Delta Air Lines is adding 30 percent more capacity to Latin America and the Caribbean next winter with more flights to popular destinations from Costa Rica to San Juan.
21.07.2023 - 08:25 / roughguides.com / South America
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.
Few guidebooks even mention Jardin, a charming Colombian town that by all accounts has changed little since it was founded more than 150 years ago, making this one of the most unique underrated cities in South America.
As per tradition, each morning locals occupy the main square to sip a cup of rich, Colombian coffee, seated on colourful chairs that are painted in vibrant hues to match the exuberant facades of the town’s colonial houses. Across the plaza, the extravagant neo-Gothic Basilica Menor, with its striking turquoise interior, offers another excuse to tarry here.
Encircled by the mountains of the Cordillera Occidental and boarded by surging rivers and streams, Jardin’s colourful streets are matched by its surroundings. A short cable car passing over lush plantations of coffee and banana – the region’s principal crops – brings visitors to Mirador Cristo Rey and the best views over town.
Colourful Jardin in Colombia © Anamaria Mejia / Shutterstock
The gateway to the splendid mountain landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park further north, Punta Arenas is a city that most pass through quickly within Chile — in reality, however, it's worth sticking around this most fascinating cities in South America.
But it’s the historic heart of Chilean Patagonia; a city of neo-classical mansions that belonged to the merchants at the centre of the international wool trade in the late 1800s. The extravagant Palacio Braun-Menéndez is evidence of the wealth that once poured into the region.
Situated on the shores of the brooding waters of the Strait of Magellan, the Patagonian wilderness is never far away here. For panoramic views across colourful painted rooftops and beyond, climb to Mirador Cerro. Afterwards, recover from the chill with a cup of the locals' favourite: thick hot chocolate from La Chocolatta.
Punta Arenas cityscape, Chile © Pablo Rogat / Shutterstock
Difficult to reach from Lima and described by many as Peru’s “best-kept secret”, Chachapoyas was once the cradle of the ancient Chachapoya civilization or “Cloud People”, later ransacked by Inca forces and rebuilt by the Spaniards. Although the town is fairly understated, it is in the depths of the surrounding cloud forest that some of Peru’s most enthralling pre-Colombian archaeological treasures are found.
Few tourists yet make the pilgrimage to Kuélap Citadel, one of the largest
Delta Air Lines is adding 30 percent more capacity to Latin America and the Caribbean next winter with more flights to popular destinations from Costa Rica to San Juan.
May is here, which means Memorial Day–the unofficial start to summer–is just around the corner. Memorial Day isn’t the biggest travel holiday of the year, with many people choosing quick, local getaways (read: driving, instead of flying).
Solo travel has the power to transform: Think of the memoirs “Eat Pray Love” or “Wild.” But you don’t have to circumnavigate the globe or hike 1,100 miles to see why some people choose to go it alone. The freedom to explore at your own pace, open to connecting with people you meet along the way, can feel as intoxicating as a tropical breeze. But solo travel can be daunting, too, especially when problems arise. And of course, solo travelers need to keep certain safety considerations in mind.
Traveling by train in Peru is not just a practical way to move between major destinations, but also a fantastic way to soak up the incredible landscape. Train travel in the country has a nostalgic feel and allows riders to view nooks and crannies that they might not otherwise get to see when traveling by car. And one of the best train routes in Peru is the popular journey to Machu Picchu, starting from either Cusco or Ollantaytambo. Sure, trekking to Machu Picchu is a bucket-list experience, but taking the train is, too — it’s certainly not your average commuter train.
There’s only one place on Earth where you can see swimming iguanas, lava lizards, and giant tortoises: the Galápagos Islands. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1978, the archipelago off the shore of South America is a must-visit destination for anyone with a passion for fauna and flora, and their protection. 97 percent of the land was designated as a national park in 1959, and over 51,000 square miles of ocean around the islands have been a protected marine reserve since 1986, making for a destination where you’re a guaranteed to be immersed in nature and observe unique wildlife.
Whether you’re headed to Chile for the deserts of the north, glacial parks of the south, or the vast Pacific Coast, no itinerary is complete without a closer look at the Andes. Overlooking Mount Mocoen, this Airbnb gives you tiny house living with the Andean Range as your backyard – a mere two hours north of Santiago.
Germany’s thriving capital has been voted the tenth coolest city in the world thanks to its cutting-edge art scene, wild nightlife, multiculturalism, incredible museums and rebirth into the dynamic cosmopolitan powerhouse it is today. And as each day goes by, Berlin seems to only get cooler.
You can’t expect to fit everything South America has to offer into one trip – or two or three or four, to be fair – and we don’t suggest you try. For those taking a big, extended trip around the continent you could join a few together, but remember that the distances you’ll be covering can be vast. Plus, there's lots to discover off the beaten track.
Backpacking can be one of the most rewarding ways to travel – with little more than your clothes on your back and an onward ticket in your hand. But where are the world’s best backpacking destinations? We asked our readers, and here are the results.
Taken from the Rough Guide to South America on a Budget , these are our top nine tips for backpacking South America.
Thousands of foreign travellers visit the geysers, salt flats, oases and volcanoes of north Chile ’s Atacama Desert , but few make it to two of the region’s man-made attractions: the starkly beautiful ghost towns of Humberstone and Santa Laura. Shafik Meghji takes us into these abandoned settlements.