Ushuaia, Argentina

This cozy Argentinean community, tucked into an inlet along the Beagle Canal, sits a mere 750 miles from Antarctica. That said, while Ushuaia may be set against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks, that’s where the comparison to the frozen continent ends. Instead, this colorful and naturally beautiful city is very much a tourist’s delight, a cosmopolitan haven at the end of the world where the summer sun runs to 18 hours a day and activities range from hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding to kayaking and sport fishing.

Given Ushuaia’s unique location at the southern end of Tierra del Fuego Island, visitors can choose to play hard in the great outdoors and still have time to take in some of the local flavor at a café, shop, gallery or restaurant—lamb and spider crabs are signature dishes here. The Ushuaia Maritime Museum, set in a former prison, is perhaps the city’s quirkiest cultural venue. It is home to an extensive collection of nautical history on the region exhibited in what was once a severe and desolate penal institution. 

 

Punta Arenas, Chile

While Punta Arenas is clearly a thriving city these days, the first Spanish settlements along the Strait of Magellan coast, dating back to the late-16th Century, proved less than successful due to the extremely harsh climate and lack of food and water. In 1843 the Chilean government tried its luck with a team of 21 settlers, and in 1848 the surviving group moved to the banks of the Las Minas River, officially becoming Punta Arenas. The settlement became known primarily as a military penal colony, with a less than illustrious history of mutinies that caused considerable hardship on local residents and the city itself. Ranching, mining and nautical trade eventually helped settle the city down by the turn of the century, and it has continued to grow and prosper with tourism through the new millennium.

Puerto Montt, Chile

The original settlement of Puerto Montt was named for the Chilean President at that time, Manuel Montt and dates back to 1853, when Vicente Perez Rosales and a group of  German immigrants decided to colonize the densely forested region around Lake Llanquihue. When train service arrived in the early 20th Century, the city really took off and became a popular stop for travelers between Magallanes and Chiloé. The city was ruined, and then rebuilt after the 1960 earthquake. Not surprisingly, given its nautical setting, Puerto Montt has recently grown into a major fishing and fish industry port known for its salmon.