13 Night South America cruise departing from Santiago to Buenos Aires onboard Carnival Splendor.

Architecture-check. Wildlife-double check. Music, food, art, dancing, beaches, festivals, parades, sports and adventures-check, please. If you're not in South America, you need to get to South America, and if you are, we have a few new ideas for you. Explore and discover dozens of fascinating ports of call along South America's mystifying coast. The possibilities are endless. but not the tanning oil. Thank the beaches-that runs out pretty fast.

Carnival Splendor will spend nearly two whole months exploring South America, this 13 days voyage takes you from Santiago, through Puerto Montt to Buenos Aires letting you sample the natural sights of the Chilean fjords, the European flavor of Montevideo and the southernmost point in the world at Cape Horn.

Highlights of this cruise:

Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile
Sure, its South American neighbors Rio and Buenos Aires seem flashier and more seductive, but this metropolis of 5 million people still knows how to show you a party. Just be prepared for elegance. Ancient and modern stand side-by-side in the heart of the city - the neoclassical cathedral reflected in the glass of a nearby office tower is the quintessential Andes mountains postcard view.

Puerto Montt, Chile
As far as civilization goes, Puerto Montt is about as far south as it gets. It's also where you get to take it all in. Tour the cathedral for a spiritual experience before zen sunning - its alercewood structure is modeled on the Pantheon in Paris, and is also the city's oldest surviving building. There's also countryside to explore, turistas! Take a shore drive for a good view of the surrounding hills.

Punta Arenas, Chile
Bordering a gentle stretch of sand kissed by Pacific breezes, the former rough-and-tumble port town of Puntarenas, Costa Rica, is now a laid-back seaside retreat. With a Puntarenas cruise, you can stroll the mile-long seafront Paseo de los Turistas boardwalk past restaurants, cafes, and colorful souvenir stands.

Ushuaia, Argentina
If "Ushuaia" sounds like something you'd yell while storming a pirate ship on a rope swing, that's because this port city at the bottom of the world is a true adventurer's haven. From penal colony to naval base, Ushuaia has worn many hats over the years. Just a hop, skip and a jump from Antarctica, Ushuaia was once graced by the presence of Charles Darwin, and welcomes fellow adventurers with a hearty slap on the back.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Puerto Madryn is considered the entryway to the wildlife sanctuary of Peninsula Valdes. Home to not only the Universidad de la Patagonia's marine biology campus, but the second-largest fishing community in the country, Puerto Madryn is a small coastal town teeming with life.

Montevideo, Uruguay
If you thought Montevideo was impossible to forget on a geography test, wait until you actually see the place. With vast swaths of business, residential and industrial "boroughs," Montevideo is a city's city, with more to do and see in its little pinky than an entire fair grounds. A push to beautify the city has transformed many of the old and vacant buildings into vibrantly painted cafes and galleries. There's also a thriving theater scene, which always pleases those tourists looking for more drama - the scripted kind.

Buenos Aires, Argentina
If Old World Charm and New World Swagger had a baby, we're not sure what they'd name it. But we are sure the baby would feel right at home in South America's most European city: Buenos Aires. For a taste of history, lounge in old-fashioned cafes, explore breathtaking colonial architecture, and experience the fabulously macabre Recoleta Cemetery. For new-age appetites, a fever-pitch futbol match at Estadio Monumental would satisfy, followed by a sumptuous meal at a parilla (steak restaurant), and rounded off with a night of partying in Palermo Viejo.