Antarctic Cruise - from Buenos Aires - 130113

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.

Punta del Este is the most famous beach resort in Uruguay. It is particularly busy during the hot Summer months from December to February. The main street Gorlero has lots of boutiques and watchmakers as well as exclusive restaurants, cafés and shops selling souvenirs and postcards. At night, the shopping street is transformed into a huge party area and the bars, pubs, discos and the three large casinos never shut before sunrise.

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.

"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.

Valparaíso is one of the first cities founded by the Spanish in Chile. What is today Chile's largest sea port lies in a picturesque bay around which the city centre is built. This is where you can see historic buildings in the Victorian and neoclassical styles, huge squares and a modern port facility. The residential areas are for the most part situated on the hills surrounding the city to which the many stairways and a unique cable-car system with 16 carriages lead. It is well worth the journey uphill - the view of the harbour and the city centre is simply breathtaking. Probably the most unusual city in Chile, it is known for its interlinked houses with their traditional inner courtyards.

Together with the neighbouring town of La Serena, this bathing resort and harbour town represents the centre of Chile's "little North". The newly-built waterfront is the perfect place from which to explore the old town. The contrast between the buildings built around 1950 according to the Socialist model and the churches from the 17th and 18th century (of which there are around two dozen!) is particularly striking. La Serena, the second-oldest town in Chile after Santiago, is also well worth a visit. It has 29 churches and a romantic 'Avenida' with Roman and Greek statues.

Iquique is the capital of the region of Tarapaca in Northern Chile and was ceded to Chile by Peru in 1883 during the Salpeter War. Today, Iquique is an ordinary coastal and bathing resort.

The most northerly town in Chile is located by the sea and serves as the starting point for tours of the Andes uplands to Putre and the National Parks "Las Vicuñas" and "Lauca" and to the sites of ancient Incan settlements. In 1883, following the "Salpeter war" (1879-1883), the city was ceded by Bolivia to Chile, causing Bolivia to lose its access to the Pacific.

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.

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.