Ultimate Pole-To-Pole Odyssey

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Punta Arenas lies atop rolling hills, looking out over the Strait of Magellan. In the days before the Panama Canal, this was a major port as ships plied the waters of Cape Horn. Punta Arenas remains a prosperous town today, thanks to its rich natural resources. The city is also the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, a maze of fjords, rivers, steppes, and mountains to the north. To the south lies the great frozen mass of Antarctica. Adventure awaits in any direction at this port located near the end of the earth.

Across the Strait of Magellan lies Tierra del Fuego, the lonely, windswept island discovered by Magellan in 1520. The region was settled by Yugoslavian and English sheep ranchers in the 19th century.

Ushuaia is the southernmost city in the world and one of two main cities on the island territory of Tierra del Fuego. Shared by Argentina and Chile, “The Land of Fire” features unforgettable scenery and trails of discovery framed by the sea, forests, lakes and mountains.

The most isolated continent on Earth, Antarctica is home to massive icebergs, majestic mountain ranges and diverse wildlife in a wilderness setting that has a purity as inspiring as it is remote. It’s an amazing and precious sight, as the Antarctic Peninsula’s ice shelf is shrinking at an alarming rate, noted by the many research bases set up here.

The most isolated continent on Earth, Antarctica is home to massive icebergs, majestic mountain ranges and diverse wildlife in a wilderness setting that has a purity as inspiring as it is remote. It’s an amazing and precious sight, as the Antarctic Peninsula’s ice shelf is shrinking at an alarming rate, noted by the many research bases set up here.

The most isolated continent on Earth, Antarctica is home to massive icebergs, majestic mountain ranges and diverse wildlife in a wilderness setting that has a purity as inspiring as it is remote. It’s an amazing and precious sight, as the Antarctic Peninsula’s ice shelf is shrinking at an alarming rate, noted by the many research bases set up here.

The most isolated continent on Earth, Antarctica is home to massive icebergs, majestic mountain ranges and diverse wildlife in a wilderness setting that has a purity as inspiring as it is remote. It’s an amazing and precious sight, as the Antarctic Peninsula’s ice shelf is shrinking at an alarming rate, noted by the many research bases set up here.

Capital of the Falklands since 1845, tiny Stanley lies on the windswept tip of East Falkland Island. The Falklands long served as a way station for ships, particularly whalers, bound to and from Cape Horn. The islands’ rigorous environment is immediately apparent: Stanley Harbor is dotted with the hulks of vessels that succumbed to the fierce winds and waves of the South Atlantic. While their strategic location led to important roles in both World Wars, the islands are best remembered as the cause of the 1982 war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Today, travelers increasingly journey to the islands to view their rich assortment of bird and marine life.

Colorful houses occupy the low rolling moorland bordering Stanley Harbor. Stanley’s climate resembles London’s – cool and rainy though summer visitors are often blessed with clear, sunny skies.

Nestled between the continent’s two giants, Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America. More than half of the nation’s population of three million reside in the capital of Montevideo, located at Uruguay’s southernmost point on the Rio de la Plata. Although small in size, Uruguay has proven to be big-hearted – the country is one of the most literate nations in the world while Montevideo is one of South America’s most interesting and cosmopolitan capitals.

Montevideo is a charming city made up of 19th-century Beaux Arts buildings, parks, and historical monuments.

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Founded in the early 16th century, Buenos Aires was transformed from a colonial port into a cosmopolitan metropolis – the “Paris of the South” – by the cattle boom of the 1880s. As in the American West, boom was followed by bust. But that did not stop Buenos Aires from becoming the city it is today. With its air of haunted grandeur, Buenos Aires is a place of icy intellect and smoldering passion. It is a city where the elegant Colon Theater, one of the world’s great opera houses, stands in counterpoint to the working class barrios that gave birth to the tango. Perhaps the city’s enigmas and contradictions are best embodied by its two most famous citizens – the reclusive librarian and literary genius Jorge Luis Borges and the showgirl turned First Lady, Evita Peron.

The “Paris of the South” flaunts its European heritage. One of the pleasures of Buenos Aires is simply absorbing its charm and flavor, from Parisian-style confiterias – cafés – to the city’s popular tango clubs.

Nestled between the continent’s two giants, Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America. More than half of the nation’s population of three million reside in the capital of Montevideo, located at Uruguay’s southernmost point on the Rio de la Plata. Although small in size, Uruguay has proven to be big-hearted – the country is one of the most literate nations in the world while Montevideo is one of South America’s most interesting and cosmopolitan capitals.

Montevideo is a charming city made up of 19th-century Beaux Arts buildings, parks, and historical monuments.

Pulsing to a samba beat and thriving in the hedonism of Carnival, there is literally no place on Earth like Rio, as the city natives — the Cariocas — will tell you. Founded in the early 16th century, Rio was once the capital of Brazil. It remains the nation’s cultural and spiritual center, a dazzling amalgam of Latin and African cultures, with more than five-million city inhabitants.

Tenerife is the largest island in the Canary Archipelago. Like its brethren, Tenerife was formed by fierce volcanic activity. Its landscape remains dotted with volcanic cones and areas of intense geothermal activity. Towering over the island is Mt Teide, an extinct volcano that, at 12,200 feet above sea level, is the highest peak in Spanish territory. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the island’s capital and your port of call.

Tenerife’s north shore is separated from the south by rugged mountains, creating a rain shadow. The majority of the islands most recent resorts are found in the sere and parched south shore.

Lanzarote is the fourth-largest island in the Canary chain. The most easterly of the Canaries, the island lies some 70 miles off the shore of North Africa. Like its neighbours, Lanzarote was shaped by a period of intense volcanic activity. The resulting landscape possesses a stark, near-lunar beauty: Over 300 now-dormant volcanoes left behind petrified lava seas and deep layers of volcanic ash. Today, visitors to these “Mountains of Fire” ride camels through the lava beds and even enjoy a volcano-broiled steak at the park’s restaurant. (Subsurface temperatures still reach 800F in the park.) Despite the seemingly barren land scape, island farmers grow abundant crops of tomatoes, onions, melons, and figs in addition to Malvasia, a clear yellow wine produced from malmsey grapes. Lanzarote’s rugged landscape, its warm climate, its lack of rainfall, and its beaches have proved attracted to travellers: Tourism dominates the island economy with some 2 million visitors arriving annually.

The Canary archipelago was sculpted by a period of intense volcanic activity; its islands possess a stark, near lunar beauty. Gran Canaria is the third-largest island in the group and is often described as the ‘Round Island’ for its near-circular shape. Las Palmas, its capital, is also the largest city in the Canaries numbering some 500,000 inhabitants. Despite the seemingly inhospitable landscape, farmers in Gran Canaria’s Angostura Valley cultivate abundant crops of tomatoes, onions, melons, and figs. Moreover the island’s climates, lack of rainfall, and fine beaches have long drawn Europeans seeking the winter sun.

For many, the word Casablanca conjures up Hollywood’s vision of an exotic city of intrigue. But the reality is far removed from film fantasy, more complex and fascinating. Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city, the busiest port in North Africa, and home to nearly four million people. An important trading center since the days of the Phoenicians, Casablanca is an evocative blend of more new than old, more familiar than exotic. It is a modern commercial city with an old heart that is home to narrow, cobbled alleys, bazaars and souks, minarets and medinas.

Casablanca is a modern city with beaches bordering the Atlantic and broad, tree-lined avenues. The city is also your gateway to Morocco’s interior and the exotic “Imperial Cities” of Rabat and Marrakech.

The port of La Coruña is Spain’s second largest seaport and boasts one of the longest promenades in Europe. Rich in historic significance, this Galician city is a destination in its own right, as well as a pilgrimage point for Santiago de Compostela.

The south of England boasts a dramatic coastline that encloses some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain. The landscape of hills and heaths, downs and forests, valleys and dales, is without rival. Southampton serves as your gateway to the countryside – and to a wide variety of historic sites, national landmarks and charming. And of course, London is a two-hour drive by modern highway.

The United Kingdom’s premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home for many years to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear.

Lying north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø has been a departure point for Arctic explorers and hunters since the 18th century. Today, this town of some 50,000 individuals is home to the northernmost university in the world, which gives Tromsø a lively cultural and street scene, highlighted by the annual Midnight Sun Marathon.

Ride the cable car to the summit of Mt. Storsteinen for dramatic views of Tromsø city and Troms Island. Enjoy refreshments at the panoramic restaurant.

Lying north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø has been a departure point for Arctic explorers and hunters since the 18th century. Today, this town of some 50,000 individuals is home to the northernmost university in the world, which gives Tromsø a lively cultural and street scene, highlighted by the annual Midnight Sun Marathon.

Ride the cable car to the summit of Mt. Storsteinen for dramatic views of Tromsø city and Troms Island. Enjoy refreshments at the panoramic restaurant.

Alta is known as the “City of the Northern Lights” and people from around the world come here to watch the spectacular phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis. In 1899, the world’s first Northern Lights observatory was built on Halddetoppen just outside of Alta. But Finnmark’s largest city has more to offer than bright dancing lights. Alta’s the gateway to unspoiled beauties such as the Finnmarksvidda plateau and the Sautso, often called Northern Europe’s Grand Canyon. From the UNESCO-protected rock carvings at the Alta Museum to the fascinating Sami culture, Alta is a tantalizing treasure just waiting to be discovered.

Trondheim is a city on the Trondheim Fjord, in central Norway. Dating back to the 11th century, Gothic Nidaros Cathedral features an ornate rose window and a detailed west facade.

The island of Giske is the reputed birthplace of the great Viking Rollo, who laid siege to Paris and founded the Duchy of Normandy. William the Conqueror was his grandson.

In 1904, a massive fire destroyed 800 buildings in this fishing port. Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II responded with immediate aid, and Ålesund was reborn. Not surprisingly, the town was rebuilt in the then-popular Art Nouveau style known as Jugendstil. The result is one of the prettiest ports in Norway. Buildings with elegant turrets and spires can be seen lining the streets of the city center. Today, the city is one of Norway’s most important fishing harbors and the world’s largest supplier of stockfish (Klippfisk) – dried cod. Alesund’s major attractions are the surrounding fjords and the stunning Sunnmøre Alps.

Bergen has played a crucial role in Norwegian history and culture since Olav the Good founded the city in 1070. Perched between the sea and seven hills, Bergen has witnessed Vikings setting sail on voyages of exploration, trade and war. In the Middle Ages, its old port was a major trading hub for the Hanseatic League, the band of Germanic merchants whose trading empire encircled the Baltic and North Seas. In the 19th century, Bergen was home to such cultural luminaries as the virtuoso violinist Ole Bull and the composer Edvard Grieg.

The city retains much of its 18th- and 19th-century charm. Visitors to Bergen will encounter a city that offers a heady blend of natural beauty, history and culture.

Norway’s fourth largest city, Stavanger lies at the mouth of the Gandsfjord. The old port, attests to the sea’s enduring role in Norwegian history. Here, Vikings once sailed on voyages of conquest and exploration. In later centuries, the port served as a major hub for Norway’s mercantile and fishing fleets. By the mid-20th century, however, Stavanger had fallen on hard times as the fishing grounds dwindled. In 1969, the discovery of North Sea oil opened a new chapter in Stavanger’s history.

At the “Sword in the Rock” Monument, three giant crossed Viking swords commemorate King Harald Fair Hair’s unification of Norway in 872 following his victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord.

The south of England boasts a dramatic coastline that encloses some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain. The landscape of hills and heaths, downs and forests, valleys and dales, is without rival. Southampton serves as your gateway to the countryside – and to a wide variety of historic sites, national landmarks and charming. And of course, London is a two-hour drive by modern highway.

The United Kingdom’s premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home for many years to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear.