On the Strait of Magellan, every ship retraces a little of the voyage of 1520. Punta Arenas guards this legendary passage between two oceans, and its grid of windswept streets tells of the era when wool and coal made it one of the most prosperous ports in the South Pacific. Depending on the day, ships dock at the Arturo Prat pier, a fifteen-minute walk from downtown, or at the more outlying Mardones terminal, from which about twenty minutes by vehicle brings you into town; some vessels transfer their passengers by tender to the central landing.

Around Plaza Muñoz Gamero

The heart of the city beats around a square shaded by araucarias, where the statue of Magellan towers over a bronze Fuegian with a shiny foot: tradition has it that kissing it guarantees your return to Patagonia. All around stand the mansions of the great families of the wool boom, starting with the Sara Braun Palace, whose period salons, furnished from Europe, are partly open to visitors. These neoclassical façades, unexpected at such a latitude, speak of the fabulous fortunes built here between two storms.

The cemetery of sculpted cypresses

A few streets to the north, the municipal cemetery is among the most remarkable on the continent. Its lanes, lined with cypresses trimmed into spindles, lead to the mausoleums of Croatian, British and Spanish pioneers, chapel after chapel, in a soothing geometry. The entire history of the region can be read on the headstones, admission is free, and the walk, curiously, is not sad at all.

The memory of the navigators

On the waterfront, north of the city, the Nao Victoria Museum displays full-size replicas of the ships that wrote the local legend: Magellan's Victoria, whose rounded hull seems tiny compared with the vastness it crossed, and the James Caird, the lifeboat of Shackleton's expedition. Climbing aboard, touching the frames and feeling the cramped decks give tales of exploration a physical reality no book can provide. The Cerro de la Cruz lookout, in town, completes the visit with its bird's-eye view of the colourful rooftops and the great arm of the sea that runs toward Tierra del Fuego.

The penguins of Magdalena Island

From October to March, a boat excursion heads for Magdalena Island, 35 kilometres offshore. More than 100,000 Magellanic penguins dig their burrows around a century-old lighthouse, and the marked trail crosses the colony amid the comings and goings of the birds, indifferent to visitors. The half day at sea, often cool and windy, is among the great wildlife highlights of a southern cruise; book early, as spots go quickly, and a windbreaker with gloves makes the crossing much more pleasant.

Flavours of Patagonia

At the table, the region stands by its classics: slow-roasted Magellanic lamb, centolla, the king crab of cold waters, and piping hot tea served the local way in the old-fashioned cafés downtown. Wool shops and craft markets supply toques and sweaters, souvenirs as useful as they are pretty at these latitudes. A tried-and-true tip: keep an extra layer in your bag, as the famously changeable local wind can turn a mild noon into a biting late afternoon without warning.

The strait, always

Once the lines are cast off, the city stretches along its shore like a fringe of bright colours between pampas and grey water. Five centuries after the first sails passed through, the strait still commands respect, and Punta Arenas remains its guardian. The kiss on the bronze Fuegian will do the rest: Patagonia always calls back those who have seen it.