Travel in city Buenos Aires

Elegant and artsy Buenos Aires and humid, hedonistic Rio de Janeiro are some of South America’s biggest urban draws, notching up hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. But for each city flush with tourists, there are plenty still under the radar. For those looking to escape the crowds, here are five towns and cities in South America you’re guaranteed to fall in love with.

Access to even some of the more remote parts of South America has improved in the past few decades, establishing a now well-etched tourist trail. But if you want to escape the crowds and make a beeline for an unexplored South American treasure, look no further than this list of the places you’ve never heard of, but should definitely visit.

Polluted, rainy and business-orientated. Let’s face it, a trip to Bogotá hardly sounds appealing. And many travellers don’t bother to probe much further than this bleak reputation, seeing Bogotá either as somewhere to be skipped out altogether, or as merely a logistical blot on a more exciting itinerary.

Although long popular with Argentine tourists, Córdoba Province receives few foreign visitors, despite being one of the most diverse parts of the country. This underrated region is home to hip cities, kitsch Germania, iconic revolutionaries, skydiving hubs, UFO-spotters, and perhaps the finest horse riding on the continent.

While some Latin American countries have swept the headlines with multiplying case numbers and death tolls – think: Brazil – Argentina has been quietly under the radar. It locked down early; with a death count confined to the hundreds, businesses began reopening in some provinces in the first half of May – though lockdowns have been much more stringent in the major cities. The country is remaining cautious towards travel, with commercial flights banned until at least 1 September. To find out more, we caught up with Guadalupe, our local expert based in Cordoba, Argentina.

A land of ancient ruins, soaring Andean peaks and sweltering, seemingly endless jungle, South America is a true treat for the adventurous solo traveller.

Think Argentinais all rump steak and raunchy – not to mention randy – gauchos? Then it's time to discover the latest craze in buzzy Buenos Airesas puertas cerradas are revolutionising the city's eating habits.

For some, a trip to Argentina would not be complete without a day tour with a local gaucho. A prominent figure in Argentine culture, gaucho typically refers to local nomadic horsemen, known for their bravery and ability to rope cattle. See how travel expert Heidi Fuller-Love gets on while spending a day in gaucho Argentina.

Our recent 2023 travel survey asked you to share where you'd most love to visit in 2023. As well as quizzing you, our readers, we also picked the brains of Rough Guides’ editors and our local travel experts around the world, asking “Where’s best to visit in 2023?” Now all the results are in, we’re excited to bring you our definitive list (drumroll, please): The A-Z of the 23 best travel destinations for 2023.

2023 travel trends — what will they be? To find out, we quizzed our editors and local travel experts around the world. And we also asked you, our travel-savvy readers, to share your 2023 travel dreams and plans. After crunching the numbers, we now bring you seven unmissable 2023 travel trends, along with ways to make your travel dreams a reality.