Let’s go on a once in a lifetime adventure! Let’s drink in a café along the Seine in Paris, or indulge in a night full of sangria on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, or even get lost along the canals of Amsterdam. Let’s go learn about art, wine, fantastic architecture, meet interesting and fantastic new people. So let’s go to Latin America?
If you are confused, you should be. Almost all international adventures seem synonymous with Europe or the resort life in the Caribbean, but how often do people say let’s go on an adventure to Latin America?
That’s not to say there aren’t thousands of people backpacking their way through Latin America right now, but compared to the 12 million people who travel from America to Europe yearly, it’s criminally low. For some strange reason, Latin American just doesn’t have the same magical cultural appeal that Europe has.
However, not only does Latin America have some of the riches foods, cultures, absolutely mind-blowing nature, and wildlife, but it also has beaches that eclipse almost the rest of the world. Plus, at a price point as little as one-fourth of Europe, you can do way more for way less.
We at The Travelers Tips have once again put in the leg work to put together, the Top 5 Up and Coming Locations in Latin America. Not only do you have to visit these places for themselves, but they will also give you some of that European flair you may be looking for.
5 Up And Coming Places in Latin America You Have To Visit.
1-Montevideo, Uruguay.
Thirty-three countries make up Latin America, but only one has a city that sounds like an Old VHS rental store in your neighborhood; if you have trouble remembering names I bet you won’t forget this one now.
Crazy names aside, Montevideo Uruguay might be the most underrated mix of Europe meets Latin America. Yes, Buenos Aires has been consistently named the Paris of Latin America, but in a lot of ways, Montevideo is better.
The majority of Montevideo’s descendants can trace their ancestry back to Spain and Italy; which makes for not only a European feel throughout the city but also in its day to day way of life. Montevideo, has an awesome mix of beach, cafe culture, vibrant electronic music scene -and as the birthplace of yerba mate – it’s even fairly health-conscious. Not only that, Montevideo is consistently rated the safest place in all of Latin America to visit.
5 Must Do’s In Montevideo
- Sip A Coffee or a Beer in Ciudad Vieja and get a real feel for Europe meets Latin America.
- Escape from the City Life in Pampas and Indulge in Gaucho Culture, or in other words, the Latin American version of the cowboy lifestyle.
- Eat at Uruguay’s version of barbeque restaurants called parrillas, in Mercado Del Puertos.
- Search for the best Yerba Mate in La Rambla to send to your favorite hipster back at home.
- Relive some basque history far from home, by trying Uruguay’s national wine- Tannat. Which originated from grapes from Northern Spain
2- Mexico City, Mexico.
Though it gets a ton of flack in the news from big talking heads, not many countries have a richer history than Mexico, and not many cities in Mexico have a more vibrant and complex pocket of culture than in the CDMX (Mexico City).
Unfortunately, when most Americans think of Mexico they typically say two things: Cancun has beautiful beachside resorts, or watch out for those drug cartels. It seems that their knowledge of Mexico has all but maxed out here.
But what if I told you that you could feel like you are in Beverly Hills, Paris, and even an ancient city, all in the place? In fact, within 15 square miles, you can do that; plus you can relive one of the oldest sporting events, in front of some of the oldest pyramids in the world.
After all that, would you still think of Mexico as a giant resort with piles of trash everywhere else in the country? We think not.
You would be remiss if you missed out on some of the best food, most vibrant buildings, grand parks and absolutely the best tequila you have ever had in your entire life. Not to mention, the people there are some of the nicest on earth. They take the time to tell you about their rich history, buy you a beer, and sometimes even share their food with you.
5 Must Do’s In Mexico City,
- Get Lost in Coyoacan, named by the Aztecs as “place of coyotes ( no real coyotes live here anymore, just dog walkers). Coyoacan, is an absolutely jaw-dropping historic city with some of the best Cafes around, it’s also the hometown of the famous painter Frida Kahlo.
- Live the Parisian life in Roma Norte, with lush parks and tons of bars with french inspiration, without the gimmick.
- Buzz on to downtown Mexico City, in the Museo del Tequila and Mezcal, where everything in this gift shop makes you ‘happy’ 🙂 .
- Take electric scooters to Chapultepec park, and walk along the winding paths filled with fresh flowers and picturesque fountains. Eventually, you will hit Chapultepec Castle with the best view in all of Mexico City.
- Get a taste of the good life in Polanco, dubbed Mexico’s Beverly Hills. Michelin star restaurants, former castles turned into bars, and amazing walkway gardens will find you there.
3- Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
When someone says let’s go to Brazil, the first few things that usually come to people’s minds are Rio De Janeiro, Carnival and sadly, – violent robberies. While all three of these do exist there, Brazil as a whole is so much more than what you see on a quick google image search, or even what we hear in the 24-hour news cycle.
In fact, if you want a truly unique experience you can only find in Brazil, then you might want to head to Brazil’s first capital – Salvador. Salvador – in the Bahia state of Brazil – is famous for two things; one for being one of the first slave ports in the Americas and two for annually holding the largest carnival in the world (even bigger than Rio’s).
Brazil, like many countries who have risen from the dark times of slavery, has instead created something unique and breathtaking. More specifically, Salvador is at the center of the Afro-Latino culture and literature.
History aside, Salvador is also known for their parties – and lots of them. With the largest Carnival in the world, to some of the most lively street parties on a Friday night, it is also the birthplace of Samba. Let us not forget, after a night of dancing and drinking, Salvador also has some of the best acarajés in the world – which make for wonderful drunk food.
5 Must Do’s In Salvador
- Get some exercise in Pelourinho – famously where the Portuguese settled and built their first colony in Salvador. Pelourinho, European buildings are both a reminder of its past, as well as a visual representation of just how much European culture is in Latin America.
- Check out Feira São Joaquim, the Brazilian bazaar; with spices, jewelry, produce and just about everything else.
- Take in the beach, and the beachside bars, in the hip, waterside neighborhood of Rio Vermelho.
- Catch a sunset at Bahía de Todos Santos ( Bay of All Saints). The home of The Lacerda Elevator, a public urban elevator which is vital in connecting the lower city (Cidade Baixa), to the upper city (Cidade Alta). Bahia is also the name of this Brazilian state in which Salvador is held.
- Start at Galpão Cheio de Assunto one of the few propers bars in the city and home to live Samba bands. After, make your way to the streets; dance, drink and meet the locals!
4- La Paz, Bolivia
Have you ever heard of La Paz?
Other then it being the spanish word for Peace, and if you are a trivia expert who knows its one of the few de facto capitals in the world, what else does the average person know about La Paz Bolivia?
For starters, La Paz is equidistant from the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest, which makes it a city that many many people pass through. In fact, most pictures of La Paz end up having the Andes Mountains in their background.
La Paz, in being in one of the valley’s of the Andes Mountains, lends itself to an extremely high elevation. For comparison, average elevation in Colorado, USA, is a shade under 7,000 feet. In La Paz its nearly double – 12,000 feet. Make sure to hydrate and give yourself some time to get adjusted; otherwise, you might end up with a raging hangover, or in more serious cases – altitude poisoning.
Whether you are passing through, or here for an extended stay, make sure you are ready to eat really good, really cheap and definitely, be ready to party. In that case spend the rest of your time off, hiking off those calories.
5 Must Do’s In La Paz
- Ride the Mi Teleférico, an elevated, above-ground transit system, much like that at ski resorts. With views of the entire city from high above and a glimpse of the glorious Andes in the distance, you will definitely buy a roundtrip ticket.
- Brush up on your Spanish, with Bolivia being one of the most indigenous, and cultural unchanged countries in Latin America comes immense cultural beauty; but also cultural boundaries. Brush up on the essentials to increase your experience there.
- Check out some of the world’s wildest nightlife: Loki La Paz or Diesel Nacional to start. Loki La Paz is a great place to find other backpackers to party at night and explore together in the morning. While Diesel Nacional is rated the best cocktail bar, for those that want a less intense night.
- Take life in your hand (quite literally) if you dare, by riding North Yungas Road better known as Death Road. The Death Road, was originally created to connect La Paz with Las Yungas and the Amazon. But due to its extremely steep, razor-thin, curving terrain, sans a guardrail, it has become famous for nearly 300 deaths per year, before a new road was built in 2006.
- Get In touch with the spirits of the Aymara ( the indigenous people of the Andes) and indulge in the super weird, by checking out the El Mercado de las Brujas and La Hechicería or, The Witches Market. A once in a lifetime experience, better than any spooky museum you have ever taken your nieces and nephews too.
5- Lima, Peru
Peru is widely known for Machu Picchu, and of course as the birthplace of the wonderful Ceviche. But what makes Lima specifically special?
In short – its diverse history.
Lima, is a coastal city built on the desert, which makes it interesting enough as it is. In Fact, Lima is the second biggest city built on a desert – losing out only to the famous Cairo. Lima is known as the “City of Kings” because it was conquered by a king, around the same time the world celebrated the 3 kings, who went to see Jesus. Being conquered by a King is one thing, but being conquered by a Spanish one is evident in most of the architecture throughout the city.
In some areas, Lima, is reminiscent of Vienna in Austria, with massive European palaces like the Plaza De Armas. Lima, one of the few major cities built along the water, has also had its fair share of pirate invasions. Which prompted one of the most expensive fortresses to be built along its shores.
But what sets Lima’s history apart, is its culture. In fact, Lima has some of the most culturally distinct religions in the world. While most of Latin America is influenced by African, and European culture; Lima is also influenced by Asian cultures as well, which dates back as far as the mid 19th century.
All of these influences have helped to bring Lima into the forefront as a major city with a great range of entertainment, culture, and religion for all.
Must Do’s In Lima
- Enjoy Peru’s National drink – Pisco Sour, in a colonial bar like Ayahuasca. If you are lucky enough to be there on the first Saturday in February, then go all-in on National Pisco Sour Day.
- Spend the day at Plaza De Armas; which consist of The Presidential Palace, the Old Cathedral, and a ton of balconies to enjoy the views.
- Be a bohemian Peruvian for the day in Barranco, Lima’s hippest neighborhood. Start at Puente de Los Suspiros, or Bridge of Sighs and wander through the street in search of some world-class street art. Don’t forget to finish up your day at one of Peru’s world’s best food markets.
- Go To a Peña or any location where people come together to eat, drink and enjoy Peruvian folk music. While Peñas are somewhat of a thing of the past in Peru, they have seen a revival in recent times, as people begin to crave the authentic again.
- Lima wasn’t built on the coast simple as a port hub; in fact, it has some of the best places to surf in Latin America. Peru as a whole is consistently rated the best place to surf in Latin America. Go surfing in Chorrillos, and after, walk along the northern tip of the town, and grab some world-class seafood.