Written by Brian Johnston  |  Added: 26.08.2010, 14:22

select - South America

If you think cities can’t be seductive, 
just head for South America, where 
a taste for the good life means fine food, gracious architecture, sophisticated shopping, and locals with 
a flair for dancing, nightlife, and the ‘beautiful game’.
 

Buenos Aires

The Argentine capital 
is a city of varied neighbourhoods. 
In San Telmo you can sit at cafés surrounded by jaunty church spires and ornate houses, as tango dancers click across the cobblestones. Barrio Norte hides tranquil Japanese gardens, while Palermo is the place to be for cutting-edge fashion and boutique owners who are happy to chat about their latest designs. Riverside La Boca is associated with the twin passions of soccer and tango. Houses are brightly painted in soccer-team colours, while street dancers and artists entertain along the pedestrian Caminito. At nightfall, relax in Palermo Viejo’s plazas, where teenagers play guitars and funky bars spill onto the pavement. This is now the city’s trendiest dining district, with restaurants showcasing the city’s top chefs. Tuck in to some outstanding food, and then prepare to tango into the night.

 

WHY
Tango and soccer unite 
in South America’s most graceful city.
 

WHERE

Buenos Aires is located on the western banks of the Rio de la Plata in northern Argentina.
 

HOW TO GET THERE
Qatar Airways flies daily from Doha to Buenos Aires.
 

Rio de Janeiro

Rio dazzles from the moment you pop out through a tunnel on the highway from the airport and discover beautiful vistas and humped mountains, with anchored yachts and creamy apartment blocks spread around its scintillating bays. Stay in one of the famous beachside suburbs such as Copacabana or Ipanema – or Arpoador if you’re a surfer – and soak up the glory. Or, better yet, head here in February for the sequined and befeathered Carnival – it’s bold and brash beyond belief. But beyond beaches and samba, Rio also has fine museums 
and restaurants, as well as marvellous architecture showcased in the colonial churches, gracious plazas, and Art Deco apartments of its historic suburbs such as Santa Teresa and Lapa. And for those with the energy, there are few more beautiful landscapes for kayaking, hang-gliding, or hiking than here.

 

WHY
One of the world’s most beautiful harbour cities, with a renowned appetite for parties and the good life.
 

WHERE
Rio lies on Guanabara Bay 
on Brazil’s Atlantic coast, overlooked by its famous Sugar Loaf Mountain.
 

HOW TO GET THERE
Qatar Airways has daily non-stop flights from Doha 
to São Paulo, with onward connections to Rio.
 

Sao Paulo

Flying into São Paulo is a staggering sight: this is one of the world’s biggest cities. But it is also multi-cultural, sophisticated, and cosmopolitan; a place where other Brazilians come to shop for the latest fashions and luxury items. 
Try food in the country’s best restaurants, visit art galleries and museums – or take in 
a soccer match. It also has 
a terrific nightlife and 
music scene.

 

WHY
Brazil’s surprise city beats Rio any day when it comes to culture, shopping, and dining.

WHERE
São Paulo lies on a highland plateau in southeast Brazil about halfway between Rio and Curitiba.
 

HOW TO GET THERE
Qatar Airways has non-stop daily flights from Doha to 
São Paulo.