South America Discovery

Step aboard in Southampton & straight into that holiday feeling. No flights, no hassle. Just the excitement of the days ahead and the promise of memorable moment. So, relax and raise a toast as the UK drifts from sight. Before you know it, you'll be watching your destination come into view. But where will it be ?

The 180 or so islands that make up Bermuda create a welcoming stepping-stone in the Atlantic. Its capital, Hamilton, is a vision of pastel houses to match the famous pink beaches. Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory that was first settled by the English in the early 1600s.

Port Canaveral is your grand gateway to some fantastic Florida highlights, including the world-famous, and enormous, Kennedy Space Centre. NASA's primary launch centre of human spaceflight since 1968.

Explore the “Venice of America”, with its lacework of over 165 miles of canals and yachts as huge as the mansions they're moored at. Stroll along the tree-lined Las Olas, and wander into its upscale boutiques and wonderful restaurants. Enjoy the shops and cafés of Riverwalk, close to the Arts and Science District.

Forming a British Overseas Territory, this archipelago consists of around 40 low-lying islands southeast of the Bahamas. Grand Turk is the second most populated, even at scarcely seven square miles. The oldest known residents were the Arawak-speaking Taino people, and it is believed they traded salt which formed naturally when the sea water entered shallow inland ponds and evaporated in the sun. Indeed British colonists from Bermuda arrived in the late seventeenth century to collect the salt, and they modified the system. There’s still plenty of evidence of the low stone walls used to compartment off the salt pans across the islands, not least at the Salt House museum next to Town Salina.

Barbados is one of the most well known and beautiful islands in the eastern Caribbean. It is part of the British Commonwealth and is named after the Bearded Fig Tree, which was once found in abundance. Barbados is an island where relaxation and adventure go hand in hand. White sandy beaches stretch for miles while snorkelling and sailing are some of the world-class water sports on offer. A cruise to Barbados starts with a walk around Bridgetown, the capital city, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. The city has a charming combination of colonial buildings and Caribbean vibrancy. Make sure you visit St Nicholas Abbey, a historic plantation house and one of three Jacobean mansions in the Western Hemisphere.

On the north shore of Brazil’s ‘shoulder,’ Fortaleza is a pleasant palm-lined city and the capital of the Céara state. It looks out into the Atlantic from a long stretch of beautiful, sandy coast. The first European settlers here were Dutch, and they built the five-pointed, star-shaped Fort Shoonenborch in 1649 after defeat at the hands of local people and the Portuguese. In 1654, the Dutch left and the fort was renamed Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Assunção; the area around it was to grow into Brazil’s fifth largest city. The citadel itself still remains, its low-rise whitewashed walls adorned with cannons and palm-trees.

Host of the world’s largest carnival, Salvador is dubbed the Brazilian capital of happiness. It’s a fine example of the country’s rich cultural history, beautiful architecture and adventurous cuisine. Originally the capital of Brazil until 1763 when Rio de Janeiro was given the title, it is now the third most populous city in the country. Founded in 1549 by Portuguese settlers, Salvador soon became an important sea port, especially for the trade of sugar and slaves.

The beachy resort of Armação dos Búzios, or simply Búzios, is set on an ocean peninsula east of Rio de Janeiro, and is famed as a premium and stylish holiday destination for beach and surf fans alike. Ferradura beach sits in a calm horseshoe bay, offering watersports, while Geribá is a popular surfing site. Among the resort’s village streets, visit cobbled Rua das Pedras for dining and nightlife.

Rio will command your non-stop attention from the moment you set foot on its shores – or the golden sands of Copacabana or Ipanema for that matter. Climb Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car, then try out your salsa steps as night falls. Rio is an amazing experience – a city everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.

Rio will command your non-stop attention from the moment you set foot on its shores – or the golden sands of Copacabana or Ipanema for that matter. Climb Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car, then try out your salsa steps as night falls. Rio is an amazing experience – a city everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.

Home to one of the world’s largest urban populations and hosting an enticing fusion of residents from over 200 different countries, São Paulo is simply a cultural extravaganza. Vibrant São Paulo, which stretches out across a vast plateau in the Brazilian Highlands, is the largest city in the southern hemisphere. It’s Brazil’s dynamic financial centre, and brimming with cultural diversity, comprising residents from over 200 different countries, it brandishes its own distinctive style of Brazilian culture.

Unsung jewel of the South Atlantic, Montevideo, on the northern shore of the mighty River Plate, teems with an intoxicating mix of European tradition and colourful South American culture. With its shady downtown plazas to historic camps, forts, farms and missions that speak so elequently of the dramas, hardships and battles of pioneering days, Uruquay's capital completely captivates the spirit.

Argentina’s capital has a unique and absorbing grandeur. Experience this in abundance at the Colon Theatre, a stunning opera house, and at Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Eva ‘Evita’ Peron. For a true taste of Buenos Aires’ life and soul, many love to tour city districts like La Boca, with its colourful houses and lively tango cafés.

Argentina’s capital has a unique and absorbing grandeur. Experience this in abundance at the Colon Theatre, a stunning opera house, and at Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Eva ‘Evita’ Peron. For a true taste of Buenos Aires’ life and soul, many love to tour city districts like La Boca, with its colourful houses and lively tango cafés.

Argentina’s capital has a unique and absorbing grandeur. Experience this in abundance at the Colon Theatre, a stunning opera house, and at Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Eva ‘Evita’ Peron. For a true taste of Buenos Aires’ life and soul, many love to tour city districts like La Boca, with its colourful houses and lively tango cafés.

Discover a small slice of Wales in Argentina. While Puerto Madryn has roots from the British Isles, the scenery is unmistakably Patagonian, with sweeping vistas and colonies of sea lions and penguins. Somewhat unexpectedly, this Argentinean resort is named after a Welsh baron, one of a number who left their home country during the Industrial Revolution, due to the economic impact it had on rural communities.

The southernmost town on Earth is surrounded by spectacular snow-capped mountains, waterways and the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and is the gateway to some stunning sights and experiences. The southernmost town on Earth is surrounded by spectacular snow-capped mountains, waterways and the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and is the gateway to some stunning sights and experiences.

Make the fabled rounding of the very tip of South America as you pass Cape Horn. It’s located on the desolate Isla Hornos at the southern end of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago in Chile.

Punta Arenas stands on the Strait of Magellan, close to the southern tip of South America. There is a real frontier town feel here amidst the grand and mountainous scenery of Chilean Patagonia. Also well remembered here is explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Indeed, a statue of him stands in Plaza Muñoz Gamero, and rubbing the toe of one of the figures around the pedestal is said to bring good luck and calm waters for your onward voyage. Within the Museo Nao Victoria you can stand before a replica of his galleon that successfully sailed around the globe.

Standing almost on the halfway point of the country’s long coast, Puerto Montt is the gateway to Chile’s lake district, and can reveal stunning scenery as well as a rich German heritage. Stepping ashore in Puerto Montt, named after a Chilean president, you may just feel like you’ve found some corner of Bavaria. The German influence here – found in the cakes, local beer and the gabled houses – is a legacy of settlers drawn to the Lake District 150 years ago.

A single tram ride will open up a whole vista of possibilities during your visit to Valparaiso - from the colourful houses set upon the hillsides to the stunning Maipo Valley wine region

A single tram ride will open up a whole vista of possibilities during your visit to Valparaiso - from the colourful houses set upon the hillsides to the stunning Maipo Valley wine region

Welcome to up-and-coming Coquimbo. Halfway down the long strip that is Chile, this working port city on the Pan American Highway is making a name for itself, especially when it comes to the nightlife. The elegant 19th-century English Quarter is beautiful by day, whereas the Aldunate area is where to be at night, full of bars and nightclubs where you can watch or partake in South American dancing.

As well as being blessed with amazing archaeological treasures, including the oldest mummies in the world, Arica attracts international acclaim for its fine wines and truly world-class surfing waves. Known by Chileans as ‘city of the eternal spring’, Arica has been an important port since Spanish colonial rule in the 1500s, and has plenty to offer in terms of historic sites and places to visit.

To the conquistadores, this was the ‘City of Kings’ and its colonial majesty still dominates the heart of Peru’s capital. Dramatic cliffs, golden beaches and varied cuisine are among its other riches. An undoubted highlight of Lima is the Plaza Mayor in its centre. It’s filled with grand colonial buildings, some of which date from the 16th century, such as The Government Palace, which occupies almost the whole north side of the square. Other impressive landmarks include the Archbishop’s Palace and the twin-towered baroque cathedral.

To the conquistadores, this was the ‘City of Kings’ and its colonial majesty still dominates the heart of Peru’s capital. Dramatic cliffs, golden beaches and varied cuisine are among its other riches. An undoubted highlight of Lima is the Plaza Mayor in its centre. It’s filled with grand colonial buildings, some of which date from the 16th century, such as The Government Palace, which occupies almost the whole north side of the square. Other impressive landmarks include the Archbishop’s Palace and the twin-towered baroque cathedral.

Manta sits almost directly on the equator, roughly halfway up Ecuador’s Pacific shoreline. The area was home to at least seven different civilisations before the Spanish conquered the region in 1534. While the Panama hat is known around the world, it is less common knowledge that they actually come from Ecuador. Montecristi is just a short hop inland from Manta, and it provides a fascinating insight into their manufacture.

This recently developed port with its modern shopping plazas is just next door to Panama City, once a vital link along the Golden Main. In 1671, it was destroyed by the Welsh buccaneer Henry Morgan and a new colonial city was built: Casco Antiguo, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to visit both old and new, and shop for duty-free bargains including the famous molas handwoven by the Cuna Indians of San Blas.

Brightly coloured houses, vibrant street life, a distinct buzz in the air – all are part of the experience when you visit the Schooner Market and watch merchants sell exotic fruit and fresh fish direct from tiny boats.

Explore the “Venice of America”, with its lacework of over 165 miles of canals and yachts as huge as the mansions they're moored at. Stroll along the tree-lined Las Olas, and wander into its upscale boutiques and wonderful restaurants. Enjoy the shops and cafés of Riverwalk, close to the Arts and Science District.

Port Canaveral is your grand gateway to some fantastic Florida highlights, including the world-famous, and enormous, Kennedy Space Centre. NASA's primary launch centre of human spaceflight since 1968.

The Azores rise from the Atlantic Ocean, 900 miles from the Portuguese coast. The largest city in the Azores, Ponta Delgada is on Sao Miguel and is named after the volcanic lands it sits proudly upon. This Atlantic stepping-stone also claims to produce the world’s finest pineapples. If that’s not an invitation to try one, we don’t know what is.

Step aboard in Southampton & straight into that holiday feeling. No flights, no hassle. Just the excitement of the days ahead and the promise of memorable moment. So, relax and raise a toast as the UK drifts from sight. Before you know it, you'll be watching your destination come into view. But where will it be ?