Highlights of Northern Trail

Quito

Quito, located at 2,850 metres in the western cordillera of the Andes, is the second highest capital city in the world and is situated in a dramatic setting in a long narrow valley beneath the imposing Pichincha Volcano and surrounded by snow capped mountains and extinct volcanoes. The city was founded in the 16th century on the ruins of an Incan city and has one of the best preserved historic centres in Latin America. The old part of the city is a beautiful mix of narrow, cobbled streets and colonial architecture, including the Church and Jesuit college of La Compañía with its gilded altars, walls and ceilings, and the San Francisco and Santo Domingo monasteries. The lively Plaza Grande, Plaza San Francisco and Plaza de la Independencia are well worth exploring. Elsewhere the hilltop El Panecillo (The Little Bread Loaf) has superb views over the city and surrounding mountains while in the nearby village of San Antonio lies ‘La Mitad del Mundo’ (the middle of the world), the Equatorial Line Monument where you can have a foot in each hemisphere.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: City of Quito

Colombia's capital is set at an altitude of 2,600 metres and is a city of impressive colonial architecture, interesting museums and a vibrant cultural scene. The colonial part of the city is known as 'La Candelaria' and is characterised by colourful old buildings, some fine museums, restaurants and ‘chocolaterias’. Some of the most impressive historical structures are located around the vast Plaza de Bolivar including the Catedral Primada de Colombia, San Bartolome College, the Chapel of El Sagrario, the Cardinal's Palace, the Congress Building and the Presidential Palace. The Gold Museum has a fine collection of pre-Hispanic handcrafted gold items. A cable car up to Mount Monserrate provides fantastic views of the city and is the site of a 17th century church and place of pilgrimage.

Cartagena was founded in 1533 by Spaniard Don Pedro de Heredia and soon became one of the three most important Spanish ports in the West Indies along with La Habana and San Juan de Puerto Rico. It was used to export gold and silver from the mines in New Granada and Peru back to Europe and import goods and slaves - the only city along with Veracruz in Mexico authorised to trade in slaves. To protect the city from attack by pirates, a vast system of fortifications was developed in the 17th century which today surround the old city and constitute the most complete example of this type of military architecture in the New World. The historic attractions in the San Pedro quarter include the Church of Santo Domingo and the Convent of San Pedro Claver, in addition to the imposing Castle of San Felipe de Barajas Fortress and the Convent of La Popa, built on a hilltop overlooking the city. Elsewhere in town, the narrow streets have colonial buildings characterised by heavy wooden doors and balconies while Los Bovedas, previously a row of old dungeon cells, today house charming boutiques and tourist shops.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena

Caracas

The capital of Venezuela is a dynamic and bustling city which has developed into a vast concrete sprawl with the aid of the petro-dollars that power the Venezuelan economy. Its attractions include the birthplace of Simon Bolivar who helped to liberate half the South American continent from the Spanish, the colonial district of El Hatillo and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the City University of Caracas. The university was built between 1940 and 1960 to the design of the architect Carlos Raúl Villanueva and is an outstanding example of the Modern Movement in architecture. The campus includes masterpieces of modern architecture and visual arts, such as the Aula Magna with the Clouds of Alexander Calder, the Olympic Stadium, and the Covered Plaza which have been integrated into a clearly articulated ensemble.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas

The city of Merida is located in the west of Venezuela, situated in a lush valley surrounded by snow-capped Andean peaks known as the 'Five White Eagles'. Merida is a fast-growing city with a number of attractions in the town including the cathedral, colourful market and the Government Palace on the Plaza Bolívar. Its main attraction however is as a base to explore its beautiful surroundings. The mountains around Merida can be explored by trekking, horse riding and mountain biking and for more adventure you can try paragliding and canyoning.

Manaus is located deep in the rainforest where the two great rivers Solimoes and Negro merge to form the Amazon River. The city grew rich on the rubber boom and the legacy of this time is seen in the Teatro Amazonas opera house which still hosts opera and ballet, Palacio Rio Negro and the old British customs house. Today the capital of the region is expanding as a free trade zone and it is the launching point for trips into the Amazon rainforest or boat rides along the Amazon River and its tributaries. Close to Manaus you can see the 'Meeting of the Waters' phenomenon, where after merging the black waters of the Negro and the muddy brown waters of the Solimoes do not mix and run side by side with a clearly defined colour contrast.

The city of Brasilia was designed and created in the 1950s to be the country's new capital. Urban planner Lucio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer turned an unpopulated swamp in the centre of the country into a masterpiece of the modern movement in architecture. The overall layout has been compared to a bird in flight, with the residential districts situated on the north-south axis and the administrative sections along the Monumental (east-west) Axis. The most impressive structures include the Metropolitan Cathedral shaped in a crown of thorns and the incredible blue glass of Dom Bosco. The television tower provides superb panoramic views of the city.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Brasilia

Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia and is one of Brazil's greatest historic cities and the centre of Afro-Brazilian culture. Its roots date back to 1501 when the navigator Amerigo Vespucci first sailed into its bay and the city, later founded by the Portuguese, was capital of Brazil between 1549 and 1763. The city prospered with the nearby sugar cane and tobacco plantations and Salvador saw a major influx of slaves from Africa to work on these. Most of the city's residents are descendants from these workers, giving Salvador a rich a distinctive culture fusing African and Brazilian influences, seen in its cuisine, music and the religion of Candomble which mixes African and Christian deities and rites. The Portuguese colonial architecture in Salvador has been well preserved, particularly in the Pelourinho area which overlooks the bay. Colourful churches and other buildings lie amongst spacious plazas and narrow cobbled streets.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the world. Known as the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvellous City), its setting is almost unparalleled - crammed between stunning white beaches and soaring mountains with the peaks of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Corcovado guarding its bay. The 1,300-metre long cable car ride to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain gives you spectacular views across the city and Guanabara Bay, which are matched by those on Corcovado on top of which lies the magnificent statue of Christ the Redeemer, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Back in the city, Rio's famous beaches (Ipanema, Copacabana and Leblon) are filled with sun worshippers, the colonial part of the city has many historic buildings and museums and the picturesque barrio of Santa Teresa is known as 'The Montmartre of Rio'. Its at night when Rio really comes alive though, with the samba bars of Lapa and the bars and restaurants of Ipanema and Copacabana filled with live music, energy and people having fun. The whole city goes wild with parades and parties in the week leading up to the Mardi Gras Carnival every year in February. The contrast between the opulent downtown and the poverty in the hillside favelas can be seen on a tour of Rocinha (the largest in South America). Another must-see attraction is a football game at the world famous 95,000 seat Maracena Stadium to experience the unique Brazilian football atmosphere. For quiet time away from the city's bustle, the beautiful Botanical Gardens or tropical rainforest of Tijuca National Park provides a welcome break from the concrete jungle.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea