South America

The world's longest country runs from the driest desert on earth to the wind-lashed tip of South America. In between: vineyards, volcanoes, fjords and the Andes. Santiago is polished and energetic; Torres del Paine stops conversation cold. The food has grown up too, with ceviche and cazuela sitting alongside some seriously exciting restaurant cooking.

A country that rewards the effort of getting there. Lake Atitlán sits in a volcanic caldera surrounded by three cones and a ring of Maya villages that have been weaving the same textiles in the same patterns for centuries. Antigua is one of the best-preserved colonial cities in the Americas, all cobblestones and crumbling churches and very good coffee from the highlands behind it. Tikal rises out of the jungle with the particular authority of somewhere that was already ancient when most of the world was still figuring things out. Guatemala is dense with things worth seeing and does not make it entirely easy. That, for the right traveller, is precisely the appeal.

Iconic cityscapes, incredible beaches, and a vibrant gastronomic scene are the name of the game in this irresistible country. So pack your suitcase; you're heading to Uruguay!