Punta Arenas Travel Guide - Explore Beautiful Chile
Punta Arenas Travel Guide - Explore Beautiful Chile
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Punta Arenas is located in Extreme South of Chile. Its history and economic growth is based on maritime commerce, oil extraction, and sheep breeding. The city is often a base for Antarctic expeditions; Ushuaia (Argentina) and Christchurch (New Zealand) are also common starting points.
Punta Arenas (literally in Spanish: Sands Point although real English speakers might know this as Sandy Point) is the largest settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of Chile's Magallanes y Antártica Region. Founded on December 18th 1848, after the failed attempt to establish a settlement in Fuerte Bulnes (Fort Bulnes), founded by John Williams, due to the lack of natural resources and local weather. It has a population of around 130,000 (2012). The city has all kind of facilities, in particular an abundance of banks, shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, hiking gear shops, a mall and a duty free zone called Zona Franca.
Don't trust the weather forecast, you can get a hail storm in plain summer. Usually you can get rain, wind, and sun all within the same day. If it's winter, then snow is always expected to fall. However watch for your skin, even if its cloudy, since this geographical area is usually under the hole of ozone layer. It is on Brunswick Peninsula, 1418 km from the coast of Antarctica.
The city, like all Spanish influenced settlements, is built around its main square Plaza de Armas where the imposing monument of Fernando de Magallanes is located looking towards the strait. At the base of the monument there is a figure of a Patagonian aborigine, specifically an Ona (or Selk'nam), that according to local legend if you kiss its toe you will return once again to the city. Another local legend to come back to the city is to eat calafate, a fruit similar to blueberries. Many of the city main public buildings such as the town hall (Alcaldía) or the Union Club (Club de la Unión) are found around Plaza de Armas, and were the houses and palaces of the local founders.
Port area. In the eastern part of the city, right next to the city centre. It is not a touristic place per se, but its surrounded by cyber cafe, souvenir stores and travel agencies. La Cruz Hill Viewpoint (Mirador Cerro de la Cruz) gives a panoramic view of the city and the strait, it is specially beautiful at night. Its a 10 minute walk from Plaza de Armas and is one of the most iconic places in the city.
Austral Brewery. The southernmost brewery in the world, where you can enjoy the traditional production process and a beer tasting session. It's located at 508 Patagona St. Because of its quality and prices (being local) Austral is the most popular beer this part of the country.
Braun-Menéndez Museum, commonly known as Regional Museum of Magallanes. Is located one block north from Plaza de Armas. It is meant to represent the lifestyle of the founders and most wealthy men of the historical period. Museo del Recuerdo (Museum of the Memories), hosted by the Instituto de la Patagonia (Patagonian Institute), a research facility of the Magallanes University. Carlos III Islandis a nice place for whale sight. The Shepherd's monument is a traditional monument located in Bulnes Av. 11 blocks away from Plaza de Armas. It is one of the many iconic places of the city.
Punta Arenas Cemetery. Dates back to 1840's, with many local aristocratic families and European immigrants, particularly English and Croatians. It is internationally famous for its magnificent mausoleums, european architecture and shaped cypress trees. Maggiorino Borgatello Museum, a Salesian Society museum of natural history and pre-Hispanic ethnic groups. The Seno Otway penguin colony north of Punta Arenas is a place where each spring hundreds of Magellanic Penguins come home to their birth place to breed.
( Punta Arenas - Chile ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Punta Arenas . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Punta Arenas - Chile
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