Find out about fun things to do in Punta Arenas including day trip options. See pictures of the Strait of Magellan from our visit.
I had a picture of the Strait of Magellan in my head when we visited Punta Arenas Chile at the tail end of a 2 week trip to Patagonia.
In my mind's eye, I'm visiting in the early 1500's at the time when Magellan's expedition first circumnavigated the globe and proved that the world is round.
Magellan and the strait that bears his name has captured my imagination since I was a little kid. Sometimes with all our travels, I feel like a modern day explorer.
I was excited to have the chance to walk in Magellan's footsteps (in a sense) at the very southern tip of Chile.
What fun things to do will you find in Punta Arenas today? Read on to find out about our experience exploring the city on the shores of the Strait of Magellan.
Walk Around Punta Arenas
The simplest and best thing to do in Punta Arenas is take a walk around. Magellan certainly didn't have cars and the shores he landed on would have been filled with nature and possible danger.
Today, the only danger in Punta Arenas is spending too much time at the Hotel Dreams del Estrecho Casino and losing your fortune. We actually stayed at Hotel Dreams del Estrecho and our room featured amazing views of the Strait of Magellan, today a modern shipping channel.
Exploring Punta Arenas Town
Make your way to Plaza Muñoz Gamero. In the Punta Arenas town square you'll find a statue of Ferdinand Magellan. Kiss the foot of Magellan to ensure that you'll come back again.
Continuing your walk beyond the center of Punta Arenas, you'll find the cemetery of Punta Arenas (also known as Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun), a garden-like setting complete with tombs featuring Art Deco and other period architecture.
Today's Diario El Pinguino is housed in the mansion where Shackleton stayed after his harrowing journey in an open boat after being shipwrecked on his Antarctic expedition. It was here that Shackleton planned and staged the heroic rescue of the rest of his men.
Stroll the Strait of Magellan
Walking is definitely the thing to do in Punta Arenas. Remain on foot and take a stroll along the Strait of Magellan.
It's certainly too cold to swim but I took the opportunity to dip my hand in the water to feel a personal connection to this place filled with such travel history.
Two dilapidated boardwalks along the Strait of Magellan are no longer fit for people to use but are now home to thousands of birds. You can definitely get your birdwatching fix in Punta Arenas!
Grab a Drink in Punta Arenas that is Steeped in History
Get a sneak peek at Palacio Sara Braun by visiting the Shackleton Bar at Hotel José Nogueira. Sip a Hernando de Magellanes craft beer while steeping in the historic architecture and thinking about that other explorer who so bravely rescued his men from the wreckage of their Antarctic adventure.
Drive from Punta Arenas to Fort Bulnes
It's helpful to have a car when visiting Southern Chile to check out Punta Arenas points of interest just beyond the city limits.
Fort Bulnes (Fuerte Bulnes in Spanish) is the site of the original 19th century city settlement of Punta Arenas. Situated within Parque del Estrecho de Magallanes (entry fee was 14000 Chilean pesos at the time of writing; about $23 USD), you can see replicas of the drafty wooden buildings erected by the first permanent settlers to the region in 1843.
Due to the harsh conditions on this peninsula, the original colonists gave up and moved to what is now Punta Arenas.
Visit Museo Nao Victoria And Release Your Inner Explorer
When driving into Punta Arenas on the main road (Route 9), don't be surprised when you see a series of tall ships on the Strait of Magellan. This road side attraction was one of my favorite things to do in Punta Arenas.
At Museo Nao Victoria, you'll find replicas of Nao Victoria one of Magellan's ships plus Darwin's Beagle (this one is still in the process of being fitted out), and Ancud, the lifeboat that Ernest Shackleton used to navigate the open ocean for over 500 miles to seek rescue for his shipwrecked men.
The navigators during the age of exploration certainly had guts! I'm not sure how I would have coped with these conditions.
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Places to Eat in Punta Arenas
We found some fun places to eat on our visit to Punta Arenas. Here are our recommendations for restaurants to try down here at the end of the world in Southern Chile.
Los Ganaderos
Los Ganaderos is situated just across the street from Hotel Dreams del Estrecho and is a traditional South American parrilla. Focus on delicious red meats washed down with a bottle of a big Chilean red.
We opted for a bottle of Carménère, a grape varietal that was once thought lost to the world due to philoxera outbreaks in France but was rediscovered in Chile masquerading as Merlot.
La Marmita
Definitely make a reservation if you head to La Marmita. Known for amazing pisco sours and beautiful cuisine, La Marmita locks the door if there are no tables available.
Call ahead for a reservation and then wave in through the window and they will come and let you in. La Marmita was fully booked when we visited Punta Arenas so we were grateful we'd made a reservation in advance. We saw several groups of people who were turned away.
La Luna
La Luna is a less fussy option for dinner in the center of Punta Arenas. I'd describe their cuisine as Chilean comfort food.
Some of their chicken and meat dishes were served with little potato balls that tasted kind of like tater tots. So good! As always, wash it all down with a bottle of Chilean red wine.
Lomito's
If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful meal, head over to Lomito's for a completo (hot dog with all the trimmings) and a beer.
Look for Strait of Magellan Souvenirs
Another fun thing to do in Punta Arenas is look for Strait of Magellan souvenirs. This was actually surprisingly hard.
We walked into nearly every gift shop in town but there was nothing related to the Strait of Magellan! In the end, we were excited to find little touristy espresso cups with a map of Punta Arenas and the Strait of Magellan painted on them in exactly one tourist shop.
I definitely smell a business opportunity here, unless I'm the only one fascinated by the Strait of Magellan.
Punta Arenas Map
You can click on the image of the map below to open up an interactive version in Google Maps to help you plan out the various things to do in Punta Arenas.
For more on things to do in Chilean Patagonia, check out:
For more on things to do in Chilean Patagonia, check out:
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