694 to connect two convents to a school outside their confines, to protect them from entering the outside world on their way to teach there. Safe from breaking their vow of seclusion, they passed through a hidden passageway inside the arch.

Flanked by several important buildings—the Archbishop’s Palace, City Hall, Government Palace, and the cathedral—Plaza de la Independencia (Plaza Grande to the locals) has been part of Quito’s streetscape since 16th century. What was once a central market and bullfighting arena is today a shady square.

El Puente de la Mujer (“Woman’s Bridge”), the first Latin American work by the renowned Catalan architect Santiago Calatrava, is one of the most distinctive symbols of the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Puerto Madero. Appropriately for its Argentine setting, the gleaming white structure was designed to represent a couple dancing tango.

Named after the Chilean politician Rafael Sotomayor, Plaza Sotomayor marks the center of Valpariaso’s grand historic district. The square is home to the duck-egg-blue Chilean Navy headquarters, and a moving monument that pays homage to Chilean sailors who died during the Battle of Iquique.

The unusual 40-plus floating Uros Islands are the most photographed attractions on Lake Titicaca. Constructed with springy totora reeds and anchored to the lake bed, the fragile islands must continually be built and rebuilt, changing in shape, size and even number over time.

A short train ride from the skyscrapers and international art galleries of modern Medellín’s El Centro is Pueblito Paisa, a monument to Colombia’s colonial past. The little village (pueblito) is a re-creation featuring traditional white-washed houses, a picture-perfect central plaza, and spectacular views of Medellín’s surrounding mountains.

The Larco Museum (Museo Larco) is the only place in Peru that houses an extensive private collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. The museum displays more than 4,000 years of Peruvian history with tens of thousands of ceramics, textiles, pottery, metalware, and other excavated findings unearthed by the affluent Larco family.

Despite being just a half-hour drive from Buenos Aires, the provincial town of Tigre is a world apart. Sitting at the mouth of the Tigre Delta along the Río de la Plata, local life here centers around the water, whether paddling along willow-fringed canals or cruising around the islands and stilted houses. Popular with day-trippers and porteños (city-dwellers), laid-back Tigre is known for its handicrafts market, museums, and riverfront theme park.