South America is a continent of extremes: it is the highest, driest, largest, deepest, rarest, etc. From Caracas to Tierra del Fuego, superlatives abound, ensuring that every traveler can find something to pique their attention. In this article, we will look into some of the best cities to visit in South America.
Environmentalists will appreciate Brazil’s well-preserved Pantanal, while shoppers can select between expensive shops in major cities like Rio de Janeiro or the vibrant markets of Andean communities.
There are many opportunities to explore lost towns from earlier civilizations, enjoy the breathtaking scenery practically everywhere you walk, or indulge your palate with local cuisine.
There are several options available to you in South America. Listed below is a list of the 21 best cities to visit in South America. Let’s dive in!
What you need to know before Visiting South America?
1. Visit Countries that Suit your Interests
Don’t let FOMO ruin your trip to South America. It is a sizable continent with a wide variety of breathtaking natural features and species.
Country-hopping in South America takes longer than it does in Europe or Southeast Asia. Choose a nation that matches your travel preferences and put your attention there to make the most of your experience.
For instance, go to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands to enjoy the natural beauty and animals. Visit Rio De Janeiro, Bogota, and Cali in Brazil for a lively and diverse metropolitan experience.
2. Seasons are Opposite in South America
In South America, one could say that everything is backwards. In a literal sense, it is.
Seasons and weather patterns are very different where you are because you are south of the equator.
Additionally, due to its size, it is impossible to choose the ideal time of year to visit South America. It heavily depends on the nation you are traveling to.
Having said that, be aware of the seasons in the southern hemisphere, which are winter from April to October and summer from November to March.
Determine the ideal time to visit a particular nation based on your interests and schedule.
3. Health Tips to Keep in Mind
Traveling to South America has long been associated with a fear of contracting diseases. There is some truth to this, despite the needless exaggeration.
Consult your doctor, then make a list of the medications you’ll need to carry and the vaccinations you’ll need to get at least a month ahead.
While traveling to South America, use caution and get ready to deal with altitude or mountain sickness. This is noticeable in high-altitude regions with elevations greater than 3,500 meters above sea level, such as Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and some regions of Colombia.
And the temperatures there can drop to extremely low levels. As a result, dehydration and hypothermia are two frequent adverse effects.
4. Knowing Basic Spanish is a Must
English won’t go you very far on your trip through South America. It is imperative to brush up on your Spanish and Portuguese before traveling because these languages are commonly spoken.
Beautiful mountain paths and historic sites are typically found outside of busy cities. And this is where having a little understanding of Spanish can be really helpful. The majority of hotel personnel and taxi drivers only know Spanish in smaller cities and villages.
5. Sort out Payment Options with your Bank
Banking and money are not the same as they are at home. The first item on your checklist should be telling your bank about your travel.
By doing this, you can prevent your card from being blocked if transactions are unexpectedly made in another nation. Additionally, you can talk to them about the many card possibilities, ATM services, and banking options in South America.
In Bolivia, ATM withdrawal fees can be as little as €0.50 and as much as €9 in Peru. And only in larger cities do stores accept cards easily. While paying with solely cash is a practical choice, carrying a big wad of dollars around all the time is not particularly safe.
What are the 21 Best Cities to Visit in South America?
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
3. Iguazu Falls, Brazil & Argentina
4. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
5. Buenos Aires, Argentina
6. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
7. Amazon Rainforest
8. Easter Island, Chile
9. Lake Titicaca, Peru & Bolivia
10. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
11. Cusco, Peru
12. Angel Falls, Venezuela
13. Atacama Desert, Chile
14. Colca Canyon, Peru
15. Quito, Ecuador
16. Tayrona National Park, Colombia
17. Ushuaia, Argentina
18. Pantanal, Brazil
19. Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
20. Salvador, Brazil
21. Cartagena, Colombia
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
The Inca culture before the arrival of the Spanish is magnificently represented by Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu, which is tucked away in the Peruvian Andes, served as an imperial palace, a fortification, and a place for religious rituals involving the offering of human sacrifices to the gods.
The location was unexplored by the Spanish and left after the conquest before being “discovered” by an American professor in the early 1900s.
Machu Picchu is a magnificent example of traditional Inca architecture and was constructed from polished stones. Machu Picchu is the most popular tourist destination in Peru due to its breathtaking views.
2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
You must learn the samba, Rio’s most well-known dance, when you visit Rio de Janeiro; even The Girl from Ipanema performs it. In addition to the samba, this international metropolis is well-known for Copacabana Beach, Carnival, and bossa nova.
The Christ the Redeemer statue that is located atop Corcovado Mountain might be its most well-known landmark.
Rio was the site of the 2016 Summer Olympics, however the majority of its citizens prefer soccer: One of the biggest soccer stadiums in the world is Maracana Stadium.
3. Iguazu Falls, Brazil & Argentina
Iguazu Falls is one of the best cities to visit in South America and also one of the top tourist destinations, must be experienced in person because mere descriptions cannot give them credit. In fact, they are as impressive as their name, which means “big water:”
With 275 waterfalls of varying proportions, the largest of which being Devil’s Throat, they are the largest waterfall system in the entire globe.
The Iguazu River flows through Brazil for a large portion of its journey to the ocean, but the majority of the falls are in Argentina, perhaps in an effort to foster international harmony.
4. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Visit the Galapagos Islands if you want to see what animals might have looked like in the distant past. Giant tortoises and menacing-looking iguanas are among the unique species that can only be found here.
They served as the inspiration for Charles Darwin’s contentious book On the Origin of Species from the 19th century. This 18-island archipelago was created—and is continuously creating—by volcanic activity, and it is located around 900 kilometers (550 miles) off the coast of Ecuador.
5. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is home to 17 million inhabitants, making it the fourth most populous city in the Americas. The city, which is known for its cosmopolitan flare, is situated on the Argentinian coast along the Rio de la Plata.
The most visited city in South America is Buenos Aires, which is known for its architecture and vibrant cultural scene. The Recoleta, a residential area renowned for its history, is a must-see here. The district’s most well-known landmark is the Recoleta Cemetery, where Eva Peron is interred.
6. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Torres del Paine National Park is one of Chile’s largest and most popular parks despite being situated in the far-off region of Patagonia, Chile. Why? The scenery is indeed breathtaking.
One amazing sight you’ll witness is the Torres del Paine (Paine means blue in the local indigenous language).
In the Paine Mountains, the three peaks dominate the scenery. A favorite of outdoor enthusiasts, the park is filled with mountains, glaciers, rivers, forests, and steppe. A deer species that is threatened lives in the park.
7. Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon jungle, it contains 390 billion trees, if you had the time to count that high. Unbelievable as this statistic is, the Amazon rainforest occupies around 34% of the Amazon River basin, making it an outstanding piece of real estate.
The largest tropical rainforest in the world is there. Brazil accounts for 60% of the world’s rainforest, with sizable portions in Peru and Columbia; neighboring nations only make up a minor portion. The rainforest undoubtedly has a diverse range of plants and animals.
8. Easter Island, Chile
However, this Chilean area is not renowned for its isolation. When you arrive, you’ll see around 900 prehistoric statues carved by early Polynesian settlers.
Moai, or these magnificent statues, may date back to nearly 1,000 years. The majority of the statues were carved from solidified volcanic ash, with the black eyes being made of obsidian.
9. Lake Titicaca, Peru & Bolivia
Bolivia and Peru share a border with Lake Titicaca, the biggest lake in South America. There are smaller lakes higher than this one, but at little over 3,800 meters (12,500 feet), it is regarded as the highest navigable lake in the world.
Many of its 41 islands, including the floating islands the locals construct out of thick reeds, are populated. The lake is home to a substantial number of water birds and approximately 500 types of aquatic life. According to local legend, the sun was born at Lake Titicaca.
10. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, is located in the Andes at a height of around 3,700 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level. The salt flat, which is situated in southwest Peru, has a thick crust that protects a brine and provides salt.
The salt flat is as flat as it gets and appears otherworldly due to the hard landscape, especially after rain when the Salar transforms into a huge mirror. It’s also one of the strangest tourist destinations in South America and a significant flamingo breeding area.
11. Cusco, Peru
Cusco’s history has been quite colorful. Cusco, which is situated in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of 3,400 meters (11,000 feet), historically served as the seat of the powerful Inca Empire. Then, in the 16th century, the Spanish invaded, effectively wiping off the Inca population.
The constitution of Peru designates it as the country’s historical capital even if it is not the nation’s capital. Many Inca monuments still have remnants in the vicinity, and the Old Town is home to Spanish colonial architecture.
12. Angel Falls, Venezuela
The Guayana Highlands of Venezuela most certainly have a scene-stealer in the form of Angel Falls. It is 15 times higher than Niagara Falls, which is located in both Canada and the United States, and is the highest unbroken waterfall in the world. More than 950 meters (3,200 feet) of water fall into the Rio Kerepacupai Meru from Auyantepu Mountain.
Jimmy Angel, an American, was the first pilot to fly over the waterfall in 1937, and his name is given to the waterfall. There are airline and river boat excursions involved in the journey there.
13. Atacama Desert, Chile
The Atacama Desert is exceptional because it is the world’s driest non-polar desert; it may only rain there once every four years. It extends 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) along Chile’s coast, sandwiched between the Andes and the Pacific.
The soil resembles that of Mars; in the film Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets, parts of it served as Mars. Just a few of the region’s unique features include vast salt flats, erupting geysers, and intensely blue lagoons.
14. Colca Canyon, Peru
Colca Canyon is the third most popular tourist destination in Peru for a reason—it has breathtaking views. Although the canyon is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States, it is not the deepest in Peru.
When you’ve had your fill of beautiful scenery, feast your eyes on the skies, where you might spot Andean condors and the largest hummingbirds you’ve ever seen. A good spot to purchase regional handicrafts is in a village.
15. Quito, Ecuador
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is unlike any other city in the world. It is one of the best cities to visit in South America and the closest capital to the equator and the highest capital in the world (La Paz is higher but isn’t Bolivia’s official capital).
Quito’s vibrant old town, which the Spanish founded in 1534, is one of the largest, best-preserved, and least-changed in the Americas.
The city is surrounded by visible volcanoes and is situated in Ecuador’s northern highlands. The only other capital in the world that has a volcano threat is Quito.
16. Tayrona National Park, Colombia
You’re certain to adore Tayrona National Park on Colombia’s Caribbean coast if keeping the environment and its inhabitants protected while taking in breathtaking vistas is high on your priority list.
Tayrona is a protected marine reserve that encompasses both land and water and is the second-most visited national park in the nation. The vegetation and wildlife are very diverse in this area. There are about 100 different animal species, 300 different bird species, and 70 different types of bats.
Tayrona is most well-known for its breathtaking beaches, which are located in deep bays and are surrounded by mountains and coconut trees. However, the majority of beaches are not appropriate for swimming due to strong currents.
17. Ushuaia, Argentina
If you enjoy exploring far-flung locales, Ushuaia should be on your travel wish list. Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, is regarded as the southernmost city in the world. The train to the end of the world does really come to an end here.
When it’s not gloomy or windy, which is most of the time, Ushuaia is incredibly lovely, nestled among the mountains beside a bay. The museum at the former penal colony is a great spot to watch penguins, orca whales, and seals.
18. Pantanal, Brazil
The Pantanal is the best area in South America to witness animals, including jaguars and capybaras, despite not having the same notoriety as its sister wetlands in the Amazon.
19. Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina
In Los Glaciares National Park, nothing is done lightly. The park is not only the biggest national park in Argentina, but it also contains the biggest ice cover outside of Greenland and Antarctica, which feeds 47 sizable glaciers.
The Perito Moreno glacier, which is the most well-known of these, is exceptional among glaciers since it is advancing while others are receding.
The largest lake in the nation, Lake Argentino, is also located within the park. With the Patagonian Steppe and the well-preserved Magellan Subpolar forest, the park is also renowned for its ecosystem and wildlife.
20. Salvador, Brazil
The city of Salvador da Bahia, often referred to as Salvador, is one of the best cities to visit in South America. It was established by the Portuguese in 1548, making it one of the continent’s first colonial cities. Pelourinho, the historic district called after the whipping post where slaves were tortured, is where you can learn about its colorful past.
The earliest slave port in the Americas was located in the third-largest city in Brazil; remnants of this African ancestry can still be found there today, particularly in the cuisine. Salvador is also known as a party city and is home to the biggest party in the world, the yearly Carnival event.
21. Cartagena, Colombia
A significant city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast is Cartagena. In 1533, the Spanish founded it and gave it the name of Cartagena, Spain. The city served as the political and economic hub of Spain’s rule over South America.
Even though Cartagena is a very modern city today, it still has a walled historic district and the fortress that protected it, which is known as one of the biggest fortresses in all of South America. The cultural landscape in Cartagena is vibrant, including annual festivals, museums, and art galleries.
Why is South America so Popular?
South America is a big continent that contains a variety of nations, capitals, languages, scenery, and traditions. It is well known for its deeply ingrained and old culture. There is so much to learn, from the beaches of Brazil to the rainforests of Peru.
South America is a huge continent, so there are excellent locations for many kinds of travelers. There are countless coastlines from which beachgoers might select.
The alternatives in the Andes mountain range, which includes several very tall peaks, will be loved by skiers and snowboarders. There is also a ton of rainforest, historical civilizations, and top-notch towns to discover.
Frequently Asked Questions on best cities to visit in South America
What is South America’s top tourism destination?
Argentina continues to be the most popular travel destination for travelers from outside of South America. 7,399,000 people traveled abroad in 2019.
What South American nation is the safest?
Uruguay
Uruguay. Uruguay is at the top of the list of South American nations with the best safety records. Out of the 163 countries in the globe, Uruguay is ranked 46th in the 2022 Global Peace Index.
Which South American city is the richest?
The richest city in South America, So Paulo, accounts for 67% of Brazil’s luxury market, making it one of the least-tapped in the world.
What draws travelers to South America?
The abundance of historical history in South America is one of the biggest reasons to travel there. When you travel to locations like Tiwanaku, the Nazca Lines, and Machu Picchu, you’ll be in history nerd nirvana. Additionally, South America has some of the most breathtaking scenery on the planet.
Conclusion
When you include South American cities in your itinerary, you’ll be able to choose from some of the top places to visit on your bucket list.
This list of our best cities to visit in South America includes a variety of the best that the continent has to offer, from big capitals to tiny, rural villages brimming with exciting things to do.