Experience Punta Arenas

Overview

Located in Chile’s extreme south, at the bottom of the Americas, near the tip of the southernmost Patagonia region, Punta Arenas is a vibrant city perched on the edge of the Strait of Magellan. This small, energetic, colorful city is a great base for exciting activities, and excursions through the nearby wilderness filled with snow-capped peaks, native forests, volcanic fields, glaciers, and islands. The Strait of Magellan connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Punta Arenas is a gateway to the spectacular Antarctica and its epic surroundings. Although it's a small, isolated city there is an abundance of things to see and do including fun festivals, duty-free shopping, and fantastic food.

Things to see and do

Go for an exploratory walk around the historic center and bustling heart of the city where the popular Plaza Munoz Gamero also known as Plaza de Armas is located. The quaint colorful square is where the statue of Ferdinand Magellan stands in the middle to honor the 400th anniversary of his infamous voyage. Magellan discovered the Strait of Magellan in 1520. The plaza is a pleasant place to walk around, it is surrounded by grand mansions dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries boasting beautiful architecture. 

Take a refreshing windswept walk along Costanera del Estrecho, the coastal road in Punta Arenas that distends the whole town and offers some spectacular coastal views of the city and the Strait of Magellan. The “Punta Arenas” sign is located along the coastal path at the end of Pedro Montt, this is a good picture opportunity for tourists. 

The Lord Lonsdale shipwreck is located in the Strait of Magellan, the ship was originally built in 1899 and the shipwreck is said to be a treasure trove of history. The ship had to be sunk to stop a fire on board during its voyage from Hamburg to Mazatlan. The remains can be seen in Punta Arenas. 

Cerro de la Cruz or the Hill of the Cross is located in Punta Arenas and can be reached via the neighborhood of the same name. The hill is renowned for its stunning panoramic views over the city and the Magellan Strait, it is one of the top attractions in the city. The observation deck is perched on top of the hill offering visitors unparalleled views of the region, including the colorful houses in town, and the snowcapped mountains in the background. The top of the hill is a fantastic place to see the sunrise or sunset while visiting. 

See Cementario Municipal Sara Braun the local cemetery which was established in 1894 and some of the most notable local aristocratic families are buried here. Many of the graves here are grand mausoleums featuring beautiful architecture, that accompanied by the scenic beauty of the pine trees makes it one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. It was featured on CNN and is a national monument in Chile. 

Visit during the Carnaval de Invierno, or Winter Carnival of Punta Arenas which takes place annually in July in the heart of the city. The vibrant event features parades, colorful costumes, music, dancing, food, and fireworks. 

Visit some of the magnificent museums in Punta Arenas. The Museo Regional de Magallanes gives visitors a sneak peek inside the former home of a pioneering sheep farmer, complete with servant's quarters. 

The Braun Menendez Regional Museum is a local history located inside the Braun Menendez Palace, which is a national monument. It's a great museum to learn about the local history of the original tribes that lived in the region to the Europeans who displaced them. There’s some beautiful artwork on display from the last few hundred years. 

The Naval and Maritime Museum holds a historical collection of the Chilean Armed Forces during the colonization of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica territory. 

The Nao Victoria Museum features an interactive exhibition on the Strait of Magellan, and immersive, interactive multimedia displays. There is a full-sized replica of the first-ever ship to circumnavigate the world the Ferdinand Magellan’s Nao Victoria. The museum also has old sailing instruments, antique weapons, and original documents on display. 

Visit Isla Magdalena Pinguinera or the penguin rookery a massive colony of over 150,000 Magellan Penguins that return to their birthplace to breed. This is one of the top natural attractions in the entire region. There are also cormorants, seagulls, dolphins, whales, and Patagonian sea lions that can be spotted on the island, the lighthouse on the island has a small exhibition on the local fauna. Penguins can be seen waddling all over the island from October to April.

Spend the day in Tierra del Fuego Island. The archipelago is a ferry ride away from Punta Arenas. Check out the local museum and learn about the local wildlife on the island and see the mummified Selk’nam indigenous woman named “Kela” on display in a glass case. The island is located at the bottom of the world and consists of wind-swept settlements, forests filled with lenga trees, dark bogs, and the cold starkness of the shore which leads to Antarctica. A King Penguin colony, whales, and dolphins are among some of the wildlife on the island.

Shopping

In the small compact center of town is where most of the shopping is located in Punta Arenas. Plaza Munoz Gamero is the busy heart of town with a great offering of stores, handicraft stores, cute cafes, and art galleries. Plaza de Armas the Bories, and Magallanes Streets are other locations of some good shopping with many souvenir shops. There are quite a bit of unique shopping opportunities and different kinds of stores to explore as well as vibrant local markets like Mercado Municipal and Feria Artesanal where visitors can pick out that special souvenir. High-end shopping options in the city center are located around Zona Franca. The city’s famed tax-free zone; Zona Austral in Bulens Avenue and one of the most important shopping centers in Patagonia featuring over 100 stores. These markets are fun with many offerings like clothing, authentic Chilean goods, fresh produce, fish, and seafood. The Mall Espacio Urbano Pionero is a busy shopping mall with a wide variety of stores that range from local to international brands, along with fast food and sit-down restaurants, and movie theatres.

Dining

Punta Arenas has some delicious cuisine and plenty of excellent restaurants to dine at when visiting the coastal port city. Seafood lovers will rejoice at the endless opportunities to enjoy delicious fresh fish and seafood like Centolla (king crab), shellfish, and Casuela (seafood stews). Local Patagonia lamb is another popular menu item in Punta Arenas. The downtown area is where diners will find the most options when it comes to restaurants, cafes, and pubs especially the strip along O’Higgins. Major hotels also offer restaurants with decent food options without traveling outside your accommodations. There’s a lot of traditional Chilean Cuisine and dishes to try in the city as well as a great variety of international cuisine.

Some authentic Chilean dishes include caldillo de congrio (fish stew with tomatoes and potatoes), and ceviche using fresh bass and scallops. Locally sourced fresh ingredients are used to make Chilean specialties such as machas a la parmesan (razor clams layered with cheese, white wine, and lemon juice), along with seafood stews using freshly caught fish from the Pacific. Other classic popular dishes include Empanadas typically filled with meat, cheese, or seafood and then baked or fried. Completo is a Chilean-style hot dog loaded with toppings like sauerkraut, diced tomatoes, pebre (spicy salsa), and generously adorned with mayonnaise. Pastel de Choclo is a traditional hearty casserole dish made with ground corn, seasoned meat, onions, and olives, then topped with a golden crust made from cornmeal. Alfajores is a sweet dessert of soft, delicate cookies filled with dulce de leche.

Nightlife

There is a vibrant nightlife scene to choose from in Punta Arenas offering night-goers a good variety of busy bars, trendy lounges, Chilean pubs, and bustling nightclubs to explore. There is quite a lively local music scene in the city where many establishments offer entertainment with live bands and DJs that play a mixture of traditional and contemporary music. The city’s historic center and the popular Cerro La Cruz neighborhood are where many of the evening establishments are located offering guests tasty cocktail menus, great music, and dancing opportunities in a festive, welcoming atmosphere. There are some great cozy local pubs to sit back and enjoy a nice pint of local beer after a busy day and upscale lounges with posh cocktails like the popular pisco sour, and luxurious settings. Punta Arenas also boasts a popular casino where guests can choose from a wide variety of games including slots, roulette, blackjack, and poker. There is a bar, restaurant, and live entertainment offered onsite.