3 days in Ushuaia

Ushuaia means "the bay that looks to the sunset". It lies on paralell 52° and was founded on october 12th, 1884.
Known in the past for it´s feared Prision (where the worst criminals were sent due to the impossibility of escape), now it is a bustling town at the end of Tierra del Fuego. It is also the southernmost city in the world, only 1000 km from Antartica.
Three days seems just enough to start knowing this beautiful area.

FIRST DAY:

Start the day getting acquainted with the town´s origins and history. Visit the Museum of the End of the World, on Maipu Avenue.
Here you will learn that it was Thomas Bridges who established the first colony with the mission to bring the Gospel to the indians. But later he abandoned this mission to establish himself as the first "estanciero" or ranch owner. His still wealthy descendants live around Haberton Bay.
After this visit, you can go for a refreshment at Volver, a restaurant established in what is believed to have been the house of the last Ona, the indigenous people of Tierra del Fuego.
Now you can continue to the Former Prison which is right aroud the corner. This jail was in function from 1910 to 1947. The same prisioners helped build the massive building. It seems amazing how both prisioners and guards had to endure freezing temperatures and precarious living standards. The worst criminal ever sent here was the infanticide Cayetano Santos Godino, known as the "little man with big ears". ven in prision he commited a last crime, killing the prision´s cat, which cost him also his life. Nowadays you can visit the cells and see recreations of life during those harsh years.
With the prision came also slowly the telephone, a press, electricity and a railroad needed to transport the prisioners to the woods where they cut lumber to heat the buildings in winter.
By now it will be time to have lunch, which you can do at Tia Elvira, where they serve good pasta and fish with a nice view of the Canal.
In the afternoon, take one of the boat excursions. In about three hours, you will sail the Bay, and visit the Bridges Islands, the elephant seal´s island (usually covered in every last inch by these animals), the island of Birds and the typical postcard image, the Les Eclairerurs Lighthouse.
If you still have time in the afternoon it´s worth to go have some tea at La Cabaña. This teahouse is located on km 4,5 on Camino del Martial, on the mountain and in front of the Bay. Watching the sunset from here guarantees an unforgettable memory.
If you prefer, you can stay in the city and have dinner at Federico Trattoria, a local favorite for pasta and small dishes at moderate prices.

SECOND DAY

This day you wil explore outside the city, to find lakes, mountains, ocean, forests and snow.
To get to the Escondido Lake (50 kms from town) you will travel down route 3. Once arrived, you can visit a small waterfall Velo de Novia, a few valleys (Carbajal and Tierra mayor), Rancho Hambre and Paso Garibaldi.
For lunch stay at Hosteria Petrel, on the same lake.
In the afternoon you can continue to Fagnano Lake, about 100 km from the city. Here you will find a few sawmills and a fabulous nature. Continue through laguna Verde, Dique de los Castores until you arrive to Hostería Kaiken, on the tip of Fagnano Lake.
You will probably return to Ushuaia at night, so go have dinner directly to Kaupé, a good restuarant with a nice athmosphere.

THIRD DAY

Early in the morning, go to the End of the World Railroad Station which lies 8 km outside the city to the west. Here you can choose a "tourist" ticket or a "first class" ticket, the difference being that in first class you will be served something to eat, and the seats are a bit comfier (tourist has wooden seats).
The train is so small that it is impossible to walk in the wagons. You will travel the same circuit that the inmates from the prision did to chop wood for fuel.
There is one stop on the route with a short walk to a waterfall. The railroad ends inside the National Park of Tierra del Fuego, so from here you can do numerous and beautiful walks. Laguna Negra and Yaghanes conchales are favourite destinations. Ideally you would take the first train of the morning at 9:30 and leave with the penultimate at 16:00, so you can have enough time to walk. Don´t forget to pack something to lunch on!
Back to Ushuaia, you can spend the rest of the time exploring the principal avenue -Avenida San Martin- and browse the shops.
For an ideal ending try to have some spider crab -centolla- . This is one of very few locations in the world where you will find it fresh, just fished, and never frozen.
One choice could be the restuarant of the Las Hayas Hotel. You will need some fancier dress for this 5 star hotel but the atmosphere is worth the splurge.

Enjoy!