Punta Arenas city, things to do and see in Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas is located along the Strait of Magellan in the peninsula of Brunswick, at 3090 kms. south of Santiago (the capital of Chile),  390 km from Torres del Paine national park, 600 kilometers from el Calafate and  600 kilometers fromUshuaia in Argentina, the southern city in the world and end the southern tourist corridor.  Punta Arenas is the southern continental city, with supply port for the growing bioceanic  traffic and starting point of the famous Mare Australis cruise  that runs through the channels and glaciers of Tierra del Fuego and other  cruise heading to Antarctica .  

Among its main attractions are: the Instituto de la Patagonia (research center of history and resources of the region), the Municipal Theatre, Muñoz Garnero square  with his sculpture in memory of the discovery of the Strait of Magellan, Fernando de  Magallanes and  a dutty free  zone, which offers electronic and others  products without tax. 

The  tour to Bulnes Fort is of a natural beauty and historical interest , which constitutes the taking control of the Strait of Magellan for Chile in 1843, The Fort  is located a few kilometers from the Spanish site for the same purpose, sadly baptized for the English pirate Cavendish, as Puerto Hambre due to  its tragic ending, which Cavendish was a witness. 

One of the most outstanding attractions is a visit the Penguin colony in Seno Otway  and the Magdalen Islands, where concentrates a great variety of marine species that inhabit the Strait of Magellan, 120,000 Magellanic penguins (summer only), along with cormorants, sea lions and seagulls, make these islands the most outstanding attraction of Punta Arenas.

To Punta Arenas arrive and depart cruises to the Fuegian channels and Cape of Horn finishing in Ushuaia or viceversa, cruises and tourist veils to the Antartida and local sailings with sightings of penguins and whales.

The airport of Punta Arenas offers direct daily services from Santiago de Chile and other domestic destinations and in high season to El Calafate and Ushuaia with DAP airlines.

Highlights in Punta Arenas include a visit to the penguin colonies on Magdalena Island, Otway sands, whale watching in speedboats, full day tour to Tierra del Fuego to visit the king penguin colony, the only one on the continent, the tour To Fuerte Bulnes and the city tour.