Published 28th Jun. 2021
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Latin America is a region of many characters; football is practically a religion; the steak is the best in the world (and the only vegetarian item you're likely to find on the menu is a mojito) and the jeans are very, very tight. It's also a continent awash with colour - from bright woven textiles that hark back to indigenous populations to lush tropical flora and fauna. Travelling to Latin America means experiencing something of an optical assault by Planet Earth's very own mind-blowing colour wheel. And if that hasn't persuaded you, a dose of drool-worthy travel photography should do the trick...
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is divided into no less than 48 barrios (neighbourhoods), the most colourful of which is La Boca in the capital's southeastern corner. The area is best known for its brightly coloured houses, a tradition brought over by Italian immigrants who continued their custom of painting homes with the leftovers from painting their boats. These days La Boca is populated predominantly by artists and immigrants from other Latin American countries, lending La Boca an idiosyncratic feel and a penchant for playing by its own rules.
Guatemala
Modern Guatemalan culture sits at the crossroads between its indigenous Mayan roots, colonial tradition and modern Latin American influences. For a slice of authentic Guatemala head to Chichicastenango, a mountain village in the south, whose market attracts vendors from surrounding villages and visitors from around the globe. The market is a kaleidoscope of colour comprising woven textiles, wooden masks and fresh produce.
Belize
For any dive enthusiasts in the audience, Belize's Great Blue Hole is one to add to the bucket list (if you haven't already). The perfectly circular blue sinkhole is located 60 miles off the coast of Central Belize, in the Lighthouse Reef System, and is filled with countless species of marine life including angelfish, sponges, barracudas and different species of shark, as well as impressive coral formations and extraordinary stalactites.
Brightly-coloured crabs, blue-footed boobies, crimson and black flamingos, orange iguanas and myriad weird and wonderful marine creatures - we can only be talking about the Galapagos Archipelago. Historic isolation means the animals have no fear of man so, unlike pretty much anywhere else on the planet, you can get really up close and personal.
Costa Rica is one of the most bio-diverse places on Earth, crammed with a greater variety of animals and plants than you can shake a stick at. Although we don't particularly advise that. Its key stats could boggle the best of brains: about 25% of Costa Rica is blanketed by national parks and it is home to 10,000 species of plant and tree, 580 species of bird and 205 species of mammal. All of which come in a multitude of sizes, shapes and colours.
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
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