Lele Pons (@lelepons)
Cultural tourism digs deeper than sightseeing, it’s learning about a place’s culture and growing as a person. For your next trip, try building your itinerary with meaningful activities; you’ll find it helps keep the traditions and heritages of places alive.
These locations top the list for vacationing with culture in mind.
Photo via Ricardo Gomez Angel
Antioquia Department, Colombia
The Antioquia Department of Colombia has a great mix of everything to do in the country. Departments in Colombia are similar to States in the U.S. in that they are considered subdivisions and have a certain amount of autonomy from the national government. Medellín is one of Colombia’s more well-known major cities located within the Antioquia Department that delivers local Colombian culture and experiences including learning about life as a Paisa, or countryman. Farming culture, small villages, and great exposure to indigenous culture make this area a must on your to-list.
Photo via Alexander Kunze
Havana, Cuba
Cuba is well known for its rich culture. From lively salsa dancing to incredible natural scenery, Cuba is a gorgeous and complicated country. The small Caribbean island is also known to be frozen in time due to various political embargos it’s lived under for decades. Without getting into the politics of it all, the focus here is on the richness of the people.
Travel to Cuba for tourist activities is still prohibited, but the U.S. Treasury Department has issued general licenses for 12 categories of travel and those categories are relatively broad. So if you find yourself eligible under one of these categories, Cuba is a cultural traveler’s dream. Dance the night away in a local spot, take in the colorful classic cars dotting the streets, and walk along the Malecon, a popular spot for fishermen. But most importantly, listen to and talk with as many Cubans as you can - there are always multiple sides to every story.
The Streets of Oaxaca de Juárez, OaxacaPhoto via Alice Kotlyarenko
Oaxaca, Mexico
Oaxaca de Juárez in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, makes the list as one of the most culturally rich destinations to visit in Mexico. With a historical center dubbed a World Heritage Site, museums line the streets of this cultural center, giving you plenty of places to add to your itinerary. The Mezcal game is strong here. You can visit mezcalerías to learn more about the process of making the beloved spirit, then continue the lesson with the street markets. Don’t forget to take a city walking tour hosted by the locals and learn about its rich feminist and revolutionary history. You will not run out of things to learn in this stunning city.
Aerial view of Machu PicchuPhoto via Eddie Kiszka
Machu Picchu, Peru
Known as the Lost City of Incas, Machu Picchu is a much-loved World Heritage Site of Peru. While this spot has definitely been “trendy” for quite a while, it makes the list because it does double duty as a top destination by exploring the site and taking in the rich culture and history from the locals. There isn’t a way to get to the location without the assistance of local guides so you really have to dive into the local experience by striking up as many conversations as possible while you’re on the journey.
The journey to the City is certainly a bit complicated with the easiest way consisting of a train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (a mere 3.5 hours each way), but it’s certainly worth working out the logistics. Many also choose to hike to the much-beloved spot, where you will be rewarded with a breathtaking look back into the lives and culture of the indigenous empire that was the largest in pre-Columbus America.
View of Iguazu Falls from Foz de Iguazu, BrazilPhoto via Jade Marchand
Iguazu Falls, Argentina, and Brazil
Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu Falls is a must-visit to take in one of the most breathtaking natural sites in South America. With over 275 individual cascades, the Falls make up the Iguazu National Park which accounts for two parks in both countries: Argentina’s Puerto Iguazu and Brazil’s Foz de Iguazú. Designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984, the parks account for a massive amount of conservation work to preserve natural flora and fauna. Every person who visits learns about conservation practices and is expected to be respectful of all the measures taken to preserve the delicate ecosystem.
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Isabel Allende
Photo by allendeisabel on Instragram
Starting her career in 1967, Isabel Allende is one of the most prolific Latina authors out there. This Chilean writer is known for her fiction novels and the way she blends magical realism into her stories. Some of her most well-known novels include “The House of the Spirits,” “City of the Beasts,” and “Evaluna,” though there are many other titles to explore.
Allende continues writing to this day, at 81 years old, and her stories resonate with people of all ages. Some of her most recent work includes “The Wind Knows My Name,” a historical and contemporary fiction story that focuses on love, sacrifice, loss, and self-discovery, and “Perla the Mighty Dog,” Allende’s very first children’s book with illustrations by the talented Chicana artist Sandy Rodríguez.
In “Perla the Mighty Dog,” Allende explores the unbreakable bond between a child and their pet. The story follows Nico Rico and his dog Perla. Like many kids unfortunately experience, Nico is being bullied at school. But Perla isn’t standing by and letting it happen. No, no! She will use her superpowers of making people love her and roaring like a lion to help Nico find his own superpowers and stand up for himself.
What we love about this story is that it’s heartwarming, charming, and poignant, with vibrant and whimsical illustrations. It can be the perfect read for kids, but it’s also easy for adults to enjoy the message of kindness at the core of this story.
Tehlor Kay Mejia
Photo by tehlorkay on Instagram
When it comes to middle-grade and young adult fiction, Tehlor Kay Mejia is one of the Latine names that stand out. They’re a third-generation Mexican-American, transgender, bestselling, and award-winning author who came out of the gate swinging. Their debut novel, “We Set the Dark on Fire,” received the Oregon Spirit Book Award for debut fiction, the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award runner-up honor for debut speculative fiction, and it was featured in several best book lists in 2019. Including Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and O, the Oprah Magazine.
Then, their debut middle-grade novel, “Paola Santiago and the River of Tears,” found similar success. It was one of Amazon’s best books of 2020 in the 9-12 age range and a TV adaptation has been in development since 2022 on Disney, produced by Eva Longoria. Themes like community, radical inclusion, and abolitionist values can be found in Mejia’s stories, no matter what the intended audience is, and it’s part of what makes their books so compelling.
Mejia’s latest works include the contemporary LGBT romance “Sammy Espinoza's Last Review,” Mejia’s adult debut, and the YA LGBT fantasy duology “Lucha of the Night Forest,” which are both great options. You should go with “Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review” if you want a swoon-worthy romance with delicious banter surrounded by music and family issues. If you love fantasy, “Lucha of the Night Forest” offers a story full of adventure, sapphic love, strong and nuanced characters, and beautiful prose. The best part is that you won’t have to wait terribly long for the conclusion of this duology since “Lucha of the Forgotten Spring” will hit the shelves in 2025.
Matt de la Peña
Image Credit: Matt de la Peña
Matt de la Peña is a Newbery Medal-winning author of Mexican descent and he specializes in children’s books and YA novels, some of which you’ve definitely heard of before. De la Peña started his career in 2005 with his debut novel, “Ball Don’t Lie,” which was named ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and later adapted into a movie in 2011.
In 2008, de la Peña published his second novel, “Mexican WhiteBoy,” combining his passion for sport and Mexican heritage into an engaging story of friendship, coming of age, acceptance, and identity. It was one of the top 10 picks for the ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults and it was named a Notable Book for a Global Society in 2009, to mention a few achievements.
De la Peña’s latest work is the children’s picture book “The Perfect Place,” and it’s the uplifting story of young Lucas, a boy with perfect grades but a not-so-perfect home life. His dad is always dealing with his broken-down truck, his mom works long hours, and he shares a small room with his baby sister. One night, a strange light wakes him and guides him to a place where perfect people love.
The longer Lucas spends in that place, the more he wonders if he really knows what perfection means and what’s so great about it. It’s a wonderful picture book about learning to feel at home with yourself, a message children can definitely connect with (and adults too)!
Angie Cruz
Image Credit: Angie Cruz
Dominican award-winning author Angie Cruz is known for her fiction work, which explores themes of gender, race, displacement, home, and the working-class experience. Her career started in 2001 with the publication of her first novel, “Soledad,” which tells the journey of a young Latina woman confronting her and her mother’s past as they try to save their relationship.
One of Cruz’s most well-known works is “How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water,” published in 2022. This book won the Gold Medal of the Latino Book Award/The Isabel Allende Most Inspirational Book Award and is a finalist for the 2024 Neustadt International Prize for Literature.
The novel is ambitious in its concept and very moving in its execution. It follows Cara Romero, a Dominican woman living in NYC who’s going through a rough patch due to the 2008 recession. She goes through an agency in hopes of finding a job after getting fired from her old one, and the agency interview turns into a therapy session. Cruz creates characters readers can root for and enjoy getting to know, this is no exception.
More recently, Cruz published a children’s book in 2024, “Angélica and la Güira,” and it’s the story about a Dominican girl who learns to harness the power of music to bridge the gap between Washington Heights, where she lives, and the Dominican Republic. It explores themes like community while capturing the spirit of these locations. It’s a fun tribute to music, home, and Dominican culture!
Lilliam Rivera
Image Credit: Lilliam Rivera
Lilliam Rivera is a versatile award-winning author of Puerto Rican descent who has dabbled in middle-grade, young adult, and a graphic novel for DC comics. She will also be adding horror to her list of genres with the forthcoming novel, “Tiny Threads.” Her books have received a Pura Belpré Honor and they have been featured in many “best of” lists, including publications like NY Times, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, and NPR. Her personal essays have also been published in The New York Times, Buzzfeed Books, and The Washington Post, to name a few.
Rivera debuted in 2016 with the YA, contemporary novel “The Education of Margot Sánchez,” a coming-of-age story exploring dysfunctional families, identity, finding yourself, and the difference between making good and bad choices. Other YA novels include the graphic novel “Unearthed: A Jessica Cruz Story,” a reimagining of DC’s Jessica Cruz, one of the greatest Green Lanterns.
Her middle-grade work includes titles like “Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit” and “Goldie Vance: The Hocus-Pocus Hoax,” and her most recent book, “Barely Floating,” which tells the story of twelve-year-old Nat, who fell in love with synchronized swimming. The issue is that her activist parents don’t think it’s a worthwhile sport, with its emphasis on looks, but Nat knows what she wants and is willing to fight for it. It’s a story with a lot of heart, focused on building community and what it means to be resilient.
If you’re a Latino, you will find yourself in these works, and if you’re not, you’ll be exposed to nuanced and fascinating perspectives. Isn’t that what reading is all about; learning, connecting, and broadening our minds?
As an added bonus, Penguin Random House is making it extremely easy for readers to snag amazing books by Latine authors with their summer sweepstakes. Register for a chance to snag a grand prize of 10 summer reads, $1,000 to organize a poolside retreat, and a dual chaise pool float, or to become one of fifty winners to get a 3-book bundle of must-reads. Enter the Meet Us Poolside sweepstakes for a chance to win!
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The term “Chola,” a moniker now cherished by the indigenous women of Andean Bolivia, wasn't always delivered with affection. Once, it was a derogatory phrase aimed at indigenous Aymara or Quechua women, their unique pollera skirts and high bowler hats scorned. They were barred from public services and looked down upon. But as the times changed, the Cholitas reclaimed the term, and their traditional attire slowly became a vibrant display of identity and resilience.
A garment born from the 16th-century Spanish conquest, polleras were once forced upon the indigenous population. Yet, as centuries passed, the pollera transformed from a symbol of subjugation to an emblem of cultural pride.
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At the heart of the Imilla Skate story is Dani Santiváñez, a fearless 26-year-old skater from Cochabamba. Together with two friends, Dani formed Imilla Skate in 2019. Imilla, meaning 'young girl' in Aymara and Quechua, the dominant languages of Bolivia, was more than just a name for their collective. It was a powerful symbol of their deep-rooted connection to their ancestral heritage.
Their cultural pride didn't stop at their skirts. Even their long, flowing hair is a testament to their tradition. Each stroke of the brush is a purifying ritual, a ward against negative energy. The act of brushing each other's hair isn’t just about beauty; it’s a symbolic ritual that strengthens their bond.
Imilla Skate's story converges with the tale of La Coronilla, a neglected part of Cochabamba that was once riddled with crime. However, in 2019, an old parking lot was transformed into Bolivia's first park dedicated solely to skateboarding. The once-forgotten corner of the city was reborn, filled with skaters, breakdancers, and parkour enthusiasts, all thriving in a newfound connection.
The girls of Imilla Skate claimed this revitalized space as their own, turning their daily practices into a community skate school for local kids, nurturing the rebirth of La Coronilla into a pulsating hub of community activity.
As they glide and flip through the streets of Sucre, their bold moves and vivid attire turn heads. Their influence has sparked a movement, inspiring other women to form their own skate crews. Bolstered by the encouragement of their families, the Imilla Skate collective has ignited a revolution, offering a fresh perspective on the perception of women in 'pollera.'
As the Imilla Skate women glide through the park in their polleras, they aren’t just skateboarders - they are symbols of resistance, cultural preservation, and empowerment.
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