Panama Canal Cruise - from Callao - Lima - 131235

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.

In the middle of Central America lies the tropical region of the Panama Canal with its lush vegetation and rainforests. The Panama Canal is a technical masterpiece and one of the most important waterways in the world. It takes just a day to travel along the canal, but visitors are sure to remember the trip for many a long year.

Puerto Limon is the port and capital of the province of Limon at the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and the most important Atlantic port for the export of bananas and coffee. The busy town centre is dominated by a multicultural atmosphere. The main attractions include Vargas Park, where there are lots of Banyan trees in which you can sometimes see up to thirteen sloths snoozing!

Like the neighbouring islands of Providencia und Santa Catalina, San Andrés is around 700 km from the Columbian mainland. It is the largest in a chain of atolls and was once rumoured to be the hideawayof the famous buccaneer Henry Morgan. Many Columbians come to the islands on holiday or for shopping, since it has sold duty free goods since 1953. In addition to the duty-free tourism, however, the island is also renowned for its friendly atmosphere, its safety and the countless opportunities for divers to discover new worlds along the reefs of the Caribbean. Sights include: the natural phenomenon of Hoyo Soplador (a sea water geyser), La Loma Hill, the site of the first church on the island, Morgan's Cave, and the natural swimming pool 'La Priscinita'.

The largest of Mexico's islands lies 57 km from Cancun and 20 km from the coast of Mexico. The island has developed into a popular holiday destination thanks to its idyllic beaches, the wide range of water sports on offer and the Mayan ruins. The ferry docks at "San Miguel de Cozumel", where visitors can visit the "Museo de la Isla de Cozumel" with artefacts detailing the natural history of the island. In the North of the island there are several ruins of the ancient Mayan culture. Cozumel was once a place of pilgrimage for the Mayans who wished to pay tribute to the goddess of the moon, Ixchel. The famous lagoon "Chankanaab" can be reached via the main road to the North. The lagoon has more than 50 species of tropical fish, shells and corals and is seen as a kind of natural aquarium.

Miami is a city at the South-East coast of the US state of Florida. The "Coconut Grove" district was the heart of the settlement in 1884. Today, the city is dominated by elegant boutiques and pavement cafés. Often, free street concerts are held in the side streets - usually reggae or jazz music. The city has numerous high-rise buildings, hotel complexes, areas with palm trees, shopping centres, cultural and recreational facilities. Sights include: the Southeast Financial Center - the tallest building in Florida at 55 storeys high; Dade Country Courthouse; Metro Dade Cultural, a cultural centre that houses Miami Dade Main Library; the Centre for Fine Arts and the Historical Museum of Southern Florida.