Punta Arenas, Chile

Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.

Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure

Magallanes Regional Museum
Get a peek into how Chile’s wealthy sheep and cattle farmers lived in the 19th century at this Neoclassical mansion turned historical monument. It still has original marble fireplaces, crystal chandeliers, and hand-carved furnishings—all built or chiseled in 1906 by European craftsmen.

Magdalena Island Natural Penguin Reserve
This six-hour tour starts with a ferry ride to Magdalena Island, a rugged natural reserve dedicated to Magellan penguins (approximately 120,000 dwell here) as well as cormorants and other exotic birds. Walkways wind their way to the red-and-white lighthouse, where panoramas of the island and surrounding waters make great souvenir snapshots.

Sara Braun Palace
This former palace is now part hotel, part private club. Stroll through for a glimpse of the opulent interiors that were once commonplace among Chile’s über-rich estancia owners. The building is named for a Russian woman who completed the house after her husband (a savvy Portuguese businessman) passed away.

Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.

To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.