After hours of travelling through the barren steppe of Patagonia, Punta Arenas comes as a surprise. With a grand plaza surrounded by neoclassical mansions and several fine monuments, Chile’s most southerly city has an affluent history. Its strategic position on the eastern shore of the Brunswick Peninsula made it a thriving port of call when trading ships sailed through the Magellan Straits. Landowners Braun and Menéndez made their fortunes from sheep, building a sumptuous palace, filled with treasures: one of the city’s two fascinating museums. The other recounts the more sombre history of the ousted indigenous peoples, and their own rich culture. While the cemetery, an oddly beautiful place, also deserves a visit.
Although no longer as wealthy on natural resources, Punta Arenas remains an upbeat breezy place, with traditional bright tin houses away from the handsome architecture of the centre. It’s a good place to spend a couple of days, with plenty of decent accommodation, and some excellent fish restaurants. However, it’s also the starting point for visiting the Magellanic penguins at Isla Magdalena, and the mysterious landscape of Pali Aike, as well as more challenging expeditions into the wilderness of Tierra del Fuego. For more information on Punta Arenas see www.welcome chile.com.
Get the best info about sights, places to eat and sleep in Punta Arenas and around free to download!
download free pdf
