Antarctic Cruise - from Buenos Aires - 131073

Buenos Aires is the capital of the Republic of Argentina and was founded in 1536 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza. The Latin American city, also known as the "Queen of La Plata" has a very European feel, both in terms of architecture and local customs, spiced with a dash of Latin American warmth and informality. A megalopolis with eleven million inhabitants (making it one of the largest cities in the world) Buenos Aires has always had great allure. Incomers see it as the gateway to the New World, the city of tango, football, a vibrant cultural life and elegance in South America.

Port Stanley, the small capital of the Falkland islands with a population of approximately 2,000, lies nestled in rough moorland. It is the single-storey Victorian wooden houses and sights like the Anglican cathedral with its unique archway made of whale bones and the Falkland Island Museum that lend the town its charm.

"Drake Passage" - over 100 km South of Cape Horn - is a strait measuring almost 1,000 km wide between the southern Shetland Islands and the tip of South America. The stormy strait is named after the 16th century English seafarer Sir Francis Drake.

Ushuaia, the capital of the Argentinean part of Tierra del Fuego, was built by prisoners. The old prison has become an attraction and is a must-see. The town, which is considered to be the most southerly town in the world, lies directly by the snow-covered mountains of the Andes and by the Beagle Canal.

Punta Arenas is said to be the most southerly city on the planet. Prior to the opening of the Panama canal, the city on the Strait of Magellan was an important port shaped by a colourful mix of European immigrants. Luxurious villas owned by the sheep farming barons around the plaza line the city. The view over the colourful rooftops stretches across the Strait of Magellan to Tierra del Fuego. In the Summer people meet at the plaza, where large trees provide some much-welcomed shade.

Puerto Chacabuco and the Chilean archipelago impress visitors with their stunning beauty - jagged fjords, imposing glaciers and snow-covered Andes mountains. The beauty of the bay of Puerto Chacabuco becomes apparent as soon as one enters the harbour. Waterfalls rush down the steep sides of the canyon, while hundreds of species of birds gather to search for food on the small islands shrouded in mist just off the coast.

Puerto Montt, the capital of the Chilean region of Los Lagos, is situated around 1,000 km South of Santiago at a wide Pacific bay. Despite having a population of 130,000, the port, which is the last stop on the North-South railway, has retained a small town atmosphere and charm. With its splendid rooftops and balconies, Puerto Montt is reminiscent of a small Bavarian village and was indeed inhabited for a time by Bavarian settlers. The city is famous for its eucalyptus and pine forests as well as the many lakes and snow-covered volcanoes.

Callao is a suburb of Lima, the capital of Peru. Callao is the main transportation hub of South America, with one of the largest ports in this Southern Hemisphere. Lima is also the largest city in the country, in western Peru on the Pacific coast. Lima's old town, with its streets laid out like a chessboard, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The city is a mixture of Colonial-style buildings and modern architecture. The "Plaza de Armas" is the real highlight. This is where the cathedral, the presidential palace and many important churches, such as the Iglesia San Francisco, the Iglesia la Merced and the Iglesia Santo Domingo. At the corner of the Plaza is an equestrian monument honouring the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who founded Lima in January 1535, in order to focus the reign over the conquered kingdom of the Incas here. The San Francisco monastery with its catacombs, which is close to the Plazuela San Francisco, is also worth seeing. A trip to the Plaza de Mayo, throbbing with hundreds of traders and the shopping street Calle Union are also well worth a visit. Other sights include: the Museo de la Nacion, the "Museo de Oro" and the Miraflores and Barranco districts.