Cities & Towns in South America

The Historic City of Sucre, first capital of Bolivia, was founded by the Spanish in the first half of the 16th century. Its many well-preserved 16th-century religious buildings illustrate the blending of local architectural traditions with styles imported from Europe.

Founded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Preto was the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil’s golden age in the 18th century. With the exhaustion of the gold mines in the 19th century, the city’s influence declined but many churches, bridges and fountains remain as a testimony to its past prosperity.

Rio de Janeiro's dramatic landscape is punctuated by a series of forested mountains that tower over the city and cascade down to the coast where the steep cone shapes of Sugar Loaf and Corcovado frame the wide sweeps of Guanabara Bay that shelters this spectacular city from the Atlantic Ocean.

Founded by the Portuguese in 1549 as the first capital of Brazil, Salvador de Bahia is one of the oldest colonial cities in the Americas. The Historic Center is distinguished by its religious, civil and military colonial architecture dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

San Pedro de Atacama is a town and commune in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. The town grew, over centuries, around an oasis in the Puna de Atacama — an arid high plateau. It has become a popular tourist destination due to its proximity to various cultural and natural sites.

Zaruma, a town located in southern Ecuador, is known for its republic-era architecture, gold mines, culture, traditions and for having been founded by Spanish explorer Alonso de Mercadillo. The town is, more recently, becoming known for its coffee, gastronomy and art.