South America Cruise - from Valparaíso / Santiago de Chile - 136002

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.

Castro is the capital of Chiloe, a small island off the Chilean coast in the Pacific Ocean. The people here are known for their cordiality and hospitality. All of Chiloe's towns are by the sea. The colourful houses built on stilts and small log cabins on the Fjord coast are typical of Castro. The houses, built on stilts, which are called "Palafitos", are situated in the tidal area at the coast; their wooden stilts are flooded daily by the rising sea water. The city is also known for its folk music and its woollen handicrafts.

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.