9-night South America Cruise

Callao is the port of Lima, located six miles from the city center. Among Callao’s attractions is the Real Felipe, a colonial-style fortress built in the 18th century to defend Lima from English and Dutch buccaneers. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country’s modern aspects.

Callao is the port of Lima, located six miles from the city center. Among Callao’s attractions is the Real Felipe, a colonial-style fortress built in the 18th century to defend Lima from English and Dutch buccaneers. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country’s modern aspects.

Pisco is the largest port between Callao and Matarani. There are two parts of this town, Pisco Pueblo with its colonial-style homes, and Pisco Puerto, which, apart from fisheries, has been replaced as a port by the deep-water Puerto General San Martin. From Pisco you can visit the Nazca Lines and Regional Museum of Ica, the Huacachina Lagoon, and Ballestas Island. This area was also home of the Paracas culture and in August 1820 in Pisco, the great liberator General San Martin landed on its coast, which became the birthplace of Peru's struggle for independence.

Iquique is dominated mainly by the Atacama Desert and the Pacific Ocean. Its beautiful beaches, warm weather, varied landscape and exciting social activities make Iquique a desired destination. Probably the most visited attraction in Iquique are the giant geoglyphs in the area. In the main plaza in town, visitors can wonder through beautiful gardens, the clock tower and stop in a naval heroes of the War of the Pacific museum. For those interested in shopping, there is Zofri Shopping Mall, the Iquique Free Trade Zone's retail sales shopping center, where shoppers will find an extraordinary variety of imported products sold free from taxes.

Being the major attraction of the second region Antafogasta is a city with much tradition. This area/region is also blessed with the clearest skies in the world, with no more then 20 cloudy days in a year, and therefore home to many observatories with some of the world's largest telescopes. Of the places interesting to see, the Barrio Historico stands out. There you can visit the Muelle Salitrero, a national monument built in 1872 by the Melbourne Clarc Co.. This pier was where they loaded the saltpeter for shipping to other parts of the world. It also served during the Pacific War as a place to embark and disembark Chilean soldiers. Another place that should be visited by visitors is the Centro Urbano (downtown center), with the Plaza Colon surrounded by big old trees. There is also the Torre del Reloj (clock tower), which is a small replica of Big Ben in London and also a national monument. Alongside this is the Quiosco de la Oquesta, where different choirs traditionally meet to play for the public. In the Plaza Colon there is also a gothic styled Cathedral with many stained glass windows. Along one side of the church is the Teatro Municipal (Municipal theater), recently constructed and that intends to become a stop for well known artists. Another interesting building of Antofagasta is the Ruina de Huanchaca, a silver foundry, constructed in 1873. As far as natural attractions are concerned, be sure to pay a visit to the coast to admire the fascinating rock formations there.

Coquimbo is near the northern port city of La Serena and one of Chile’s regional capitals. It lies between the Atacama Desert and the central valley, rich in agriculture and is an important distribution center for fruit from the Elqui Valley. Some of the elaborate woodwork handcrafted on the buildings here by early British and American settlers still remains and these wooden buildings are among Chile’s most interesting historical structures. From here you can visit the resort town of La Serena (cathedral and churches), the mountain-topTololo Observatory and the Elqui Valley.

Santiago, with over four million people, is the fifth-largest city in South America. Standing in a wide plain 1,800 feet above sea level, Santiago boasts a beautiful setting. Snow-capped peaks of the Andes chain provide a dramatic backdrop. Tastefully laid-out public gardens contribute to the beauty of the city. However, Santiago also suffers from horrendous traffic and a high percentage of pollution. The heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas, flanked by the cathedral, the archbishop’s palace, the National History Museum and fine arcaded buildings lined with shops. The two-mile-long Avenida O’Higgins is the major thoroughfare, commonly known as the Alameda. There is a splendid view over the city from San Cristobal Hill, crowned by the statue of the Virgin Mary.

Santiago, with over four million people, is the fifth-largest city in South America. Standing in a wide plain 1,800 feet above sea level, Santiago boasts a beautiful setting. Snow-capped peaks of the Andes chain provide a dramatic backdrop. Tastefully laid-out public gardens contribute to the beauty of the city. However, Santiago also suffers from horrendous traffic and a high percentage of pollution. The heart of Santiago is the Plaza de Armas, flanked by the cathedral, the archbishop’s palace, the National History Museum and fine arcaded buildings lined with shops. The two-mile-long Avenida O’Higgins is the major thoroughfare, commonly known as the Alameda. There is a splendid view over the city from San Cristobal Hill, crowned by the statue of the Virgin Mary.