%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-cuzco-peru-00-CASACITIESWB25-421e0a20bc9148faa1b509d869114593.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure Readers' 10 Favorite Cities in Central and South America of 2025
Plaza de Armas in Cuzco, Peru.
Maria Ligaya/Travel + Leisure
This year was nearly a clean sweep for cities in South America. Peru's capital, Lima (No. 4), remains a favorite for its eclectic architecture, vibrant arts and culture, and a gastronomic scene that's only getting better thanks, in part, to the buzzy Barranco neighborhood.
In Colombia, No. 9 Cartagena was lauded for its affordable culinary and cultural offerings. 'There was so much to see and do, with its historical sites, museums, and the walled Old Town area,' says one reader. 'The people were enchantingly warm and friendly everywhere we went. Food and music in Getsemani and the Old Town area were excellent, with abundant choices that were very reasonably priced.'
With 2024's No. 10 Panama City falling off the list, this year's Central America's sole honoree is No. 3 Antigua Guatemala—a fixture among T+L readers' favorites and 2021's No. 1. Like its South American counterparts, the city was a hit with World's Best Awards voters thanks to the breadth of experiences to be had, as well as the hospitality of its people. 'Beautiful city, stunning architecture, and excellent food. Warm, friendly locals and plenty to do in the area, from sightseeing to hiking volcanoes,' shares another voter. 'One of our favorite experiences was a visit to a local Mayan family's home where we prepared breakfast in their outdoor kitchen and learned about the textiles which the women craft.'
But for the third year running, Cuzco emerged at T+L readers No. 1 pick. Read on to find out why.
Cuzco, Peru Cityscape of Cuzco, Peru.
Irjaliina Paavonpera/Travel + Leisure
Once the seat of power for the Incan Empire, the Andean city serves as a common jumping-off point for trips to Machu Picchu, but it's worth a visit in its own right. 'Cuzco is a very cool city. The history goes back centuries and the ambiance is amazing,' summarizes one voter. 'It has layers, with restaurants and shopping in the center square and hiking and cultural adventures out toward the mountains. Nightlife and food is totally worth visiting for—there's so much to do and discover.' Grab a coffee before walking around to see Plaza de Armas and other historic sights in town, but set aside time for the hikes and ruins just outside the city. The 15th-century fortress Sacsayhuaman is a 15-minute walk from the plaza, while Vinicunca, the famed Rainbow Mountain roughly 3 hours by car, is worth a day trip.
1. Cuzco, Peru
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 90.33
2. Mendoza, Argentina
Reader Score: 88.41
3. Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 84.95
4. Lima, Peru
Reader Score: 84.71
5. São Paulo, Brazil
Reader Score: 83.89
6. Buenos Aires, Argentina
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 82.75
7. Bogotá, Colombia
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 82.55
8. Quito, Ecuador
Reader Score: 81.83
9. Cartagena, Colombia
Reader Score: 81.80
10. Rio de Janeiro, BrazilReader Score: 80.74
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
US influencer claims innocence over charges laid for Antarctica plane landing
An American pilot and influencer who has been trapped in Antarctica for several weeks maintains that he is 'innocent' of the accusations against him. Ethan Guo was charged by Chilean authorities on June 29 with handing false information to ground control and landing without authorization, but on Monday a judge dropped the charges as part of an agreement with his lawyers and Chile's prosecutors. It requires the teen to give a $30,000 donation to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days to avoid a trial, leave the country as soon as conditions allow and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years. According to Guo's defense, the teen pilot was granted authorizations to deviate from his initial route — from Punta Arenas, southern Chile, to Ushuaia, Argentina — and land at Teniente Marsh base in Chilean Antarctica due to "weather and technical circumstances." 'My client's actions are protected by a presumption of legality arising from the authorizations expressly granted by various DGAC ( Directorate General of Civil Aviation) officials,' his lawyer, Jaime Barrientos, said in documents handed to the court. According to Barrientos, evidence was presented that 'Mr. Guo informed the DGAC as soon as possible of the change to the filed flight plan, receiving express authorization to land at said aerodrome." Guo, who turned 20 during his stay in Antarctica in July and has maintained his innocence, said in a statement that during his original journey, he 'encountered instrument failures and heavy, unreported icing conditions' which created 'an imminent risk of a crash.' 'Due to these cascading failures, Mr. Guo requested and received explicit, direct permission to land at the Marsh base from a high-ranking DGAC official via WhatsApp, an authorization that was subsequently confirmed by the base's air traffic controller," it said. The influencer added that the court's ruling last Monday was 'a direct result of the prosecutor's refusal to acknowledge this clear evidence.' The prosecutor's office has maintained in several interviews with local media that Guo has handed ' false information' to the respective authority and, by doing so, put at risk 'the safety of global air traffic.' 'What the background indicates is that he always had the will and the knowledge that he wanted to reach Antarctica at all costs, putting at risk not only his life, but also the safety of global air traffic,' prosecutor Cristián Crisosto told local Radio Bio Bio in an interview on Wednesday. Guo made headlines last year when he began a trip in an attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents and at the same time collect donations for research into childhood cancer. But for the past six weeks, he has stayed at the Chilean Air Force base where he landed in June. He was not forced to stay there, only to remain in Chilean territory, but because of the severe winter in that part of the southern hemisphere, no flights were available. He has also been unable to fly his small plane, whose future remains uncertain. Crisosto said that the plane would probably have difficulty leaving Antarctica because it does not meet the necessary regulations. 'That plane could leave Antarctica in pieces. But I don't see it flying,' he warned.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
US teen pilot claims innocence after charges dropped in Antarctica flight case
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Ethan Guo, an American pilot and influencer who has been trapped in Antarctica for several weeks, maintained Wednesday that he is 'innocent' of the accusations against him, after being charged by Chilean authorities with submitting a false flight plan to reach the White Continent. Guo was charged on June 29 with handing false information to ground control and landing without authorization, but on Monday a judge dropped the charges as part of an agreement with his lawyers and Chile's prosecutors. It requires the teen to give a $30,000 donation to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days to avoid a trial. He must also leave the country as soon as conditions allow and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years. According to Guo's defense, the teen pilot was granted authorizations to deviate his initial route — from Punta Arenas, southern Chile, to Ushuaia, Argentina — and land at Teniente Marsh base in Chilean Antarctica due to "weather and technical circumstances." 'My client's actions are protected by a presumption of legality arising from the authorizations expressly granted by various DGAC ( Directorate General of Civil Aviation) officials,' his lawyer Jaime Barrientos said in documents handed to the court and shared with The Associated Press. According to Barrientos, evidence was presented that 'Mr. Guo informed the DGAC as soon as possible of the change to the filed flight plan, receiving express authorization to land at said aerodrome." Guo, who turned 20 during his stay in Antarctica in July and has maintained his innocence, said in a statement sent to AP that during his original journey he 'encountered instrument failures and heavy, unreported icing conditions' which created 'an imminent risk of a crash.' 'Due to these cascading failures, Mr. Guo requested and received explicit, direct permission to land at the Marsh base from a high ranking DGAC official via WhatsApp, an authorization that was subsequently confirmed by the base's air traffic controller," it said. The influencer added that the court's ruling last Monday was 'a direct result of the prosecutor's refusal to acknowledge this clear evidence.' The prosecutor's office has maintained in several interviews with local media that Guo has handed ' false information' to the respective authority and, by doing so, put at risk 'the safety of global air traffic.' 'What the background indicates is that he always had the will and the knowledge that he wanted to reach Antarctica at all costs, putting at risk not only his life, but also the safety of global air traffic,' prosecutor Cristián Crisosto told local Radio Bio Bio in an interview Wednesday. Guo made headlines last year when he began a trip in an attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents and at the same time collect donations for research into childhood cancer. But for the past six weeks, he has stayed at the Chilean Air Force base where he landed in June. He was not forced to stay there, only to remain in Chilean territory, but because of the severe winter in that part of the southern hemisphere, no flights were available. He has also been unable to fly his small plane, whose future remains uncertain. Crisosto said that the plane would probably have difficulty leaving Antarctica because it does not meet the necessary regulations. 'That plane could leave Antarctica in pieces. But I don't see it flying,' he warned. Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
16 hours ago
- Associated Press
US teen pilot claims innocence after charges dropped in Antarctica flight case
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Ethan Guo, an American pilot and influencer who has been trapped in Antarctica for several weeks, maintained Wednesday that he is 'innocent' of the accusations against him, after being charged by Chilean authorities with submitting a false flight plan to reach the White Continent. Guo was charged on June 29 with handing false information to ground control and landing without authorization, but on Monday a judge dropped the charges as part of an agreement with his lawyers and Chile's prosecutors. It requires the teen to give a $30,000 donation to a children's cancer foundation within 30 days to avoid a trial. He must also leave the country as soon as conditions allow and is prohibited from reentering Chilean territory for three years. According to Guo's defense, the teen pilot was granted authorizations to deviate his initial route — from Punta Arenas, southern Chile, to Ushuaia, Argentina — and land at Teniente Marsh base in Chilean Antarctica due to 'weather and technical circumstances.' 'My client's actions are protected by a presumption of legality arising from the authorizations expressly granted by various DGAC ( Directorate General of Civil Aviation) officials,' his lawyer Jaime Barrientos said in documents handed to the court and shared with The Associated Press. According to Barrientos, evidence was presented that 'Mr. Guo informed the DGAC as soon as possible of the change to the filed flight plan, receiving express authorization to land at said aerodrome.' Guo, who turned 20 during his stay in Antarctica in July and has maintained his innocence, said in a statement sent to AP that during his original journey he 'encountered instrument failures and heavy, unreported icing conditions' which created 'an imminent risk of a crash.' 'Due to these cascading failures, Mr. Guo requested and received explicit, direct permission to land at the Marsh base from a high ranking DGAC official via WhatsApp, an authorization that was subsequently confirmed by the base's air traffic controller,' it said. The influencer added that the court's ruling last Monday was 'a direct result of the prosecutor's refusal to acknowledge this clear evidence.' The prosecutor's office has maintained in several interviews with local media that Guo has handed ' false information' to the respective authority and, by doing so, put at risk 'the safety of global air traffic.' 'What the background indicates is that he always had the will and the knowledge that he wanted to reach Antarctica at all costs, putting at risk not only his life, but also the safety of global air traffic,' prosecutor Cristián Crisosto told local Radio Bio Bio in an interview Wednesday. Guo made headlines last year when he began a trip in an attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents and at the same time collect donations for research into childhood cancer. But for the past six weeks, he has stayed at the Chilean Air Force base where he landed in June. He was not forced to stay there, only to remain in Chilean territory, but because of the severe winter in that part of the southern hemisphere, no flights were available. He has also been unable to fly his small plane, whose future remains uncertain. Crisosto said that the plane would probably have difficulty leaving Antarctica because it does not meet the necessary regulations. 'That plane could leave Antarctica in pieces. But I don't see it flying,' he warned.
