Highlights of Across the Southern Cone

Valparaíso

The historic port city of Valparaiso is Chile's cultural capital, as well as being the seat of the National Assembly and a major military base. Valparaiso reached the height of its prosperity in the 19th century but declined with the opening of the Panama Canal. Today it has a rough and faded charm but retains its romantic and atmospheric character and its cultural importance. The city is located in a natural amphitheatre setting with the bay encircled by a narrow coastal plain and a series of steep hills. Valparaiso is famous for its series of 19th century funicular elevators known as ascensors which link the steep hills with the downtown streets. The hillsides are dotted with numerous churches and colourfully painted houses and mansions, including 'La Sebastiana', the former house of the Chilean writer and Nobel Prize Winner, Pablo Neruda. The neighbourhoods of Cerro Concepcion and Cerro Alegre are some of Valparaiso's most charming areas, with wonderful architecture and great views of the hillsides and bay.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso

Cordoba is Argentina's second largest city and a university town with a strong colonial history, dating back to its founding in 1573. The Jesuit Block in Cordoba is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprising the university built around a central open space with a colonnaded courtyard, the huge domed church of the Society of Jesus with its richly decorated interior and the college. These buildings demonstrate the fusion of European and indigenous culture from this key period in Argentine history. The World Heritage Site also includes the Jesuit estancias of Jesus María and Santa Catalina outside the city. Cordoba's large student population (there are seven universities here) mean the city has a vibrant atmosphere and great nightlife. Just outside Cordoba lies Alta Gracia, where the young Ernesto Guevara lived - his former house has been converted into a museum focusing on his early life.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba

Salta

Salta is Argentina's colonial gem, a 16th century city with some magnificent historical buildings and set in a beautiful region that offers the chance to indulge in many activities. Salta's highlights include the 18th century Cabildo Historico (old town hall) and the 19th century cathedral, both on the main plaza, as well as the 16th century San Bernardo Convent and the gaudy facade of the Iglesia San Francisco with its huge spire. The cable car up to San Bernardo Hill affords superb views over the city and its surrounds. Salta also has a vibrant restaurant and bar scene, particularly in the Balcarce quarter. From Salta, many activities can be arranged in the surrounding area, including white-water rafting, abseiling, bungee jumping, paragliding and horse riding.

Quebrada de Humahuaca

The Quebrada de Humahuaca (Humahuaca Gorge) is located in northern Argentina along the valley of the Rio Grande from its source in the High Andes to its confluence with the Rio Leone 150km to the south. It has been a major cultural and trade route for thousands of years, known as the Camino Inca, and was used for 200 years to transport the silver mined at Potosi back to Spain. The valley features traces of several historical periods, from prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities, to the Inca Empire of the 15th and 16th centuries and the fight for independence in the 19th and 20th centuries. The scenery is this region is spectacular and the villages of Purmamarca, Humahuaca and Uquia are picturesque settlements in beautiful mountainous settings.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Quebrada de Humahuaca

Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia del Sacramento was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 on the west side of a peninsula by the Rio de la Plata. Colonia was an important centre in Portugal's American colonies and used as a smuggling base for goods to Buenos Aires. The city was razed to the ground by the Spanish during the war of 1704-05, rebuilt by the Portuguese but captured by the Spanish after a siege in 1777. The historic quarter of Colonia del Sacramento, nearest the edge of the peninsula, has been exceptionally well preserved. There are numerous examples of buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries which illustrate the successful fusion of the Portuguese, Spanish and post-colonial styles as well as large squares, cobbled lanes, the lighthouse and the remains of the fortified wall with a restored gateway. It is one of the most charming and evocative colonial towns in South America, seemingly frozen in a time gone by. Colonia is easily reached by ferry from Buenos Aires and it's worth spending at least one night in the town to view the sunset over the Rio Plate and experience the wonderfully atmospheric bar and restaurant culture at night.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento

Jesuit Mission of San Ignacio Mini

Five Jesuit missions were built in the land of the Guarani Indians in the 17th and 18th centuries, four of these are in present day Argentina and one in Brazil. The ruins at San Ignacio Mini are the best preserved of these. The missions were all laid out in the same pattern with a large open square surrounded by the church, residence of the Fathers and houses of the Indians. The Jesuits purpose was to educate the natives and convert them to Christianity and they also sought to protect them from capture and abuse from Spanish and Portuguese colonists.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil)

Paraty was an important port town during the height of the Brazilian gold rush and today is a beautifully preserved Portuguese colonial town. Its town centre is filled with colonial whitewashed buildings and pedestrianised cobbled streets, some of which are partly covered with seawater at high tide. There are four impressive colonial churches, the most imposing of which is the Nossa Senhora dos Remedios. As well as exploring the atmospheric town, its bay has islands with excellent beaches and inland the town is surrounded by mountainous national parks filled with trails and wildlife.