Call us + 1 949 682 7745 Start Planning Special Offers

Readers' 10 Favorite Cities in Central and South America of 2024

2024-07-18

The cities in Central and South America are teeming with culinary delights, entertainment options, and historical landmarks. This year, readers discovered numerous reasons to revisit these destinations repeatedly. In the 2024 "World’s Best Awards" survey, the readers selected their top 10 cities in Central and South America for transformative travel experiences.

Table of content

How the Voting Process Works

What Readers Enjoyed
- The Winner
Cuzco, Peru
The Full List

How the Voting Process Works

Each year, for the World's Best Awards survey, readers are invited to share their travel experiences from around the globe and provide feedback on top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. In the 2024 survey, over 186,000 readers participated, casting a total of more than 700,000 votes for over 8,700 properties (including hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Cities were evaluated based on the following criteria:

Sights/landmarks
Culture
Food
Friendliness
Shopping
Value

For each characteristic, respondents rated their experiences as excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores represent the averages of these responses.

What Readers Enjoyed

This year, Cuzco, Peru, maintained its top position as the best city. Antigua Guatemala climbed to the No. 2 spot from No. 7 last year, known for its Baroque architecture and volcanic surroundings. Panama City, Panama, debuted at No. 10, replacing São Paulo. Brazil is now represented solely by Rio de Janeiro. Mendoza, Argentina, secured the No. 9 spot, praised for its “great wine.” Colombia continues to hold the No. 7 and No. 8 positions with Cartagena and Bogotá, respectively; one reader described Cartagena as a “melting pot of Caribbean, African, and Latin cultures.” Readers also highly recommended Quito, Ecuador (No. 3), Lima, Peru (No. 4, up from No. 9), and Buenos Aires, Argentina (No. 5, same as last year). For more on individual rankings and why Cuzco, Peru, was chosen as the best city in Central and South America for the World’s Best Awards, read on.

The Winner

Cuzco, Peru

This city in the Peruvian Andes has consistently been a reader favorite, and it's easy to understand why. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city offers visitors the chance to explore Incan temples, try local dishes like cuy al horno (roast guinea pig), and serve as a central base for trips to Machu Picchu. One reader praised Cuzco, saying, “All the best things you could imagine are in this incredible city.” They described it as “beautiful,” with a rich history and unique food and nightlife. The city’s historical and architectural allure captivated many readers, with one noting it as a “beautiful city.” In summary, as one reader put it, Cuzco is an “amazing place to visit to experience the country’s wild history.”