South America is one of the most diverse continents on the planet. With a multitude of regional and native languages, as well as Portuguese and Spanish being spoken by many of the continent's inhabitants navigating can seem hard at times, but if you visit the right places and learn the right words in each language traveling through South America will be a breeze. One of the largest cities in the world, in one of the most populous countries is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Known worldwide for crazy partying, gorgeous beaches, and a gigantic statue of Jesus on a hill, Rio de Janeiro is one of the best cities to visit to get a true South American flavor. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone in South America speaks Spanish. In Brazil they speak Portuguese, and before you visit Rio you may want to brush up on some basic Portuguese phrases. While you are in Rio de Janeiro you should definitely stop by the gorgeous white sandy beaches and taste some of the local seafood. If you like Samba or Salsa music Rio has some of the best clubs in the world. After Rio, you can travel to the national capitol of Argentina, Buenos Aires. Known locally as "BA" or the Big Apple of South America, Buenos Aires is one of the most developed metropolises in South America. With restaurants and shopping to rival any city in South America, Buenos Aires truly stands out. You can visit a number of regional museums, such as the Buenos Aires First Nations museum which houses one of the largest collections of tribal artifacts in South America, or you can head down to the main thoroughfare in downtown Buenos Aires to have a drink or eat some great Argentinian food, Argentina is world renowned for it's beef as well as local wines. You can finish off your trip in the capitol city of Ecuador, Quito. Ecuador has a number of different eco tourism offerings, including guided tours of ancient ruins and jungles to the world famous Galapagos Islands, which house some of the most diverse and studied creatures in the world. Many travelers visit Quito and take a cruise of the Galapagos Islands, which allows you to see these creatures in their native habitats. Quito is also known for fantastic Incan food, like Quinoa, which are hard to find in other, less mountainous South American countries.