Rio 8 days
Flanked by gorgeous mountains and white sand beaches and verdant rainforests fronting deep-blue sea, Rio occupies one of the most spectacular settings of any metropolis in the world. Tack on one of the sexiest populations on the plant and you have an intoxicating tropical cocktail that leaves visitors punch-drunk on paradise.
lha Grande 1 days
The fabulous island retreat of Ilha Grande owes its pristine condition to its unusual history. For centuries, the island’s unsavory reputation – first as a pirate's lair, then as a leper colony and penitentiary – kept developers at bay. Consequently, beautiful tropical beaches and virgin Atlantic rainforest (now protected as state parkland) abound, and the island still has only a handful of settlements.
Paraty 4 days
Backed by steep, jungled mountains plunging into an island-studded bay, Paraty enjoys one of Brazil’s most spectacular settings and an exquisitely preserved colonial center, recognized as a National Historic Site since 1966. The town's pedestrianized streets are lined with elegant white buildings adorned with fanciful multihued borders and latticed windows that blend harmoniously with the natural beauty that envelops the town – it's a joy to explore.
Sao Paulo 4 days
São Paulo is home to 20 million fiercely proud paulistanos, all of whom will happily tell you at length to you how they'd never live elsewhere. Spend time with them and the reasons will soon unfold. Maybe they will introduce you to the city’s innumerable art-house cinemas and experimental theaters. If they’re gourmands, they’ll focus on the smart bistros and gourmet restaurants that make the city a world-renowned foodie haven. If they’re scenesters, follow them on a raucous tour of underground bars and the 24/7 clubbing scene.
Foz de Iguaçu 3 days
There is little about the town to get excited about, but it works perfectly fine as a base for exploring Iguaçu Falls in both Brazil and Argentina as well other attractions in the area such as Itaipu Binacional and Parque das Aves.
Medellin 13 days
Situated in a narrow valley, Medellín packs the punch of a city twice its size. Its skyline reaches for the heavens, setting high-rise apartments and office buildings against a backdrop of jagged peaks in every direction. Its pleasant climate gives it its nickname – the City of Eternal Spring – and the moderate temperatures put a spring in the locals' steps, at work and at play. It's a bustling place of industry and commerce, especially in textile manufacturing and exported cut flowers. On weekends Medellín lets its hair down, its many discos attracting the beautiful people.
Jardin 1 days
The self-proclaimed most beautiful town in Antioquia, Jardín lives up to its name. Festooned with greenery, its brightly painted two-story houses are surrounded by small coffee farms that cling to the slopes of green mountains.
Salento 3 days
Salento was by far one of my favourite places in Colombia…and not just because it’s in the coffee region (though that certainly helped). Surrounded by rolling green hills and stretching countryside, it was nice to take a deep breath of (thin, altitude) air in Salento. Part of Zona Cafetera. Small town, lots of backpackers and some stunning surrounding countryside.
Guatape 1 days
Less than 2 hours away from brustling town Medellin, Guatape is a famous weekend getaway for paisas(locals) looking for some quiet time in the countryside. But for some reason, it still remains off the track of most tourists. 4 years ago, there were still no hostels there. Trust me, add a stop in Guatape on your Colombian itinerary, you will not regret it!
Santa Marta 1 days
Where locals go when they want sun on their backs and rum in their hands. Famous colonial past. Pleasant enough seaside town. Mixed reviews.
Tayrona National Park 1 days
A magical slice of the Caribbean coast, with stunning stretches of golden sandy beach backed by coconut palms and thick rainforest. Behind it all rise the steep hillsides of the Sierra Nevada, the world's highest coastal mountain range. The park stretches along the coast and covers some 12,000 hectares of land and 3000 hectares of coral-rich sea. Daily speed boat from Tanganga. Accommodation in hammock, camping or bungalows.
Cartagena 5 days
A beautiful Spanish Colonial walled city with high-end restaurants and plenty of sights, make sure you have enough days to explore Cartagena. The undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast, a historic city of superbly preserved beauty lying within an impressive 13km of centuries-old colonial stone walls. Cartagena's Old Town is a Unesco World Heritage Site – a maze of cobbled alleys, balconies covered in bougainvillea, and massive churches that cast their shadows across leafy plazas.
Capurganá 1 days
Capurganá is a remote, car-free village on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, accessible only by air or water. It’s known for quiet bays backed by dense rainforest and its abundant dive sites. Nearby, Aguacate Beach, or Avocado Beach, is named for its green water. Up the coast is Sapzurro village, with its circular bay and forest trails. Palm-fringed La Miel Beach is farther northwest, over the Panama border
San Blas Islands 3 days
Panama City 1 days
Cali 3 days
Colombia’s salsa city. It's a hot, gritty city with a real zest for life that draws you in and stays with you long after you leave town. Beyond a handful of churches and museums, Cali is light on sights – but the city's main attraction is its beguiling, electrifying atmosphere. If you make the effort you will find great nightlife, good restaurants and plenty to do, especially in the evening, when a cool mountain breeze dissipates the heat of the day.
Otavalo 2 days
Famous for its gigantic Saturday market, friendly indigenous people and lots of men sporting dresses and ponytails! The setting is fabulous, and the entire experience remains enchanting.
Mindo 3 days
Breathtaking setting surrounded on all sides by steep mountainsides of cloud forest, tiny Mindo has become something of a backpacker buzzword. Entered by a dramatically steep and curvy hillside descent that takes you down past dozens of hotels and lodges to a sleepy town center.
Quilotoa Loop 6 days
The Quilotoa Loop is a bumpy, ring-shaped road that travels from the Panamericana far into the backcountry of Cotopaxi province. Along the way you’ll encounter colourful indigenous markets, a crystal-blue lake that the local people believe has no bottom, a community of painters who are preserving the legends of the Andes, and ancient trails that meander in the shadow of snowcapped volcanoes. The isolation of the loop brings you into contact with lots of Kichwa-speaking indigenous people and their centuries-old way of life.
Quito 1 days
Warm and relaxed, traditional Ecuadorian Sierra culture – overflowing market stands, shamanistic healers, fourth-generation hatmakers – mixes with a vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene. Head to the Marsical for an all action international area bursting with backpackers, loads of hostels and lively westernised clubs.
The Galapagos Islands 8 days
Cuenca 3 days
Popular riverside city full of colonial buildings, cafes and art galleries. After Quito, Cuenca is Ecuador’s most important and beautiful colonial city. But don’t say that to the locals, who insist that their laid-back culture, cleaner streets and more agreeable weather outclass the capital, hands down.
Mancora 5 days
This was one of Owen’s favourite places because the beach is so nice. This town is tiny, full of bars and restaurants and has a big party scene. We had loads of fun here as we started to get over the sickness. 2 nights would probably cover you, 3 max.
Lima 3 days
Much more modern city in comparison to the rest of Peru. Barranco is a cool area with lots of art galleries and old buildings. Miraflores is a good neighbourhood to stay in as it has lots of good restaurants / seafood. Don’t stay downtown in Lima, it’s a kip. Think one part southern Cali doused with a heavy dose of America Latina.
Arequipa 2 days
Surrounded by volcanoes & canyons. Other Peruvians joke that you need a different passport to enter Peru’s second-largest city. One-tenth the size of Lima, Arequipa is its pugnacious equal in terms of cuisine, historical significance and confident self-awareness. Beautiful colonial city in Southern Peru. Beware of ice in your drinks, This is where we got sick! Lots of volcanos around and plenty to see. You can do a tour to the Colca Canyon from here which is apparently brilliant. We couldn’t go due to illness!
The Colca Canyon 2 days
The Colca Canyon is a canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru, located about 160 kilometres northwest of Arequipa. With a depth of 3,270 metres, it is the fourth deepest in the world.
Cusco 8 days
Welcome to the navel of the world. The undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, Cuzco is the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city and the gateway to Machu Picchu. Cosmopolitan Cuzco (also Cusco, or Qosq’o in Quechua) thrives with a measure of contradiction. Ornate cathedrals squat over Inca temples, massage hawkers ply the narrow cobblestone passages, a rural Andean woman feeds bottled water to her pet llama while the finest boutiques sell pricey alpaca knits. Laid back, traveller friendly
Trek to Machu Picchu 3 days
Copacabana 4 days
Our first stop in Bolivia and a great option for staying on Lake Titicaca (the highest lake in the world). It's also the closest point for a day trip to Isla del Sol.
Isla Del Sol 4 days
https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/2017/1/3/isla-del-sol-hike-guide-hostels-titicaca-bolivia
La Paz 3 days
We arrived here amid protests against the results of the presidential election vote counts. It did little to disrupt our enjoyment of the city. It felt safe and small compared to other capitals on the continent.
Uyuni 2 days
The world’s largest salt flat is a weirdly charming place and an increasingly popular stop on the South America backpacker trail. You will probably need to do an organised tour here, which can last several days.
San Pedro De Atacama 4 days
Stunning landscape around the laid back but somewhat pricey town. See it on a horse or bicycle. Geysers, mountains, sand boarding, star gazing (it's one of the best places on Earth to see the stars) and more
La Serena 3 days
Beaches, pisco distilleries and star gazing observatory.
Buenos Aires 7 days
Fantastic city. Take in a passionate football match, the vibrant street life, super shopping and lively clubs that party well past dawn. Many travellers view the giant Argentinean capital as their favourite city in all of South America.
Ushuaia 3 days
Located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. Nicknamed the “End of the World”. It's the gateway to Antarctica cruises and tours to nearby “Penguin Island”.
El Calafate 1 days
This is the gateway to Parque de los Glaciares which is where you can visit Perito Moreno Glaciar. Absolutely amazing
Bariloche 3 days
The furthest northerly town in Patagonia. We loved it here! Do the 27km cycle if you can. The Patagonia Brewery is a stop along the way and the views are amazing, as well as the beer. Bariloche is famous for beer and chocolate so you will enjoy this place. Loads of hiking opportunities too which aren’t too far from town. We hiked Mount Otto but it was quite difficult so not sure I would recommend.
Mendoza 5 days
Excellent wine produced here and it’s also not far from Mount Aconcagua, the tallest on the continent. Renting bikes and winery maps, and spend a sunny day cycling to winery after winery.
Santiago 1 days
Capital city with so much to do in and around it. Skiing in the Andes, nice beaches and interesting towns all very close to what is the beating heart of this country.
Auckland 2 days
Held in the embrace of two harbours and built on the remnants of long-extinct volcanoes, Auckland isn't your average metropolis. It's regularly rated one of the world's most liveable cities, blessed with good beaches, wine regions, and a thriving dining, drinking and live-music scene, not to mention subtropical weather. However, it's the rich culture of this ethnically diverse city that makes Auckland stand out on the global stage. Time your visit for any major cultural event, from Pasifika to Diwali, and you'll see what we mean.
Bay of Islands 3 days
Turquoise waters lapping pretty bays, dolphins frolicking at the bows of boats, pods of orcas gliding gracefully by: chances are these are the kinds of images that drew you to NZ in the first place, and these are exactly the kinds of experiences that the Bay of Islands delivers in spades. There are myriad options to tempt you out onto the water to explore the 150-odd islands that dot this beautiful bay. Landlubbers will relish the rich maritime history as successions of visitors arrived on these shores.
Queenstown 3 days
Queenstown may be world-renowned as the birthplace of bungy jumping, but there’s more to NZ’s adventure hub than leaping off a bridge attached to a giant rubber band. The Remarkables mountain range provides a jagged indigo backdrop to days spent skiing, hiking or mountain biking, before dining in cosmopolitan restaurants or partying in some of NZ’s best bars. Keep the adrenaline flowing with hang gliding, kayaking or river rafting, before heading to 'quieter' Wānaka and taking your vertigo into overdrive on the via ferrata. https://www.newzealand.com/uk/feature/top-experiences-in-queenstown/ https://www.bungy.co.nz/
Lake Tekapo 2 days
Lake Tekapo is about three hours drive south-west of Christchurch in the Mackenzie Basin. The township faces north across the remarkable turquoise coloured lake to the mountainous drama of the Southern Alps. Lake Tekapo gets its intense milky-turquoise colour from the fine rock-flour (ground by glaciers) which is suspended in the water. new moon 24th feb
Mount Cook 1 days
The spectacular 700-sq-km Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park is part of the Southwest New Zealand (Te Wāhipounamu) World Heritage Area, which extends from Westland’s Cook River down to Fiordland. More than one-third of the park has a blanket of permanent snow and glacial ice; of the 23 NZ mountains over 3000m, 19 are in this park. The highest is mighty Aoraki/Mt Cook – at 3724m, the tallest peak in Australasia. Among the region’s other great peaks are Sefton, Tasman, Silberhorn, Malte Brun, La Perouse, Hicks, De la Beche, Douglas and the Minarets.
Wanaka 2 days
Franz Josef 1 days
Head to the Glacier Country with one of the worlds most accessible glaciers! Franz Josef is your opportunity to walk on, crawl inside, fly over, skydive over or walk up to a glacier. Get some ideas on how you can take on the glacier here. Nevertheless, theres actually more to do here than glacier gallivanting! Check it out in the list below.
Punakaiki 2 days
Abel Tasman National Park 5 days
Here’s nature at its most seductive: lush green hills fringed with golden sandy coves, slipping gently into warm shallows before meeting a crystal-clear sea. Abel Tasman National Park is a postcard-perfect paradise where you can put yourself in the picture, assuming an endless number of poses – hiking, kayaking, swimming, sunbathing – before finally setting up tent at a 'walk-in or boat-in' beachside campground. Book ahead if you want to see it all on the Coast Track, NZ's most popular Great Walk.
Marlborough 4 days
Marlborough is the country’s largest wine region, so it’d be sacrilegious not to spend the day making sure that the wine is up to snuff. You can take your pick of the tour options here
Wellington 3 days
One of the coolest little capitals in the world, windy Wellington is also synonymous with cinema, thanks to local boy Peter Jackson. Residents are also proud of its vibrant arts-and-music scene and special events schedule (from Fringe to WOW), plus dining choices that range from innovative food trucks to high-end gastronomy. But for visitors to the capital, the proximity to mountain biking and walking trails, not to mention a glistening harbour, scores just as highly. Don't miss it.
Milan 2 days
Milan is Italy’s city of the future, a fast-paced metropolis where money talks, creativity is big business and looking good is an art form.
Cinque Terre 3 days
Set amid some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the planet, these five ingeniously constructed fishing villages can bolster the most jaded of spirits. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, Cinque Terre isn't the undiscovered Eden it once was but, frankly, who cares? Sinuous paths traverse seemingly impregnable cliff sides, while a 19th-century railway line cut through a series of coastal tunnels ferries the footsore from village to village. Thankfully cars were banned over a decade ago.
La Spezia days
Glamorous Cannes sets camera flashes popping at its film festival in May, when stars pose in tuxes and full-length gowns on the red carpet. But the glitz doesn't end there. Throughout the year, as you walk among the designer bars, couture shops and palaces of La Croisette, the wealth and glamour of this city cannot fail to impress. Admiring Ferraris and Porsches and celebrity-spotting on the chic sunlounger-striped beaches and liner-sized yachts moored at the port are perennial Cannes pastimes.
Pisa 2 days
Glamorous Cannes sets camera flashes popping at its film festival in May, when stars pose in tuxes and full-length gowns on the red carpet. But the glitz doesn't end there. Throughout the year, as you walk among the designer bars, couture shops and palaces of La Croisette, the wealth and glamour of this city cannot fail to impress. Admiring Ferraris and Porsches and celebrity-spotting on the chic sunlounger-striped beaches and liner-sized yachts moored at the port are perennial Cannes pastimes.
Florence (e) 3 days
Awarded Top 10 city to travel to in 2022 - Cradle of the Renaissance, romantic, enchanting and utterly irresistible, Florence (Firenze) is a place to feast on world-class art and gourmet Tuscan cuisine.
Rome days
A heady mix of haunting ruins, awe-inspiring art and vibrant street life, Italy’s hot-blooded capital is one of the world’s most romantic and charismatic cities.
Santorini 5 days
If you approach Santorini from the water, it's hard not to be awed by the sheer cliffs that soar above a turquoise sea, by the fact that you're sailing in an immense crater of a drowned volcano and that before you lies an island shaped by an ancient eruption cataclysmic beyond imagining.
Paros 4 days
Known for having amazing food and beaches, Paros is a crowdpleaser for couples, groups, and families. Long sandy beaches coupled with plenty of restaurant options and close proximity to its neighboring island, Antiparos, allow for lots of activities and nearby villages no matter where you choose to stay. Large, hilly and fertile island, Paros has been tagged as primarily a ferry hub in recent times. Yet Paros' bustling capital with its ancient remains, the resort town of Naoussa and sweet rural villages are all the more charming for their relative lack of crowds, and there's plenty to do, with good walks, plus excellent windsurfing, kite-surfing and diving.
Mykonos 3 days
Mykonos is the great glamour island of Greece and flaunts its sizzling St-Tropez-meets-Ibiza style and party-hard reputation. The high-season mix of hedonistic holidaymakers, cruise-ship crowds, buff gay men and posturing fashionistas throngs Mykonos Town (aka Hora), a gorgeous whitewashed Cycladic maze, delighting in its cubist charms and its chichi cafe-bar-boutique scene.
Athens 4 days
With equal measures of grunge and grace, Athens is a heady mix of ancient history and contemporary cool.
Vienna (e) 2 days
Salzburg days
Zurich 2 days
Bern days
Prague days
Berlin (e) 3 days
Munich 2 days
Hamburg days
Cologne days
Copenhagen days
Monaco City days
Marseille days
Nice days
Cannes days
Budapest 3 days
Bologna 2 days
Fusing haughty elegance with down-to-earth grit in one beautifully colonnaded medieval grid, Bologna is a city of two intriguing halves. One side is a hard-working, high-tech city located in the super-rich Po valley where suave opera-goers waltz out of regal theatres and into some of the nation's finest restaurants. The other is a bolshie, politically edgy city that hosts the world's oldest university and is famous for its graffiti-embellished piazzas filled with mildly inebriated students swapping Gothic fashion tips.
Venice days
Amsterdam days
Belgrade days
Ljubljana days
Bratislava 2 days
St Moritz days
Innsbruck (e) 3 days
Lausanne days
Chamonix days
Zermatt 1 days
Lucerne days
Genoa days
Glamorous Cannes sets camera flashes popping at its film festival in May, when stars pose in tuxes and full-length gowns on the red carpet. But the glitz doesn't end there. Throughout the year, as you walk among the designer bars, couture shops and palaces of La Croisette, the wealth and glamour of this city cannot fail to impress. Admiring Ferraris and Porsches and celebrity-spotting on the chic sunlounger-striped beaches and liner-sized yachts moored at the port are perennial Cannes pastimes.
Bucharest days