The Northern hemisphere’s winter is South America’s peak. December through February is when Buenos Aires, Santiago, Rio, Lima and Bogotá are all at their best — warm, dry, alive. Here is where to base yourself in each.
Buenos Aires. Palermo Soho if it’s your first time. Villa Crespo if you’ve been before and want a quieter, cheaper version of the same.
Rio de Janeiro. Botafogo for the smartest mix of cool and convenient. Ipanema if you want the beach. Santa Teresa if you want the bohemian hilltop.
São Paulo. Vila Madalena for the bar scene. Pinheiros for the food. Jardins for the elegance.
Santiago de Chile. Lastarria or Bellavista. Both small, walkable, restaurant-dense.
Lima. Barranco, every time. Lima’s most interesting neighborhood by a wide margin.
Medellín. Laureles, not El Poblado. El Poblado is what every guidebook recommends; Laureles is where Medellín locals actually want to live.
Cartagena. Getsemaní, not the walled city. The walled city is for daytime; Getsemaní is where you eat dinner and go out.
All of these have full neighborhood guides on the site. Book early — January is high season everywhere.
