If You Know All the Capitals of North and South America, You Might Be a Genius!

Did you know that Washington, D.C. is the seat of government of the USA? It is a pioneering place in this manner, as well as in other aspects, such as housing the very first recognized LGBT newspaper in the country aptly called the Washington Blade.

When we say Brazil, people automatically think of the hip and happening Rio de Janeiro. But its true capital is called Brasilia, where you can also visit many monumental places, such as the Cathedral of Brasilia, the Monumental Axis, and the interesting presidential office building known as Palacio do Planalto.

Many might think that Nicaragua is in South America, but it’s actually in North America. Its capital is Managua, home of the Tiscapa Lagoon Natural Reserve, and the very scenic lake area known as Puerto Salvador Allende.

“What’s new, Buenos Aires?” is one of the upbeat songs from the Evita musical, paying homage to the vibrant capital city of Argentina. When visiting, a must-see is the Casa Rosada presidential palace, the Plaza de Mayo central square, and of course the colorful and artistic La Boca alley.

Mexico City is, obviously, the capital of Mexico. You have to experience how they celebrate Dia De Los Muertos here, or the Day of the Dead holidays. Drop by Frida Kahlo’s Museum as well — a must-see here!

If you’re into baroque artistry and architecture, you must see the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco in Lima, Peru’s capital city. It has interesting ages-old catacombs underground, for the adventurous Catholic out there.

Of course there is a Bob Marley Museum found in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, where you can see the reggae master’s former home and memorabilia. For nature lovers, you can try hiking the Blue Mountains or beach bum in nearby Lime Cay island.

Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, is actually a valley, so you can see mountainous areas as its gorgeous backdrop. Visit the National Pantheon of Venezuela there, a historic resting place for prominent Venezuelan public figures.

When in Panama City, you’ll have access to both the Panama Canal and the Pacific Ocean here. Start your sightseeing with Casco Viejo, the historic cobblestone area with very cute cafes and bars all around.

If you want to feel the heritage of the Incas, visit Ecuador’s capital of Quito, where they were able to preserve their pre-Columbian culture in a very impressive way. Not to miss is a visit to the actual marker of the equator here, known as the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo plaza, where the equator monument marks the spot!

For history buffs, you can learn more about Canada’s history in Ottawa, its capital, by visiting Parliament Hill and the Canadian Museum of History. But if you’re more of the shop-’til-you-drop type (and a foodie, too!), ByWard Market is the place for you.

Many might not know this, but Santiago is a very happening city, commercially speaking, making Chile a good destination for haute couture followers. They have their own version of Rodeo Drive there, called Alonso de Cordova, and many luxurious shopping malls carry international brands such as Armani Exchange, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Zara, Hugo Boss, Façonnable, Swarovski and many more.

You’ll know you’re in Port-au-Prince when you see those small, colorful houses all around, looking like they’re atop each other, or cascading from a mountainside. Shop 'til you drop at the equally colorful Iron Market as well, where local souvenirs abound.

Artsy backpackers, head on over to Bogota, the capital city of Colombia. There are so many offerings here for the low-key traveler who’s into the arts, such as Fernando Botero’s Museum (Museo Botero), as well as the area called La Macarena filled with many art galleries featuring contemporary local artists.

Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, is actually another home of the Carnival festivities, much like Rio de Janeiro is. But while they samba and bossa over there in Brazil, they calypso and soca here in T&T, which is equally cool!

The capital city of Paraguay, Asuncion, was named by Spanish conquistadors after the Assumption of Mary, or Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción. It’s also no wonder that you have to pass by this capital city to go to one of the most important Catholic pilgrimage places in South America, The Basilica of Caacupé, which celebrates the December 8 feast of Our Lady of Miracles, which pertains to Mary.

The largely Catholic Santo Domingo, named after Saint Dominic, is the capital of the Dominican Republic. Chill and have some coffee in the cafe-filled Plaza de España there, or enjoy some bachata and merengue music at the clubs and bars along Malécon strip.

While the name of the country might sound a little Spanish, Guyana actually has an Anglophone history, meaning British people occupied them before, and English is highly spoken there. This is also evident in the British colonial architectural structures found all around its capital of Georgetown.

People go to Barbados for the beautiful beaches. You can head over to their capital, the port city of Bridgetown, to access laid-back places such as Rockley Beach or Carlisle Bay.

Head over to Museo del Gaucho in the capital city of Montevideo to learn more about Uruguay’s own cowboy culture and ranch life stuff. They also have a fun Carnival Museum if that’s more your thing.

Actor Sidney Poitier might have better claim on the Bahamas since his parents were from its capital, Nassau, and he holds dual citizenship, too. Who could blame him, if you see how picturesque Nassau is, with the many places of interest to visit here. Cruise ships often dock here for many reasons: Paradise Island, Blue Lagoon Island, Atlantis Bahamas, Fort Fincastle, and many more!

The capital city of Paramaribo has a lot of Dutch colonial heritage buildings still preserved and intact to this day, reflecting the country's history and development. Various religious architectural buildings there are also worth seeing and inspecting, such as the Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Neveh Shalom Synagogue, and the Mosque Keizerstraat.

Saint George’s is an active producer of some of the world’s best-known herbs and spices, such as cloves and nutmeg. They grow a lot of cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla and ginger, too.

If you don’t have any fear of heights, taking a ride at the impressive Mi Teleferico cable car system is the best way to see all of La Paz from up above. It has around 25 stations with 8 lines (with plans to build additional ones), and addresses lots of public transport problems in the capital city of Bolivia.

Miss Universe Pageant fans would immediately tell you that the 1975 competition was held in San Salvador. The capital’s many developments led it to its current beta status of being a global city, meaning a city that’s becoming an important hub within the global economic network.

You can access some of the best beaches of Antigua and Barbuda through the capital of Saint John’s, particularly the ones within the major island of Antigua where the capital is situated. Some of these beaches are Runaway Beach and the picturesque Fort James Beach.

Look for the University of Costa Rica located in the capital city of San Jose. Within its nearby neighborhoods are many cool and hip bars and restaurants popular with nightlife-pursuing people, especially those in the San Pedro and La California areas.

The history of the ancient Mayan civilization is well-preserved and evident all around Guatemala City, especially within the Museo Popol Vuh where pre-Columbian exhibits are installed. After immersing in their history, visitors can also immerse in some vibrant nightlife in the capital, especially in the places found within the Zona Viva area.

Castries is a very lively place, especially since it has many historical offerings for culture-curious tourists, as well as cool shopping places for the shopaholic ones. Highly recommended is the Castries Market, and of course the very picturesque Vigie Beach.

Belmopan is considered as one of the youngest cities to become a capital city of a country. It actually became a city only in the year 2000.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is another tourist destination where cruise ships like to dock. Its capital, Kingston, has many Catholic churches that date back to the 1800s, as well as a dynamic market that visitors like to shop for local souvenirs, one that’s best to visit on a Friday or Saturday as locals advise.

"Jurassic Park" fans might want to head to Bolivia’s constitutional capital of Sucre to see some petrified footprints of dinosaurs found around the area of the capital, specifically on the paleontological site called Cal Orck’o. Go visit Parque Cretacico, a museum dedicated to dinosaurs, where they have exhibits of giant dinosaur fossils and life-size models of these creatures. Have a blast!

The Caribbean island of Dominica has a lot to offer nature lovers aside from its beaches. Its capital, Roseau, is the entry point to many of the great natural formations that visitors can go to, such as the interesting Boiling Lake, the water formation heated by a volcano, situated within the Morne Trois Pitons National Park.

Tourists go to Saint Kitts and Nevis for the great beach getaways here. They’ll have to go through the capital of Basseterre to reach these heavenly spots, such as Frigate Bay and South Friars Bay.

The capital city of Tegucigalpa is ensconced within a valley. That’s why you can see mountain views amidst its backdrop, as it is located in the highland region called the Francisco Morazan.