Art, history and culture

In a continent where some of the greatest civilizations and cultures thrived like the Mayans, the Incans and the Mapuche Indians, long before the Spanish came, the cultural tapestries and the historical remnants provides you will so much to see and learn, with yet many intriguing mysteries that remain to be unlocked. One of the cradles of modern civilization, Latin America has an amaziingly rich and diverse historical and cultural heritage so unique to this continent. You will learn about amazing achievements of the Mayan civilization by visiting Chichen Itza, the largest, most famous and most accessible Mayan site, located close to Cancun and Cozumel, or Teotihuacan - an enormous archaeological site not far from Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas. Undoubtedly one of the 7 modern wonders of the world is the Lost City of the Incas, the Andean citadel that is set in a magical valley of amazing beauty. Machu Picchu never fails to amaze and to deeply touch you no matter how many times it is visited. Many luxurious hotels in nearby Cusco such as Monasterio, Palacio Nazarenas and Inkaterra La Casona are themselves historical monuments of great architectural beauty. Many Latin American cities are cultural and historical destinations of their own with Cartagena, Buenos Aires, Cusco, Lima and Santiago being the most outstanding examples. Among the best museums in Latin America are MALBA with one of the most impressive collections of Latin American art anywhere as is Museo de Bellas Artes in Buenos Aires; The Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro will certainly give you a great overview of the distinctive styles and movements that have shaped the art of this region. Museo del Oro in Bogota offering the largest collection of pieces of gold in the world and providing a visual history of Colombia and Latin America from the pre-Columbian era to the Spanish conquest. Museo Larco in Lima, small but beautifully comprehensive museum with one of the world’s best collection of pre-Colombian pre-Incan art. You will only scratch the surface in terms of understanding these ancient civilizations, and perhaps a little more, for each time that you spend time - the intriguing mysteries remain like the Nazca lines in the Peruvian desert, or the maois in Easter Island.