Chile (Patagonia)
Punto Arenas
The capital of the southern area of Chile it sits on the western shore of the Straits of Magellan. It is the world's southernmost city. Just across the big island of Tierra del Fuego this is a busy city of around 100,000 caters to the oil, sheep and coal industry.  wpe27.jpg (7639 bytes)
This is the kick off point for boat tours of the Straits and a lot of great scenery. It can get cold here in the winter, it's very close to Antartica.

Citytour
To get acquainted with Punta Arenas, start on Mirador Hill, which offers an expansive view of the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego, and the city itself.

Continue on to the city’s main streets and avenues and the Plaza Muñoz Gamero, which features a monument to Magellan (note the representation of the Ona Indians at his feet) and a border of grand mansions and homes, at one time, of the pioneers who settled here and earned fortunes in wool and livestock industries. 

Costanera Avenue offers beautiful views of the Strait and the bustling activity of the harbor. Visit the Salesiano Regional Museum, which superbly documents the history of the region and the lives of the Yagane, Ona, Alacalufe peoples in particular. 

Along the avenues, observe various monuments: the shepherd, which represents the worker’s struggle, as well as the dog, horse, and the sheep that made the region rich. Proceed to the cemetary where the tombs of those pioneers have been exceptionally preserved among well-kept gardens and cypress stands.

Straight of Magellan 
Almost at the tip of the South American continent, lies the mythical Strait of Magellan, which joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Feared and defied by the most intrepid of navigators, it was the obligatory route for all ships from its discovery in 1520 until the Panama Canal was opened. 

Today it can be sailed in the comfort and safety of the 20th C. on a magnificent cruise which starts in Punta Arenas, sails through the straits, and then continues even further southwards on a truly impressive route past glaciers which tumble into the sea.

One can also cross the Strait in smaller vessels to Tierra del Fuego, an island which is half Chilean and half Argentinean, and which was discovered at the same time as the Strait.