Santa Catarina
The 3.5km Praia do Campeche is one of Floripa's five-star beaches, an absolute stunner of sun-kissed perfection with wind conditions lending themselves to…
Must-see attractions in South America
Puerto Ayora
The first of its kind in the world, this museum uses augmented reality to showcase a permanent exhibition of 55 pre-Columbian artifacts. The ancient…
The Galápagos Islands
The summit of this volcano (1097m) is famous for its 7km-wide caldera and steaming fumaroles. Hundreds of giant tortoises can be seen here, especially…
Fernando de Noronha
The most stunning stretch of sand on an island of magnificent beaches, Baía do Sancho is a protected cove of brilliant turquoise waters backed by forest…
Arequipa
This convent shouldn’t be missed, even if you’ve overdosed on colonial edifices. Occupying a whole block and guarded by imposing high walls, it is one of…
North Coast
If there's one must-see archaeological site in the region, this is it. The Temples of the Sun and the Moon, attributed to the Moche period, are more than…
Santiago
The best views over Santiago are from the peaks and viewpoints of the Parque Metropolitano, better known as Cerro San Cristóbal. At 722 hectares, the park…
French Guiana
Visiting the Centre Spatial Guyanais and (if you're lucky) seeing a rocket launch are two of French Guiana's biggest highlights. Both need to be arranged…
Medellín
Once one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellín, the Comuna 13, which clings to the mountainside above the San Javier metro station, has…
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
Cartagena
The greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies, the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas still dominates an entire section of…
Iguazú Falls & the Northeast
Topped by twin towers and surrounded by elegant gardens, Justo José de Urquiza’s ostentatious pink palace is 33km west of Concepción. Set around an…
Buenos Aires
It was former president Néstor Kirchner who, in 2005, first proposed turning the abandoned former central post office into a cultural center. He died in…
Lima
In an 18th-century viceroy’s mansion, this museum offers one of the largest, best-presented displays of ceramics in Lima. Founded by pre-Columbian…
Chiloé
Shrouded in folklore and Huilliche mythology, Chiloé's 'Dock of Souls' was built in 2007 by architect Marcelo Orellana. The curved boardwalk spans 17m…
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús
Quito
Capped by green-and-gold domes, La Compañía de Jesús is Quito’s most ornate church and a standout among the baroque splendors of the Old Town. Free guided…
La Paz
The city’s most unusual market lies along Calles Jiménez and Linares between Sagárnaga and Av Mariscal Santa Cruz, amid lively tourist artesanías (stores…
Museo del Banco Central ‘Pumapungo’
Cuenca
One of Ecuador's most significant museums, Pumapungo houses great modern art downstairs, but the highlight is on the 2nd floor. Here begins a…
Bolivia
The world's largest salt flat sits at a lofty 3653m (11,985ft) and blankets an amazing 12,000 sq km (4633 sq miles). It was part of a prehistoric salt…
Quito
For spectacular views over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard this sky tram, one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes passengers on a 2…
Bogotá
Even if you've never heard of Fernando Botero, you'll probably recognize some of his highly distinctive paintings of oversized (read: chubby) characters,…
Valparaíso
Bellavista's most famous resident writer was Pablo Neruda, who made a point of watching Valparaíso's annual New Year's fireworks from his house at the top…
Bolivia
As you might have guessed from the dinosaur figure in the plaza or the dinosaur head sticking out of city hall, Torotoro has become synonymous with…
Buenos Aires
The Casa Rosada was named for its distinctive color. It was from the balcony here, at the presidential palace, that Eva Perón famously addressed the…
Parque Nacional Serra dos Órgaos – Teresópolis Entrance
Rio de Janeiro State
About 6km south of Teresópolis, off the BR-116 Rio–Teresópolis highway, you'll find the main (and most accessible) entrance to magnificent Parque Nacional…
Reserva Natural Cañon de Río Claro
Around Medellín
Within the boundaries of this private nature reserve, the river has carved a stunning canyon from its marble bed. You can visit the spectacular Caverna de…
Quito
In the former home of the legendary painter Oswaldo Guayasamín (1919–99), this wonderful museum houses the most complete collection of the artist's work…
North Coast
Opened in November 2002, the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán is the pride of northern Peru – as well it should be. With its burgundy pyramid…
Lima
One of Lima’s most historic religious sites, the Iglesia de Santo Domingo and its expansive convent are built on land granted to the Dominican friar…
Rio de Janeiro
Rio’s Maracanã stadium is hallowed ground among football lovers. The massive arena has been the site of legendary victories and crushing defeats. Maracanã…
Catamarca & La Rioja
The Inca ruins of El Shincal are located 7km west of Londres. Founded in 1471, the town occupied a commanding position in the foothills of the mountains,…
Salta & the Andean Northwest
Dating from about AD 1000, Quilmes was a complex indigenous urban settlement that occupied about 30 hectares and housed as many as 5000 people. The…
Museo Gauchesco Ricardo Güiraldes
San Antonio de Areco
This sprawling museum in Parque Criollo dates from 1936 and is largely dedicated to Ricardo Güiraldes, author of the novel Don Segundo Sombra, and local…
Buenos Aires
Surrounded by the Casa Rosada, the Cabildo and the city’s main cathedral, Plaza de Mayo is the place where Argentines gather in vehement protest or…
Pará
If you came to the Amazon to see primary rainforest, look no further than the Floresta Nacional do Tapajós. Wildlife is a possibility – from birds to…
La Paz
This colonial building was constructed in 1775 of pink sandstone and has been restored to its original grandeur, in mestizo (mixed) baroque and Andino…
Recoleta & Barrio Norte
This cemetery is perhaps BA's top attraction. You can wander for hours in this incredible city of the dead, where the ‘streets’ are lined with impressive…
Santiago
When poet Pablo Neruda needed a secret hideaway to spend time with his mistress Matilde Urrutia, he built La Chascona (loosely translated as 'Messy Hair')…
Museo de Textiles Andinos Bolivianos
La Paz
Fans of Bolivia’s lovely traditional weaving consider this small textile museum a must-see. Examples of the country’s finest traditional textiles …
Quito
One of the most important works of art in South America, Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín’s Capilla del Hombre stands next to the Casa Museo…
Norte Chico
In 2010, 33 miners were trapped more than 700m underground after a devastating collapse within the mountain where they'd been working. Following a…
