Punta Arenas Vacation Packages and Tours

Overview

Located on the north shore of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas is a commune and capital city of the country's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena on a Chile vacation.

During the 16th century, there were two attempts to establish settlements along the coast, however, both were unsuccessful. As a result, Punta Arenas wasn’t officially settled until 1848 when it was used as a military garrison and penal colony. During the rest of the 19th century, Punta Arenas’ location allowed it to grow in both size and importance as maritime traffic increased due to the California gold rush. The 20th and 21st centuries have seen the city remain significant because of its access to the Antarctic Peninsula.