Punta Arenas, Chile Travel Guide: Patagonia’s Biggest City

January 27, 2026

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Punta Arenas is the biggest city in southern Patagonia and the capital of Chile’s Magallanes region. In a place as stunning as Patagonia, Punta Arenas is easily outshone by many of its neighbours when it comes to scenery.

That’s not to say it’s not a lovely place, but it’s hard to compete with the mind-blowing scenery of Torres del Paine, or the far-flung remoteness of the towns of the Carretera Austral.

However, it does have something most of its rival destinations do not: marine life.

Set on the shores of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas is one of the best places in Patagonia to see penguins, and one of the only places in the world where humpback whales come to feed outside of Antarctica.

The city is also a major transport hub, and most travellers to Patagonia are likely to end up here at some point, whether by design or necessity.

Here’s everything you need to know about Punta Arenas, Chile. Including transport info for getting there and around, the top things to do (penguins, whales and more!), where to stay, what to eat, and helpful tips about essentials like ATMs, phones and groceries.

A weathered metal sign reading “Estrecho de Magallanes” stands near a rocky beach with the Strait of Magellan and a calm blue sea in the background, located in Punta Arenas, Chile

Colorful mural showing fishermen in bright clothing pulling in nets and crabs from the sea, with a boat and seagulls in the background

Table of Contents

About Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas is the biggest ‘city’ in Chilean Patagonia, and for most travellers is a bit of a nothing stop en route somewhere else. It’s a major transport hub with an airport, plentiful car rental agencies and occasional cruises departing for Antarctica.

It’s often an accidental stop, thanks to many people not realising you can fly directly to Puerto Natales (the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park).

The city is perfectly lovely, very clean, safe and so on, but competition for beautiful places is stiff in Patagonia, and Punta Arenas just can’t compare to the scenery found in neighbouring towns (like the aforementioned Puerto Natales and across the border in Ushuaia).

However, what Punta Arenas is worth visiting for is the marine life. Penguins, whales, sea lions and more, this coastal city on the Strait of Magellan is an excellent jump-off point for tours to walk alongside penguins or cruise beside humpback whales. Many of these experiences can also be had in neighbouring Ushuaia, but they are significantly more affordable in Punta Arenas.

We ended up in Punta Arenas because we had arranged to collect our Camper Travel Chile camper from there. Given the city was on our itinerary regardless, and we sadly had our flights to visit the marine-life haven of Peninsula Valdes in Argentina cancelled at the gate, we opted to re-allocate our Patagonia penguin experience to Punta Arenas, skipping the eye-wateringly expensive tours in Ushuaia. It was a great decision, and we had a wonderful experience at Magdalena Island.

I wouldn’t come out of your way to visit Punta Arenas, especially if you’re tight on time. Your days are much better spent in more rural and scenic parts of Patagonia. But if your route leads you here, it’s a nice spot to spend a few nights.

Here’s everything you need to know about southern Patagonia’s largest city.

👁️‍🗨️ Punta Arenas was one stop on our trip through the Patagonia region in both Chile and Argentina. Don’t forget to browse all our posts about Argentina and Chile for more help planning your trip!

Large metallic letters spell out “Punta Arenas” along a waterfront promenade, with the ocean and a moody, cloud-filled sky in the backdrop

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Punta Arenas map

A custom map graphic designed in Canva of the Patagonia region, spanning the southern part of Argentina and Chile. There are location markers and text labels for popular destinations.

How to get to Punta Arenas

✈️ PUQ Aeropuerto Internacional Comandante Armando Tola de Punta Arenas
🚌 Separate bus terminals for each company

It’s most common to travel to Punta Arenas by air from Santiago, Chile, as an entry point to Patagonia, or by land from Ushuaia in Argentina, but it is possible to get here from various other neighbouring destinations.

If Punta Arenas is your first stop in Patagonia and you’re travelling from outside of Chile, you’ll first need to fly to Santiago and then follow the instructions below.

Punta Arenas has an airport (PUQ Aeropuerto Internacional Comandante Armando Tola de Punta Arenas) with direct daily flights from Santiago. This route is run primarily by LATAM.

If Punta Arenas is your first stop in Patagonia, this is the best way to get to the region.

However, a lot of people fly here thinking it’s the only airport and completely glaze over the fact that there is an airport in Puerto Natales. If you actually want to visit Punta Arenas, great, fly here.

But most people don’t actually want to stop here, they fly in and immediately jump on a 3-hour bus to Puerto Natales, when they could have flown directly from Santiago to Puerto Natales.

Granted, there are more flights available to Punta Arenas, and they are slightly cheaper, but throw in the cost of the bus and the time lost, and I’d suggest flying directly to Puerto Natales if that is your final destination. This is what we did when we first arrived in Patagonia.

It’s also possible to fly to Punta Arenas from the city of Puerto Montt in northern Patagonia. If you’ve been exploring the Lake District in places like Puerto Varas, Pucon or the Carretera Austral, you can connect to southern Patagonia via air. LATAM runs this direct route a few days per week in the summer months.

In saying that, there are also direct flights from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales, so again, unless you’re actually wanting to visit Punta Arenas, look into flying directly to Natales.

There are multiple direct buses per day from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas. Bus Sur is the most common company running the trip, and it takes just over 3 hours. You can book tickets via Bookaway.

We saw a lot of wildlife on this drive, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled! There were tons of guanacos and nañdu birds.

Each company has their own bus terminal in Punta Arenas. There is no one central station. They’re all located within easy walking distance of the city centre though. If you’re arriving on a Bus Sur bus, their terminal is located here.

Punta Arenas is a common crossover point from Ushuaia in Argentina, as most travellers want to explore Patagonia on both sides of the border.

The easiest way to travel from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas is by bus. This route is primarily run by Bus Sur and Marga Tarqsa. We travelled with Bus Sur, and it was a very comfortable journey, we even got free medialunas!

In saying that, we used both companies throughout our time in Patagonia, and both were reliable with modern, comfy buses.

They say the trip takes 11 hours, but in our experience, it wasn’t quite that long. The journey includes a short ferry ride across the Strait of Magellan. Make sure you keep your eyes out for the cute black and white tonina dolphins, we were lucky enough to see a pod.

Don’t forget that when crossing the border into Chile, you can’t have any fresh food (including honey), and they check your bags quite thoroughly at the border. You also need to complete the SAG customs declaration form, and the driver will check the QR code when you board the bus to make sure you’ve done it. It’s easy and free, and you must do it every time you cross the border.

You can book the Ushuaia to Punta Arenas bus via Bookaway. Don’t leave it too late to book, especially in peak season (December – February), as the direct buses only run a few times per week and they do sell out. If you miss out, you may need to travel via Rio Gallegos.

If your pockets are a little heavier, there is an excellent 4-night cruise route between Ushuaia and Punta Arenas with Australis Cruises, exploring the remote glaciers and fjords of Tierra del Fuego. It’s on my bucket list for next time!

We didn’t visit the remote and isolated settlement of Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino (the actual southernmost city in the world), but I would have loved to, and Punta Arenas is the gateway.

There is one daily flight in both directions operated by DAP Airlines, or you can take the ~30-hour ferry with TABSA.

A pink and blue Bus-Sur coach bus is parked on a wide street under a clear blue sky in Punta Arenas, Chile. The bus is open and ready for boarding, with “Ushuaia” displayed in the front window

How to get around in Punta Arenas

There are multiple ways to get around in Punta Arenas, depending on how you are travelling through Patagonia and what your budget is.

If you’re flying into Punta Arenas, the airport is about 20 minutes from town.

There is Uber in Punta Arenas, and this is the simplest way to get into the city.

If you don’t have an eSIM and you’re not sure about your phone working and would prefer to have something pre-booked, you can organise an airport transfer.

If you’re planning to rent a car, you may as well pick it up from the airport, and you can drive yourself into town.

The city centre of Punta Arenas is easily walkable. It’s quite large, but it’s mostly flat (along the coast at least). The most popular restaurants, cafes, breweries, supermarkets, etc., are confined to the central grid of streets.

However, a lot of accommodations are spread around the outskirts of town, up a steepish hill towards the mountains, so do keep that in mind when you’re booking!

Depending on what your plans are for Punta Arenas, a car is not strictly necessary. Many of the best things to do (penguins, whale watching) require a boat tour, so a car is obsolete.

It doesn’t hurt to have a vehicle, and there are some sights to see around the city if you’ve got your own wheels. I wouldn’t specifically rent one just for Punta Arenas, but what’s more likely is that you rent a car in Punta Arenas to start a broader Patagonia road trip.

This is what we did. We picked up our Camper Travel Chile camper in Punta Arenas before continuing north.

If you’re not renting a specialist camper or van, you can browse and pay for standard rental cars online via DiscoverCars. It compiles all the agencies in the area so you can easily compare prices and reviews (in English).

There is Uber in Punta Arenas, and we had no problem using it for some short rides around the city. Sometimes a taxi will show up to your Uber booking, but you still get the benefit of knowing the price and paying via the app.

Alternatively, there are taxis all over the city, but as always, negotiate the price if they aren’t going to use the meter. If they are, make sure it’s set to 0. Don’t be surprised if someone else jumps into your cab, ‘colectivo’ or shared taxis are common.

We did notice some local colectivo buses and colectivo (shared) taxis travelling around the city. We didn’t find a need for them as we mostly just walked or met our tour company. If you were staying in Punta Arenas for an extended period, they may come in handy. Locals are friendly and helpful if you want to try and work it out!

A lot of the best things to do in Punta Arenas can only be done via a tour. Many involve a boat, like seeing the penguins on Magdalena Island, whale watching or seeing the glaciers. The tour companies will pick you up from your accommodation or a central meeting point, which is why a car isn’t really necessary here.

A grand historic stone building in Punta Arenas, Chile, with a deep blue mansard-style roof and intricate carvings above windows, labeled “BANCO” above the arched entrance

Where to stay in Punta Arenas

We found accommodation to be pretty average in Punta Arenas. The prices were high, and the quality wasn’t that great.

I’m not sure if it was the time we visited (shoulder season, should have made it easier?!), or the city as a whole, because it’s not as touristy as Puerto Natales, but it wasn’t an easy place to find suitable and decent accommodation that was affordable.

Unless you’re renting a car, I’d use the main plaza, Plaza de Armas, as an anchor point. Most of the restaurants are concentrated around here, and it’s an easy stroll down to the waterfront Malecon.

Just note that if you go back from the plaza away from the coast, it starts getting a bit steep, so you’ll have a decent hike up and down a hill! There are a lot of accommodations up there, around Mirador Cerro de la Cruz, but just be aware it’s uphill.

🏠 If you’re not fussed about being in the centre of town, you’ve got a vehicle and your main priority is immersing yourself in the Patagonian landscapes, there are some stunning and unique stays < 1 hour outside of Punta Arenas. Check out Estancia Río de Los Ciervos, it’s like staying in a living museum!

BUDGET OPTIONS 💰

Interior of a cozy bedroom in Hospedaje Magallanes Punta Arenas, Chile, featuring two twin beds with yellow bedspreads and patterned pillows, a wooden headboard, and a whimsical dandelion wall decal above a small window.

Hospedaje Magallanes
Hostelworld

Dormitory-style hostel room in Hostal Chiloe Punta Arenas, Chile, with four metal bunk beds dressed in geometric-patterned bedding and a view into a private bathroom.

Hostal Chiloe
Hostelworld

Simple twin bedroom in Hospedaje de la Vita Punta Arenas, Chile, with wood-paneled walls, light green blankets and pillows, and natural light streaming through sheer curtains.

Hospedaje de la Vita
Hostelworld | Booking.com

MID-RANGE OPTIONS 💰💰

Exterior view of Kran-Kéen Hotel and Restaurant in Punta Arenas, Chile, showing a wood-paneled facade with bold signage and large front windows.

Hotel Boutique Restaurant Kran Kreen
Booking.com | Expedia

Charming studio room in Rumbo Suites Punta Arenas, Chile, with a king-sized bed dressed in red and white linens, tree-patterned wallpaper, a compact kitchenette, and private bathroom.

Rumbo Suites
Booking.com

Bright and inviting communal dining area in a guesthouse in Hostal Boutique Puerta Roja Punta Arenas, Chile, featuring large windows, a cozy fireplace, open shelving with breakfast items, and fresh flowers by the window.

Hostal Boutique Puerta Roja
Booking.com

HIGH-END OPTIONS 💰💰💰

Rustic-chic hotel room in Hotel Boutique La Yegua Loca Punta Arenas, Chile, with a wooden bed frame, vintage saws mounted on the wall as decor, soft lighting, and a view through the window of the distant landscape.

Hotel Boutique La Yegua Loca
Booking.com | Expedia

Modern hotel room in Hotel Cabo de Hornos Punta Arenas, Chile, with a panoramic window overlooking the city and ocean. A king-sized bed is centrally placed, and a coffee station is visible in the foreground.

Hotel Cabo de Hornos
Booking.com | Expedia

Minimalist wooden guest room in Hotel Ilaia Punta Arenas, Chile, featuring a large bed with white linens, wooden paneling, built-in bench seating by the window, and a soft warm glow from natural light.

Hotel Ilaia
Booking.com | Expedia

Things to do in Punta Arenas

1. Walk alongside penguins at Magdalena Island

Seeing penguins is one of the most popular things to do in Punta Arenas, and it was our primary reason for visiting the city (besides collecting our camper).

Every year from around October until the end of March, thousands of Magellanic penguins congregate on Isla Magdalena, an island in the Strait of Magellan off the coast of Punta Arenas.

These cute little guys are here to breed and raise their chicks in the summer months, and there can be over 100,000 birds on the island during this time!

It’s possible to join a tour with a local operator to travel to the island via boat and follow a walking trail, observing the penguins in their natural habitat. You can see them waddling alongside the paths, ducking in and out of their burrows, and depending on the exact month you visit, you might even see cute fluffy chicks.

They are such adorable little creatures. Their waddles are hilarious, they are so ungraceful on land compared to how fast they can move in the water, and they can make a surprising amount of noise despite their small size. The cacophony of honking as we strolled around the island is something I won’t forget!

The tour is a half-day experience, usually departing in the morning. The weather and tides can affect the tour dramatically, as it can be a very rough boat ride across the strait. We visited on the last day of the season, and I think walking around this island was the coldest that I have EVER been, so come prepared!

Most tours also include a stop at neighbouring Isla Marta on the way back, where you can see a colony of sea lions (from the boat only). There is also a good chance of spotting dolphins.

I’ve got a detailed post about seeing penguins on Magdalena Island, with more information about the penguins, the island and the tour options. As well as some tips on what to pack, and how they approach the weather and tour cancellations.

🐧 Read our complete guide to seeing penguins on Magdalena Island or book our recommended tour here

A proud Magellanic penguin raises its beak to the sky while standing on grassy, feather-speckled terrain, showing off its black-and-white plumage on Magdalena Island

A close-up of a single Magellanic penguin on Magdalena Island, showing feather detail and a calm expression against a blurred natural background

A group of people, including Sally in a red jacket and Brayden in a neon beanie, stand on a narrow dock leading to a red boat labeled "Isla Tierra del Fuego" at sunrise, with a glowing horizon over the sea near Magdalena Island, Punta Arenas

Informational sign displaying a detailed map of the Strait of Magellan and nearby islands, including Isla Magdalena and Isla Marta, with English and Spanish text describing their historical significance

2. Explore the city

Punta Arenas is one of the biggest cities in Chilean Patagonia. While it wasn’t a patch on the mega metropolis of Santiago, it certainly felt more city-like than some of the tiny towns we experienced in other areas of Patagonia.

What started as a penal colony, Punta Arenas prospered in the late 19th and early 20th centuries after sheep were introduced to the region. Immigration flowed from Europe, and wool was the source of much fortune. Of course, being a port in a strategic location (pre-Panama Canal) helped, and the city remains a strategic trade and transport hub.

Today, the city has a historic feel, with some beautiful heritage buildings influenced by various European immigrants. We really enjoyed just wandering around and soaking up the architecture, it was quite different from anywhere else we visited in Patagonia.

Be sure to see the historic centre and the seafront area along the malecon.

A few sights to pop into your map while you wander:

🌲 Plaza de Armas Muñoz Gamero: an obvious first stop, the city’s main plaza is a tree-lined square complete with various statues and monuments to historic figures. The plaza is flanked on all sides by gorgeous buildings, including the Catedral de Punta Arenas, the opulent Palacio Sarah Braun (go inside!), the very grand Hotel Cabo de Hornos and various government buildings.

🪦Cementerio Municipal: I know, a cemetery, odd, but it’s not that uncommon to visit cemeteries in Latin America! They are usually lush and lavish affairs that give a great insight into a town’s history. We didn’t make it here due to extremely cold and wet weather, but everyone says it’s a must-visit with some beautifully designed crypts and interesting gardens. It’s an easy 20-minute walk from town, and there are guides at the cemetery if you’d like to learn more about what you’re seeing.

✝️ Mirador Cerro de la Cruz: for a nice view over the city, take a short but steep stroll up to this lookout. It’s free and has lovely views of the city streets, the cathedral and out to the Strait of Magellan.

🌊 Stroll the Costanera: aka malecon, Punta Arenas has a long seafront promenade that’s a lovely place for a stroll. If you want to, you can walk for over 5 km (3.1 mi) along the waterfront. There are the classic Punta Arenas letters to take a photo with, some statues and monuments, and don’t forget to look out for Muelle Loreto, a crumbling old wooden pier that usually has dozens of seabirds on it.

🖼️ Museums: if you’re interested or need to fill a wet-weather day, the city has several museums. The Museo Regional de Magallanes is one of the better ones, but unfortunately, it has been closed for a few years for ‘renovation’. Alternatively, you can check out the Museo Naval Austral if you’re interested in marine and naval history, or the Museo Maggiorino Borgatello, which has an eclectic mix of information about the region, with some interesting taxidermied animals and environmental exhibits, but a slightly off view of colonisation and Indigenous inhabitants.

An elegant, light-colored historic corner building in downtown Punta Arenas, Chile, features ornate balconies, arched windows, and a pointed black roof with a central clock

An old wooden pier extends into the sea in Punta Arenas, Chile, covered with a large group of seabirds, surrounded by broken pillars and a calm, expansive ocean under cloudy skies

3. Go whale watching and glacier spotting

Another one of the best things to do in Punta Arenas is to go whale watching, with a side of glacier spotting, too!

From around December until the end of March, various species of whales migrate to the Parque Marino Francisco Coloane (Francisco Coloane Marine Park). Nestled in a maze of islands and glaciers in the Strait of Magellan, this was the first marine park in Chile. It’s one of the only places in the world that humpback whales come to feed outside of Antarctica, and it’s also possible to see sei and minke whales.

We arrived in Punta Arenas on the evening of the 30th of March, leaving us only one day to catch either the penguins or the whales before the tours officially ended for the season. We chose the penguins, as we have seen a lot of whales before, but I’m really disappointed we couldn’t do both!

The day trip is a long one, from 12 – 14 hours, with a lot of time spent sailing to reach the whales’ feeding grounds. It’s deep inside the marine park, quite far from the city. You will pass Cabo Froward, which is the southernmost point of continental America (the stuff below that in Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia is actually on an island!).

In addition to looking for whales, you’ll come face to face with glaciers (although not quite as good as the Perito Moreno Glacier), and have a good chance at spotting dolphins, sea lions and various seabirds. All your meals and hot drinks are included, and despite the distance and at times harsh conditions, the large boat is well equipped to handle the rough waters, so you’ll be comfortable.

🐋 Book your whale watching and glacier spotting tour

Wide view of a glacier tour boat navigating the glacial waters of Lago Argentino in El Calafate, surrounded by serene icy-blue hues

4. See king penguins

Marine life really is the appeal of Punta Arenas, and if the cute little tuxedoed Magellenic penguins on Isla Magdalena weren’t enough for you, you can also see one of the only populations of king penguins outside of the Antarctic region.

These beautiful, orange-hued penguins are the second largest of the world’s 18 penguin species and quite possibly the most striking!

They are found almost exclusively on sub-Antarctic islands (e.g. South Georgia), so it was quite a surprise to scientists in 2010 to discover a colony at Bahia Inútil near the town of Porvenir on the Chilean side of Isla Tierra del Fuego, just across the Magellan Strait from Punta Arenas.

Reserva Natural Pingüino Rey was created to protect the colony here and to encourage and stimulate reproduction.

The King penguins spend longer in Patagonia than their Magellanic counterparts, and can be visited at the reserve from November to May. It is only open from Thursday to Sunday to give the penguins plenty of time without human interaction each week. (With the exception of the peak months of January and February, where the reserve is also open on Tuesday and Wednesday).

The reserve offers guided tours where visitors walk along boardwalks to a covered viewing platform to look at the penguins. Depending on where the penguins are hanging out, you will be viewing them from up to 50 metres (164 ft) away.

This is designed to protect the penguins and minimise disturbance (fantastic!), but it is important to note that this is a much more distant viewing than the Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island.

There are two ways to visit the reserve from Punta Arenas:

🚌 Join an inclusive tour from Punta Arenas that travels overland by bus to the reserve with a short ferry crossing over the Strait of Magellan (~4 hours each way)

⛴️ Rent a car and take the TABSA car ferry from Punta Arenas to Porvenir (~2 hours), and drive yourself to the reserve (~2 hours) OR drive the entire way via the overland route (~4 hours) and book a tour directly with the reserve

Four elegant King Penguins with black backs, white bellies, and bright yellow-orange accents stand side by side on grassy terrain

5. Take a tour of the Cerveza Austral brewery

Chile’s most popular beer, and the best beer I have ever tasted, Cerveza Austral has its primary production brewery in Punta Arenas, and you can take a tour!

I’m shattered that I was too unwell to visit. I couldn’t fathom the thought of drinking beer while I was coughing up a lung, but please do this if you’re in the city!

The tours are run a few times per day from Tuesday – Saturday, and you must book your visit online in advance. If you’re lucky, you will get a guide who runs the tour in both Spanish and English, which is pretty common.

It takes around an hour and a half to tour the brewery, and you get a tasting flight at the end to sample all their different beers.

The Calafate beer is, to date, the nicest beer I’ve ever drunk!

A tall glass of Cerveza Austral Calafate beer on a wooden table inside a cozy restaurant, with warm lighting and patrons in the background

6. Hike in Reserva Nacional Magallanes

I got hit with a very heavy cold while we were in Punta Arenas, plus we had some icy weather, so unfortunately, I was not up for hiking! BUT, if you have nicer weather and more energy than we did, the Reserva Nacional Magallanes (Magallanes National Reserve) is a great place for a hike near the city.

Torres del Paine this is not, but it’s still got some beautiful trails through the forest. It’s about 15 minutes from the city, and you can get an Uber here if you don’t have a vehicle.

Check out some of the trails on AllTrails.

❌ What NOT to do in Punta Arenas is take a day trip to Torres del Paine. Please do not do this! You will be driving for upwards of 10 hours, to spend less than half that time in the park. Ideally, you would dedicate multiple days to see the park, even if you don’t want to do the W or O trek. At the very least get yourself to Puerto Natales first so you can cut out 6+ hours of driving in one day.

Towering lenga beech trees with slender trunks fill the frame in a dense Patagonian forest, their green canopy filtering soft daylight.

Where to eat in Punta Arenas

We found eating in Punta Arenas to be just okay.

We had heard so much fuss about how expensive everything was in Puerto Natales, which we didn’t really experience when we were there, at least not in comparison to anywhere else in Patagonia.

Because of this, we (maybe mistakenly) expected Punta Arenas to be a lot cheaper. Being a bigger city that is a bit more local, but this wasn’t our experience. We thought eating out here was even more expensive than in Puerto Natales, and the quality wasn’t as good.

Regardless, we found a few good spots and had some nice meals.

CAFES, BREAKFAST & SWEET TREATS

🧁 Elena Pan y Cafe: the best coffee I had in Patagonia, and their red velvet cupcakes were DELISH! A little bit out of the centre but worth the short walk.

☕️ Wake Up Coffee & Brunch: the classic cafe in town. There was a bit of a wait for a table on a cold and wet Sunday morning. We had some nice sweet treats, and the coffee was good – they had oat milk!

🥖 Nanuc Patagonia: a fancy bakery/cafe with a few different branches around the city. They’ve got all kinds of sweet pastries, alfajores, empanadas and bread.

A latte with elegant leaf-shaped foam art and a slice of lemon pie topped with mini meringues and chocolate drops, set on a rustic wooden table

RESTAURANTS

🍔 Kioska Roca: a Punta Arenas icon! This super cute local spot with stools at the counter has been around forever. They sell choripan and choriqueso. These aren’t like the Argentine choripans though, they are like McMuffins with cheese and a chorizo spread. Make sure to add hot sauce. Weird, but oddly good and super cheap, $1,100 each and 2 – 3 will fill you up. Make sure you get one of their specialty banana milk drinks to wash it down.

🍕 Mesita Grande: a very popular Italian spot that’s worth the hype! They have a wood-fired oven, and their pizzas were great. The restaurant is big and spacious on one of the main streets in town.

🦀 La Cuisine: we really wanted to try this very well-rated French restaurant, but they had closed for the season by the time we visited. The food looks excellent, with some iconic local centolla (king crab) dishes and French classics like French onion soup, ratatouille and creme brulee (my favourite!).

Retro-style diner interior with red bar stools, a wall of bottle caps, framed photos, and staff working behind the counter

A glass of vanilla milkshake and a sandwich with red sauce sit on a black plate at a nostalgic diner counter with a wall covered in collectible bottle caps

BARS, WINERIES & NIGHTLIFE

🍺 Cerveceria Austral: a brewery / experience recommendation in one, don’t miss the chance to sip on the liquid gold that is Cerveceria Austral’s Calafate beer straight from the source!

🍸 Taberna Club de la Unión: tucked away on the bottom floor of the city’s most opulent building, Palacio Sara Braun, this is a very atmospheric spot for a drink. There is a full restaurant here and apparently the food is nice, but ducking in for a wine or pisco sour in the historic saloon vibe is just as good!

🍹 Shackleton Bar: also located in the Palacio Sara Braun, this bar has a similarly historic, fancy vibe, but in a light-filled, glasshouse above-ground in the building. The walls are adorned with paintings and pictures of Shackleton and his adventures in Antarctica. Order the calafate pisco sour!

Things to know before visiting Punta Arenas

🌤️ Best time to visit: like all of Patagonia, the best time to visit Punta Arenas is generally in the warmer months between October – April. Although you should expect wild weather at any time of the year, with rain, wind, snow and sun possible at any time – this is Patagonia after all!

In spring (October and November), the weather is starting to warm up, and the crowds haven’t arrived yet. You should still expect a fair amount of snow around, but things are thawing, and flowers are blooming.

Summer (December, January and February) is peak season, and you should expect big crowds, both domestic and international travellers. Although temperatures are warmer, the famous Patagonian winds are at their wildest. If seeing wildlife is your priority in Punta Arenas, this is the season to be here! Whales are generally around the area from December – March, and the penguins are similar.

Early fall (March and April) can still have beautiful sunny days, less wind, fewer crowds and stunning autumn colours in parts, but given Punta Arenas is pretty far south, you should expect extremely cold temperatures. We visited at the end of March, and I think it was some of the coldest temperatures we experienced in Patagonia!

🗓️ How long to stay: you don’t need a long time in Punta Arenas, if at all. Depending on your arrival and departure times and your desired tours, 1 – 2 nights should do it. It is a nice place, and you can find more activities to do, but the scenery is not as beautiful as Puerto Natales and its surroundings, so unless you’ve got a lot of time up your sleeve, I wouldn’t waste too much of it here.

⚠️ Safety: Punta Arenas, and all of Patagonia really, is very safe. Being one of the biggest ‘cities’ in the region, there were a few shady characters around, like in every city in the world, but we had no problems at all and felt entirely safe. Just slightly more alert than the other remote and tiny towns we visited around the region, where it’s easy to become complacent.

🗣️ Language: Spanish is the official language of Chile and, of course, is the primary language in Punta Arenas. This is a touristy town, so some people do speak English, but probably not as many as you’d think. If you’re taking tours, many guides will speak English, but we found that in most restaurants, shops, buses and so on, people did not speak English. Brush up on your Spanish and have your Google Translate handy.

💰 Currency: the currency in Chile is the Chilean Peso (CLP). Given that Punta Arenas is a more touristy area and cruise ships are coming and going, you will often see big-ticket items, like tours and accommodations, priced in USD. You may be able to pay in USD at tourist-centric businesses, but you should expect all restaurants, stores, transport, etc. to be charged in pesos.

💧 Can you drink the water: yes the tap water is safe to drink in Punta Arenas. Triple check with your accommodation before you go guzzling, but the water in Patagonia is some of the freshest and cleanest in the world.

A stately white-painted building in Punta Arenas, Chile, displays decorative detailing and three flagpoles with visible flags, including the Chilean and Magallanes region flags

Amenities in Punta Arenas

🏧 ATMs: there are several ATMs in Punta Arenas. We recommend using BancoEstado. This is the best bank to use in Chile with a foreign card, as you can withdraw the highest amount of cash (~ 400,000 pesos) to make the most of the expensive Chilean ATM fees. The withdrawal fee is about 5,000 pesos (~$5 USD). There was one right by the plaza.

🛒 Supermarkets: there are several Unimarc supermarkets around the city (one of Chile’s major grocery chains). If you have a vehicle, there is also a Lider (one of the other major chains) on the outskirts of the city, which was HUGE. We did a big stock-up shop here when we picked up our camper, and it was a very enjoyable experience to stroll through the well-stocked aisles without the crazy prices we found in Argentina! There are also a few malls in this area, and a Sodimac department store, which is helpful if you need to stock up on any travel gear or other bits and pieces.

📱 Phone stores: there is a Movistar store in Punta Arenas if this is your first destination in Chile and you need a local SIM card. Entel is considered the best provider for Patagonia, but new laws came into effect in February 2025 banning foreigners from registering SIM cards in Chile, and it’s now nearly impossible to get an Entel SIM as a tourist. We had no problem buying a Movistar one; I think they did some quick thinking to find a workaround, but Entel repeatedly told us in multiple stores that it was not possible. We had no issues with service with Movistar in most places around Chilean Patagonia, it worked even in some of the remote towns of the Carretera Austral.

If you’re only in Chile for a short time, it’s not really worth fussing around with a local SIM, get an eSIM instead if your phone allows. We recommend Nomad for Chile. Their prices and data inclusions are much better than some competitors, and they use the Movistar network.

A symmetrical view of a detailed historic stone building in Punta Arenas, Chile, with decorative balconies, carved moldings, and twin blue-roofed towers on either side

Final thoughts: Punta Arenas travel guide

Although Punta Arenas wasn’t winning awards for our favourite place in Patagonia, we really enjoyed our experience with the penguins. We were sadly too late in the season to fit in the whales as well, but the feedback for that experience is always glowing.

If you’re short on time, I don’t think Punta Arenas is necessarily worth going out of your way for, but if you’re en route between Puerto Natales and Ushuaia, I’d highly recommend spending a few days in the city to see its marine residents!

📍 Where to next? If you’re travelling through Patagonia, your next stop will most likely be Ushuaia in Argentina or Puerto Natales in Chile, depending on which direction you’re moving.

MORE PUNTA ARENAS POSTS

Penguins in Punta Arenas: Our Experience at Magdalena Island

Punta Arenas, Chile Travel Guide: Patagonia’s Biggest City

Sally Rodrick

Sally Rodrick is the voice behind Sally Sees. She has spent years exploring Latin America, slow travelling in Mexico, Central America and South America. Sally helps thousands of readers discover the magic of Latin America, by sharing detailed guides to inspire and equip them with the knowledge they need to plan their own epic adventures in this incredible part of the world.