South America Cruise - from Buenos Aires - 133638

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.

Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay and the municipality of the same name is seen to be the economic, administrative and cultural centre of the country. The nearby resorts with their beaches make the harbour particularly attractive. In addition to the varied cultural offerings, the city also has many tertiary education institutes, such as the University of the Republic, founded in 1849. Sights include: Montevideo hill; the mausoleum dedicated to the national hero, José Gervasio Artigas; the former seat of the national parliament, "Cabildo"; the cathedral, the National Museum of History and the Fine Arts.

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.

Cape Horn (Spanish: Cabo de Hornos) is the most southerly point of South America and was named by Dutch sailors after the city of Hoorn. It is situated on an island that is part of Chile and for a long time was one of the routes most feared by seafarers. Passage to the West in particular was extremely dangerous and difficult due to the constant Westerlies. In Cape Horn there is a monument in the shape of an albatross that is visible from out at sea. The monument is dedicated to the many sailors who perished in these waters aboard their heavily-laden cargo ships during the first few decades of the last century.

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.