From Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro · South America & Antarctica · 12 nights
From Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro
Small enough to operate fascinating port-intensive itineraries, but with the space for dining options, comfortable accommodation and more, sister ships Insignia, Nautica, Regatta and Sirena are for many the perfect size.
These four boutique style sister ships carry just 684 guests
apiece, with a comfortable, relaxed country house style and plenty
of intimate corners. We love the alternative restaurants – Oceania
is rightly renowned for great food – and the pretty little library
up on deck 10.
The streets of Buenos Aires are redolent of a grand old European capital, lined with elegant architecture that wouldn't look out of place in Madrid or Paris. There is also plenty of Latin passion on display: Argentina is the home of tango, that most electrifying of dances, and the central Plaza de Mayo has played host to countless revolutions and rallies over the years. Food is an important part of life here, and carnivores shouldn't pass up the opportunity to try the world's finest beef at one of the many steakhouses, known as parrillas. Other attractions include the beautiful Recoleta cemetery, the grand Teatro Colón and the colourful, arty district of La Boca.
Located just across the Río de la Plata from Buenos Aires, Uruguay’s underrated capital is a cosmopolitan and eclectic mix of colourful colonial architecture and high rise modernity. The 14-mile waterfront promenade, La Rambla, is a popular and pleasant place to be on a summer’s evening.
The upmarket Uruguayan beach resort of Punta del Este is where the A-listers come to party, with a reputation as the Saint Tropez of South America. The town also has an arty side, typified by intriguing sculptures such as the giant concrete fingers emerging from the beach at Playa Brava.
The city of Itajaí is situated in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, known for its sweeping sandy beaches and lush Atlantic forest. The region also has an intriguing German heritage thanks to the many immigrants who settled here during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The busy port of Santos is the gateway to cosmopolitan São Paulo, a vast metropolis that is home to some 20 million people, making it the third largest city on earth. The urban sprawl may not be to everyone’s taste, but for fans of big city life there is plenty to see and do, with a lively cultural scene and a host of world class restaurants.
Paraty is a beautiful colonial town to the west of Rio de Janeiro, surrounded by stunning beaches and set against a backdrop of jungle-covered mountains. The cobbled streets are closed off to traffic, which makes wandering amongst the pretty whitewashed buildings all the more enjoyable.
Formerly a leper colony, and later a prison under the military dictatorship, Ilha Grande is now one of Brazil’s most alluring destinations. This idyllic island is fringed by stunning beaches and covered in dense rainforest, with barely any human settlement outside the main town of Vila do Abraão.
Once just a sleepy fishing village on a picturesque peninsula, Búzios was put firmly on the map by Brigitte Bardot, who holidayed here in the 1960s. These days it’s an upmarket beach destination, with a host of luxury hotels, sophisticated restaurants and chic boutiques.
The carnival capital of the world, Rio de Janeiro needs little introduction. We can think of few cities in the world that are able to compete when it comes to location: hugging the beautiful sandy shore and surrounded by jungle-clad islands and mountains, including the iconic Corcovado, the setting for Brazil’s most vibrant city is simply breathtaking.
