16-Day Panama Canal & Historic Coasts Of South America

Although no written record of the island’s discovery by Europeans exists, it was in 1499 that Alonso de Ojeda landed in Aruba and claimed the island for Spain. Over the years, possession changed from the Spanish to the Dutch to the British and back to the Dutch, with independence promised by 1996. Aruba is one of only a few Caribbean islands where the indigenous Indian population was not decimated by invading Europeans. The native Aruban today is a mixture of Arawak Indian, and Spanish and Dutch colonizers. The official language is Dutch, with both English and Spanish widely spoken. The local population’s everyday tongue is Papiamento, a mixture of all of the above plus a few words left over from the days of the Arawak. The countryside is dotted with cottages surrounded by cactus fences and bright splashes of bougainvillea, oleander and hibiscus. During our call, enjoy a stroll through the capital, Oranjestad. Colorful Wilhelminastraat is lined with typical Aruban buildings of the Dutch Colonial style, and plenty of shops offering duty-free goods.

Formerly a fortified armory, this newly developed port is the portal to colonial Panama City and an in-depth look at Miraflores Locks. Also from here, you can visit an Embera Indian village.

Formerly a fortified armory, this newly developed port is the portal to colonial Panama City and an in-depth look at Miraflores Locks. Also from here, you can visit an Embera Indian village.

Perched on the banks of the Guayas River, Guayaquil is the country’s principal seaport and economic center. Cargo ships, ferry boats and dugout canoes compete for space on the busy waterfront where sailing ships once departed for Europe with stores of gold and silver.

A 45-minute drive from the port city of Callao brings you to exciting Lima, the City of Kings. From its founding in 1535 until today, it remains one of the most important cities in all South America. The handsome old buildings from the earliest colonial days surrounding the Plaza de Armas contrast with the soaring modern towers rising in the newer sections of the city.

A 45-minute drive from the port city of Callao brings you to exciting Lima, the City of Kings. From its founding in 1535 until today, it remains one of the most important cities in all South America. The handsome old buildings from the earliest colonial days surrounding the Plaza de Armas contrast with the soaring modern towers rising in the newer sections of the city.

Pisco dates from 1640, and its Plaza de Armas is a Spanish colonial treasure. Another treasure is the Ballestas Islands, an offshore cluster of rocky outcroppings teeming with seabirds, penguins, sea lions, dolphins and other wildlife. Many visitors take the opportunity to take a scenic flight over the huge, mysterious Nazca Lines pictographs etched into the nearby desert surface 2,000 years ago. And still more belly up to a bar to sample a Pisco Sour cocktail made with the Pisco brandy distilled from locally grown grapes.

Picturesque Valparaiso was one of the first Chilean cities founded by the Spanish. The city is an historic port and university town, famous for its labyrinth hills, which are covered in quaint, colorful old houses and accessible only by a steep climb or by the city’s unique system of funicular railways. Through the efforts of the Chilean government emphasizing the city’s culture, heritage preservation, and economic development via tourism, Valparaiso was bestowed designation as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.