A colonial town in Colombia, built around one of South America's largest colonial-era plazas, has preserved its whitewashed architecture remarkably well, while a small mountain town in Argentina offers a completely different, mountain-framed version of small-town charm further south.
The destinations on this list range from colonial towns with centuries of largely unchanged architecture to small mountain towns built specifically around access to nearby trekking. Both reward staying more than a single night.
Visiting outside weekend day-trip crowds matters considerably at the most popular colonial towns, given their popularity with visitors from nearby capitals. Staying overnight in a restored colonial guesthouse adds considerably to the atmosphere. Dressing comfortably for cobblestone streets also matters considerably in these older town centres. Most plazas stay lively well into the evening.
