TOP TEN SOUTH AMERICAN CITIES WITH HISTORIC COLONIAL SPANISH CENTERS

SouthAmerica March 16, 2017October 13, 2019 Arequipa, Cajamarca, Cartagena, colonia del sacramento, colonial towns in south america, Cusco, Panama City, Potosi, quito, south america, Trujillo

Cusco, Peru

World famous Cusco has been around a long time, it was the capital of the Inca Empire, and nearly became the Capital for Peru during Spanish conquest. The narrow streets making a labyrinth through Inca stone walls are packed with souvenir shops and restaurants catering to the constant flow of tourist heading to visit Machu Picchu. Many of the old buildings for several blocks around the Plaza de Armas feature small Colonial Spanish balconies, painted light blue, green, and dark brown. Several of the restaurants serving typical Peruvian meals offer balcony dining with a view over the plaza. The modern surrounding city of Cusco, ever expanding, is much like other crowded Latin America cities with traffic and cleaning issues. The Colonial or historic center now forms a retreat from the average. In addition, Cusco is one of the few developed high-end quality Colonial centers that is situated in the Andean highlands.

https://www.southamericatotheworld.com/ — Cusco – Peru

Arequipa, Peru

Arequipa, in southern Peru, sprawled out at the base of the high snow-capped Volcano Misti, is also called the White City for the painted historic buildings surrounding the large convent complexes and churches. The Plaza de Armas has towering of over the north side one of the more elaborate and imposing churches in South America. The other three sides of the plaza are surrounded by a fascinating array of double arches- both the ground floor and the second floor have numerous arches. The arid Pacific flanks of the Andes has the city of Arequipa as an oasis to travelers of the past, enjoying the many crops grown from the nearby river terraces. Arequipa has developed its own signature food styles, and of particular note are the Rocoto relleno and the Adobo de Chancho.

Cajamarca, Peru

Cajamarca is northern Peru’s principal highland city, one that has roots going back to the Inca Empire, and in fact, continued as Colonial Spanish city once they had captured the former Inca king Atahualpa and held him prisoner in a building not far from today’s Plaza de Armas. The center is made from thick-walled adobe buildings that have broader than normal eves to fend of the frequent rains. The verdant Cajamarca valley supports cattle ranching and by extension the area is known for its cheeses. A short drive to the east outside of Cajamarca is the Baños del Inca hot spring complex, which was part of the original attraction for Inca royalty to settle in this valley.

Trujillo, Peru

This large bustling coastal city in northern Peru has a Colonial center with one of the more well-designed Plaza de Armas. A signature characteristic of the Colonial buildings is the tall, massive, double door entrances that can accommodate horse drawn carriages. Some very distinct and elaborate wooden balconies are worth photographing. If visiting this town, stick to the historic center; only after five blocks or so outwards from the plaza the city becomes pretty rough and hazardous. Taking a short taxi ride from Trujillo one can also visit the incredible adobe city of Chan Chan that was built by the pre-Inca culture of Moche.

Quito, Ecuador

The mountain capital city of Ecuador is Quito, and walking about the steep inclined roads in the historic center one will feel the elevation. The Plaza de Armas is one of a sloping surface, but it is filled with garden pathways and is surrounded by double-storied arch-lined buildings. A walking tour of the historic city center can be done to see the various old churches with their massive entrance doors.

Panama city Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo, the historic center of Panama City, ranks high with a distinct flare from the building styles are reminiscent of New Orleans. Tall doors with arched lentils, tall shuttered windows, pastel colors, the odd burnt-out crumbling building being held up by support beams- this Colonial city is struggling to revitalize. Some buildings host poor tenements, while neighboring ones have lawyer offices or upscale art galleries. The fortified seawalls paint a landscape of defense against marauding pirates. Casco Viejo provides a rich environment for photographers interested in old architecture.

Cartagena, Colombia

Colorful Cartagena is surrounded by a Spanish wall that extends down from the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas Fort. This Caribbean coastal city, apart from sporting tropical beaches, has extremely picturesque narrow Spanish streets with a style distinctly separate from all other Colonial cities on this list. The balconies are numerous and draped with flowers. The colors in this town are brilliant. The hot humid weather makes seeking out shade beneath the buildings part of the rhythm for visitors. The town has many restaurants to try, hotels to select from, and museums to visit. This is one of our favorite Colonial cities in South America.

Candelaria-Bogota, Colombia

Candelaria refers to the old historic center of the massive 9 million population city of Bogota, Colombia. The main Colonial Spanish-style buildings around found just upslope to the east of the Plaza de Armas. With historic doors, balconies, and colorful paint contrasts on the buildings, it makes for an interesting stroll between café shops. The main cathedral at the Plaza de Armas is massive in quarried stone, featuring the classic style bell towers favored by the Spanish. Unfortunately the other sides of the Plaza de Armas have lost all charm by being built up with rather unsightly government buildings. While Colombia has greatly advanced from its social unrest, you will still find many military guards around the government buildings carrying automatic rifles.

Potosi, Bolivia

The famous mining town of Potosi lies at the base of a high mountain called Cerro Rico, which has the distinction of producing more silver than any other mining district on Earth. This is the highest Colonial city in this list, coming in at 4,100 meters elevation. For hundreds of years miners have toiled in its narrow veins, and this tradition continues today with thousands of small scale miners digging metals for silver and zinc. Potosi represents such wealth to the Spanish Crown that much of the New World economics and trade was based in the silver from the mine that was used for their currency. The steep narrow roads making complex area to explore on foot. One of the more interesting highlights to visit is the Casa de la Moneda that once housed the national mint, printing money for Bolivia for over a hundred years. The old mint while operated by the Spanish holds massive wooden minting press that once cranked out Spanish Reales. This press is one of the six that were built, and only two survive to this day. One of them was once housed in Lima, Peru. At Potosi, the high mountain air preserves the echoes of the past.

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Colonia de Sacramento, located along the north shore of the Rio Plata, lies opposite of Buenos Aires. It is about a two-hour drive from Montevideo, but can also be visited by ferry boat taken out of Buenos Aires. This is the smallest town listed here, and with this comes a peace and stillness that imbeds it with charm while strolling the historic streets. A few boutique hotels are worth staying in, enjoying the stone walls and tucked away atmosphere. The town in particular has rather nice lantern style porch lights.