Highlights of Montevideo

Experience personal attention, away from the large group tours offered by the cruise lines, when you book the Highlights of Montevideo City tour. This comprehensive tour includes visiting the Old Town (Ciudad Vieja), Port Market, Parliament Palace and much more.

Begin directly at the pier and board your comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle and be provided with excellent local, knowledgeable guides. The eclectic city of Montevideo is also the capital of Uruguay and the 8th city on the 2013 MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index for Latin America.

Your first stop is in the historic Old Town, where you can view beautiful buildings from colonial times. The old part of the town is held by Spanish military fortifications whose stone walls set the boundaries of the fortified San Felipe y Santiago city by the guarded fortress named Ciudadela. See also the Solis Theatre, The Cabildo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Museo Torres Garcia and other museums. There are also many galleries, cafes and antique shops in the area.

Next you will see Plaza Independencia (Independence Square) close to the city center. On this square you will see the statue and the Mausoleum of General Artigas, a Uruguayan national hero. Also view the Presidential offices, Palacio Estevez, Palacio Salvo and the Ciudadela Gate. Continuing you will see the Parliament Palace, inaugurated in 1925. The symbolism and neoclassical architectural style represents the democratic values of the country.

From the Parliament area, you will take a scenic ride to Mercado Agricola Montevideo (MAM), one of the last iron-built markets in the Montevideo. What began as a humble fruit and vegetable stand in 1913 has since expanded twice into a shopping mall a city block in length offering a variety of goods. You will find today there are still vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2006 the building was refurbished and helped to revitalize the entire neighborhood.

After your introduction to some of the history of Montevideo you will next travel to the Obelisco De Los Constituyentes. This bronze and granite obelisk was inaugurated in 1938 as a tribute to the writers of the nation's first constitution, dating to 1830. The sculptor of this work of art is the famous Jose Luis Zorrilla de San Martin.

Continue to the area named Parque Batlle, or Battle Park, where you can stroll through the largest public park and green space in the city. While here, pause at La Carreta, a stunning bronze monument depicting oxen pulling a covered wagon that was created in 1934 by Jose Belloni. Next to the monument you will also see the famous Estadio Centenario, the soccer stadium inaugurated in 1930 for the World Cup in which Uruguay was victorious. On July 18, 1983 it was declared by FIFA as a World Football Historical Monument, being the only construction of its kind in the world.

Buceo neighborhood gives you the chance to see the naval combat of 1814 that was fought with the victory of Admiral Guillermo Brown that marked an important moment in the wars for independence for South America. You will be able to appreciate the building of the Damaso Antonio Larranaga Zoological Museum, known today as the Oceanographic Museum, built in 1925 with its Arab style that was originally built as Cafe Morisco. Later make your way to the beautiful sands of Pocitos Beach and pose for a photo at the Montevideo sign. Admire the picturesque view from here as you look upon Pocitos Bay.

Conclude your tour traveling to the Punta Carretas neighborhood and make a stop at the 62-foot tall Punta Brava Lighthouse, also known as the Punta Carretas Lighthouse. If time allows you may be able to enter the lighthouse and climb to the top if you like.

Make a stop for a brief look at the Port Market, (Mercado del Puerto) and admire the iron structure that was built in Liverpool. At present, this area is one of the most typical gastronomic centers of the city where locals and visitors can taste the delicious Uruguayan meat which is cooked on the big barbecues. A great number of artists also perform in the surrounding area turning the streets into large theaters. Return along the River Plate enjoying city views back to port area and your ship.

This tour is perfect for those who are short on time but want to gain a great overview of the city. Reserve your seat on this special tour today.

Exclusive Highlights of Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas in Chile is the first human settlement that has remained permanently in Austral Patagonia. Now that's something truly special.

Discover the special charm of this extreme town, formed from the contribution of different cultures that left a deep impression full of rich history and traditions. Today, its citizens are primarily descendants of immigrants from Croatia, Spain, Italy, Germany, England and the Isle of Chiloe in southern Chile.

Punta Arenas ("Sandy Point'') is a commune and the capital city of Chile's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena, and has a population of just under 120,000. The city was officially renamed Magallanes in 1927, but in 1938 it was changed back to Punta Arenas. It is the largest city below the southern 46th parallel. Sitting by the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas was in the past indisputably considered the world's southernmost city.

The Punta Arenas Highlights Tour will take you to Cerro Mirador, where you can get a panoramic view of the city and the strait. You will also visit the aoz Gamero Square, surrounded by mansions from the times of the great cattle traders, and the Magellan Monument, represented with a group of natives (Onas) surrounding it on its base.

You will also have the opportunity to visit the Maggiorino Borgatello Museum. Founded by Salesian missionaries, the museum provides a comprehensive overview of the region's history, flora and fauna, and the habitat of its indigenous people.

The Punta Arenas tour concludes with a stop on the main square before returning to the port and your ship.

Additionally, a cemetery visit in Punta Arenas can offer a unique perspective on the city's history and its multicultural heritage. Strolling through the cemetery, you can observe the final resting places of immigrants from Croatia, Spain, Italy, Germany, England, and the Isle of Chiloe, among others.. It's a somber yet insightful experience, providing a glimpse into the lives and legacies of those who helped shape the identity of this southernmost city.

Please Note: On Mondays museums in Punta Arenas are closed, and will be replaced with another venue or more sightseeing, at the guide's discretion.

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Tierra del Fuego National Park

Inside Tierra del Fuego National Park, you'll discover the beautiful rivers, peat bogs, and animals that call Panoramic Point, Lago Roca Lake, and Lapataia Bay home. Book this Ushuaia tour of Tierra del Fuego now for an informative and scenic adventure at a low price.

After a ten-mile drive west of Ushuaia, your professional guide will lead you across the valley from the Pipo River, arriving at Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire) National Park. This 150,000-acre park, established in 1960, extends from the Beagle Channel in the south, along the Chilean border, to Lago Fagnano Lake in the north.

While the vast majority of the park is virtually untouched, there are sections of the forest that were exposed to fire in the past. Today, these sections appear almost ghost-like in contrast against the backdrop of lush green vegetation.

You'll see Panoramic Point, Lago Roca lake, and Lapataia Bay, which remain in the same state when observed in 1833 by explorer Charles Darwin aboard the British ship HMS Beagle.

Book this Tierra del Fuego tour today for your next great vacation.