Buenos Aires to Chile

Stay overnight at the locally rated 5-star Palladio Hotel Buenos Aires - MGallery Collection on a Half Board basis. The hotel is located in the Recoleta district of Buenos Aires, approximately one hours’ drive from the airport. Facilities include a restaurant and bar, heated rooftop pool and a wellness centre where treatments are at an extra cost. Each of the 113 bedrooms offer a view of Callao Avenue and include tea-and-cofee making facilities, LCD television, complimentary Wi-Fi and en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower. Dinner this evening is at the hotel.

Depart 1700. 

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to the port to embark Spirit of Adventure before exploring this vibrant city. Known as the ‘Paris of South America’, Argentina’s capital prospered during the 19th century which is reflected in its wealth of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and neoclassical architecture. The main square, Plaza de Mayo, has been a central gathering place since then and is overlooked by the pink presidential Casa Rosada Palace. In contrast, the bohemian La Boca district is packed full of brightly-painted shanty houses that were established by working-class immigrants.

Included excursion 

A four-hour sightseeing tour with a local guide will reveal the city’s highlights. Beginning in one of the city’s most significant spots: Plaza de Mayo square, the political heart of the city laid out by Don Juan de Garay in 1580 during the second founding of Buenos Aires. Stop at the 19th-century Café Tortoni to enjoy an Argentine coffee. 

Then continue to the San Telmo neighbourhood, where the original porteños (Buenos Aires residents) settled. After a short drive south, stop at picturesque La Boca, the working-class port neighborhood, and walk to Caminito Street, where local artists display their work. Pass through Puerto Madero to finish the tour in Recoleta, with its renowned cemetery.

Arrive 0800. Depart 1900. 

Founded by the Spanish in the 18th century, the modern capital of Montevideo hides a charming old town. The neoclassical Metropolitan Cathedral in Plaza Matriz, vibrant indoor market and Solis Theatre are key colonial sights reached through the Gateway to the Citadel arch, all that remains of the original walls. The city’s downtown is also a treasure trove of Art Deco buildings. 

Included excursion 

Discover Montevideo’s European influences on an included excursion. 

Optional excursion 

Discover Uruguay’s Canelones wine region, home to over 60% of the country’s wine production.

Arrive 0800. Depart 1700.

The Argentine city of Puerto Madryn is set on the northern coast of Patagonia, in an area renowned for its wildlife and Welsh heritage. In 1865 around 150 Welsh emigrants travelled 8,000 miles to arrive in Argentina aboard the tea-clipper boat to establish a new homeland. Puerto Madryn also offers a gateway to the UNESCO-listed Península Valdés.

Included excursion

See some of the highlights of Puerto Madryn.

Optional excursions

Visit the Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, or explore the region’s Welsh heritage.

Arrive 0900 on Feb 4.
Depart 1700 on Feb 5.

The capital of the Falkland Islands offers a taste of familiarity with its Victorian buildings, Anglican cathedral and lighthouse. Christ Church is the world’s most southerly cathedral, with the arch in front said to be the most photographed sight in the islands: it is made from the jawbones of two blue whales. The Historic Dockyard Museum has extensive displays on the 1982 conflict with Argentina, as well as exhibits about the islands’ history, flora and fauna.

Included excursion

See Magellanic penguins on an included excursion to Gypsy Cove.

Optional excursion

Travel by 4x4 vehicle to the beach at Volunteer Point, home to the largest breeding group of king penguins in the islands where a cacophony of calls from the king, gentoo and Magellanic colonies greet visitors on arrival.

Cruise past Cape Horn, the southernmost point of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile.

Arrive 0800. Depart 1700.

Cruise through the Strait of Magellan to reach the remote city of Punta Arenas, an interesting mix of tin roofs and European influences set in southernmost Chile. Named ‘Sandy Point’ by an English sailor, it is a bustling port thanks to its strategic location on a busy maritime route and acts as a springboard for expeditions into the Patagonian wilderness. Explorer Ferdinand Magellan is remembered in a memorial that stands in Plaza Muñoz Gamero and a replica of one of his vessels is displayed as the Museo Nao Victoria.

Included excursion

Discover the highlights of Punta Arenas on an included excursion.

Optional excursion

Visit Magdalena Island, an uninhabited island in the heart of the strait, home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in South America.

Today, Spirit of Adventure will cruise past the Amalia Glacier, a tidewater glacier on the edge of the Sarmiento Channel, one of the main channels in Patagonia.

Cruise past the Brüggen Glacier, known by Spanish explorers as the PIO X Glacier. Located in Chile’s southern Ice Field, it is the largest glacier in South America and it continues to advance.

Arrive 0800. Depart 1700.

Founded by German settlers in 1853, Puerto Montt is a door to the Chilean Lake District. Explore the city with its wooden neoclassical style cathedral, visit the handicraft and fish markets at Angelmo or maybe learn about Puerto Montt’s rich German heritage at the German Colonial Museum.

Included excursion

Admire the scenery of lakes and snow-capped volcanoes on an included visit to the nearby towns of Puerto Varas and Frutillar.

Optional excursion

Take a scenic tour through Chile’s Lake District and discover Lake Llanquihue, South America’s third-largest natural lake.

Arrive 0800. 

Set on Chile’s Pacific coast, photogenic Valparaiso is characterised by its colourful hillside homes, reached by funiculars, earning it a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This merchant city flourished during the 19th century, attracting migrants from near and far who have left a lasting imprint, most noticeably in the wooded neoclassical cathedral. 

Transfer to the locally rated 4.5-star Hotel Pullman El Bosque in the heart of Santiago for an overnight stay with dinner included this evening. Facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, swimming pool and complimentary Wi-Fi. Each of the 234 bedrooms offer city views and include a television, complimentary Wi-Fi and an en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your overnight flight.

Arrive in the UK for your journey home