27Feb, 2023

Rio de Janerio, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is a huge seaside city in Brazil, famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, 38m Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado and for Sugarloaf Mountain, a granite peak with cable cars to its summit. The city is also known for its sprawling favelas (shanty towns).

Time in Rio de Janeiro:

Rio de Janeiro

22°

Mostly Cloudy

Feels like: 22°C
Wind: 13km/h S
Humidity: 94%
Pressure: 1015.24mbar
UV index: 1

SatSunMon

23/19°C
24/19°C
26/19°C

Rio de Janeiro is a huge seaside city in Brazil, famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, 38m Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado and for Sugarloaf Mountain, a granite peak with cable cars to its summit. The city is also known for its sprawling favelas (shanty towns). Its raucous Carnaval festival, featuring parade floats, flamboyant costumes and samba dancers, is considered the world’s largest.

Sporting pursuits include volleyball on Ipanema Beach, surfing at Arpoador and paragliding from the lofty Pedra Bonita viewpoint. Sandy beaches stretch from Guanabara Bay to Barra in the west, all of them with cycle tracks and kiosks selling coconut water. Tijuca National Park features rainforest- covered mountains filled with waterfalls, hiking trails and toucans. Samba, forró and bossa nova bands

perform in the bars of the Lapa area. Modern art is exhibited at Museu de Arte Moderna and Museu de Arte do Rio. Host of the 2016 Olympics, Rio is also home to iconic Maracanã Stadium.

When to visit

Rio’s climate is subtropical, and the weather is warm year-round, getting particularly hot and humid from Nov–Mar. Peak travel season is summer (Dec–Jan) as well as during Carnaval (Feb/Mar, varies by year).

27Feb, 2023

Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

Foz do Iguaçu, a city in the Brazilian state of Paraná, is the main base for visiting famed Iguaçu Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls. Stretching for 2.7km, and straddling the border with Argentina, the falls comprise hundreds of cascades, including the 80m-tall Devil’s Throat.

Time in Foz do Iguaçu:

Foz do Iguaçu

23°

Mostly Cloudy

Feels like: 23°C
Wind: 14km/h E
Humidity: 90%
Pressure: 1015.24mbar
UV index: 1

SatSunMon

33/21°C
33/21°C
33/22°C

Arara vermelha - Parque das aves - Foz do Iguacu / Brasil

Foz do Iguaçu, a city in the Brazilian state of Paraná, is the main base for visiting famed Iguaçu Falls, one of the world’s largest waterfalls. Stretching for 2.7km, and straddling the border with Argentina, the falls comprise hundreds of cascades, including the 80m-tall Devil’s Throat. Drenching rides on rubber boats are a popular way to take in the thundering spectacle.

Surrounding the falls is Iguaçu National Park, a subtropical rainforest with diverse wildlife. Near its visitors center is the Bird Park, home to around 150 species, including toucans and macaws. North of Foz do Iguaçu, the massive Itaipu Dam, which supplies a large portion of Brazil’s energy, offers tours. Nearby is the Chinese-style Buddhist Temple, with over 100 statues, including a 7m-tall Buddha. In town are hotels, restaurants and tour operators that cater to the falls’

visitors. Across the Iguaçu River is Puerto Iguazú, the hub for Argentina’s side of the falls.

When to visit

Peak travel period is summer (Nov–Feb). The climate is humid and subtropical, with the hottest days and rainy season Oct–Mar.

27Feb, 2023

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is Argentina’s big, cosmopolitan capital city. Its center is the Plaza de Mayo, lined with stately 19th-century buildings including Casa Rosada, the iconic, balconied presidential palace. Other major attractions include Teatro Colón.

Time in Buenos Aires:

Buenos Aires

19°

Fair

Feels like: 19°C
Wind: 13km/h ENE
Humidity: 78%
Pressure: 1021mbar
UV index: 0

SatSunMon

26/21°C
29/22°C
27/22°C

Buenos Aires is Argentina’s big, cosmopolitan capital city. Its center is the Plaza de Mayo, lined with stately 19th-century buildings including Casa Rosada, the iconic, balconied presidential palace. Other major attractions include Teatro Colón, a grand 1908 opera house with nearly 2,500 seats, and the modern MALBA museum, displaying Latin American art.

In Microcentro, the business district, shopping thoroughfare Florida Street leads to Plaza San Martín, a busy park. Elegant Recoleta is home to upscale shops and La Recoleta Cemetery, with the ornate graves of Eva Perón (a famous former First Lady) and other Argentine luminaries. San Telmo has cobblestone streets and a popular antique fair. La Boca, the Italian quarter, offers colorful Caminito alley and La Bombonera football stadium.

Palermo’s leafy streets are lined with hip boutiques, restaurants and bars. Classic Buenos Aires experiences include shopping for leather, dining at a parilla (steakhouse) and dancing the tango.

When to visit

Peak periods for visitors include the mild months of fall (Mar–May) and spring (Oct–Dec). Many locals leave the city during the hot, humid summer months of Jan–Feb for vacations, and businesses may be closed or have limited hours then.

Winter (Jun–Aug) is chilly and rainy.
The Tango Buenos Aires Festival (Aug)
El Día Nacional de Tango (Dec 11) celebrate the tango dancing and music with live performances and concerts.

27Feb, 2023

Santiago, Chile

Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, sits in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. Plaza de Armas, the grand heart of the city’s old colonial core, is home to 2 neoclassical landmarks: the 1808 Palacio de la Real Audiencia, housing the National History Museum, and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral.

Time in Santiago:

Santiago

13°

Fair

Feels like: 13°C
Wind: 3km/h S
Humidity: 73%
Pressure: 1018.96mbar
UV index: 0

SatSunMon

29/13°C
28/13°C
26/11°C

Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, sits in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. Plaza de Armas, the grand heart of the city’s old colonial core, is home to 2 neoclassical landmarks: the 1808 Palacio de la Real Audiencia, housing the National History Museum, and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral. La Chascona is the home-turned-museum of poet Pablo Neruda.

Nearby is San Cristóbal Hill, hosting the massive Parque Metropolitano, with swimming pools, trails, a botanical garden, a zoo and a funicular to its summit. A smaller hill, Santa Lucía, features extravagant landscaping, fountains and promenades. The luxury boutiques of Avenida Alonso de Córdova and the Museo de La Moda fashion museum are highlights of the upscale Vitacura neighborhood.

Mock colonial village Pueblito Los Dominicos specializes in crafts. Bustling Mercado Central sells seafood, fruits and vegetables. The Barrio Brasil and bohemian Barrio Bellavista neighborhoods offer lively nightlife.

When to visit

Peak season is summer (Nov–Apr). Temperatures are mild year-round, but winter (May–Sep) sees frequent rain (snow in the Andes).

The Santiago a Mil international theater festival takes place in Jan, as well as the Festival Nacional del Folklore, a days-long festival of traditional Chilean music and dance in the suburb of San Bernardo.
The Fiesta del Vino (Apr) celebrates the fall grape harvest in the nearby wine capital of Pirque.
The Fiestas Patrias (Sep) mark Chile’s freedom from Spanish rule.

27Feb, 2023

Lima, Peru

Lima, the capital of Peru, lies on the country's arid Pacific coast. Though its colonial center is preserved, it's a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. It's home to the Museo Larco collection of pre-Columbian art and the Museo de la Nación, tracing the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations.

Time in Lima:

Lima

18°

Cloudy

Feels like: 18°C
Wind: 16km/h SSE
Humidity: 85%
Pressure: 1014.22mbar
UV index: 0

SatSunMon

22/17°C
22/18°C
22/17°C

Basilica and Convent of San Francisco - Lima Peru

Lima, the capital of Peru, lies on the country’s arid Pacific coast. Though its colonial center is preserved, it’s a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. It’s home to the Museo Larco collection of pre-Columbian art and the Museo de la Nación, tracing the history of Peru’s ancient civilizations. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th-century cathedral are the heart of old Lima Centro.

Other Lima Centro landmarks include the baroque Convent of San Francisco and Torre Tagle Palace. Downtown, the Parque de la Reserva’s Magic Water Circuit features 13 interactive fountains choreographed to music and light. Lima’s barrios include Miraflores, where many of the bars and restaurants are, as well as the Malecón clifftop promenade overlooking the Pacific. San Isidro is a barrio with upscale shopping. The hip, seaside Barranco

neighborhood is known for nightlife. Lima is also renowned for its vibrant food scene, encompassing specialties from ceviche to refined global fare.

When to visit

Peak travel is Dec–May, when temperatures are warm and the weather is dry. Low, dense cloud cover known as the garúa descends frequently May–Nov.

There are fireworks and parades to celebrate the anniversary of Lima’s founding (Jan 18).
The Lord of Miracles festival (Oct) involves religious veneration of an image of the Black Christ, as well as bullfighting.
Creole Song Day (Oct 31) centers on performances of traditional Peruvian music.