Perched on the banks of the dreamy Lácar Lake, San Martin de los Andes is a Patagonian paradise. Birdwatchers flock and flutter to the annual South American Bird Fair, while thrill seekers love to kayak, ski, or mountain bike along the gorgeous landscape. Arts and crafts shops and artisan food producers will delight visitors that love a sensory sampling of local cultures.

Writers and poets have long flourished in arts-oriented Cuenca, the country's third-largest city and the capital of the Azuay province. Cafes and galleries are tucked among the narrow cobblestone streets. The main plaza hosts both the old cathedral, started in 1557, the year the city was founded, and the blue-domed Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, dating to 1885. Locally made Panama hats get top billing at the markets, with centrally located Casa de la Mujer a shopping standout.