Puerto San Julián

The quiet port town of Puerto San Julián, lying on the Bahía San Julián 268 km south of Fitz Roy, is the best place for breaking the 834 km run from Comodoro Rivadavia to Río Gallegos. It has a fascinating history, although little of it is in evidence today. The first Mass in Argentina was held here in 1520 after the Portuguese explorer Magellan had executed a member of his mutinous crew. Then in 1578, Francis Drake also put in here to behead Thomas Doughty, after amiably dining with him. There's plenty of wildlife to be seen in the area, and a paradise of marine life in the coastal Reserva Natural San Julián, all very accessible from the town.

After the 16th-century visitors, there was an attempt to found a colony here in 1780 which failed due to scurvy. The current town was founded in 1901 on a peninsula overlooking a fine natural harbour, as a port to serve the sheep estanciasof this part of Santa Cruz. There's a little regional museum, Museo Regional at Rivadavia and Vieytes, which houses the amazingly well preserved dinosaur footprint found in the town.

The Reserva Natural San Julian, on the shores of Bahía San Julian, includes the islands Banco Cormoránand Banco Justicia, thought to be the site of the 16th-century executions, where there is a colony of Magellanic penguins and nesting areas for several species of cormorants and other birds. You're also very likely to spot Commerson's dolphins. It's a lovely location and the concentration of marine life is stunning. The best time to visit is in December to see dolphins and cormorants, though there's plenty to see from December to April. Cabo Curiosa, 15 km north, has fine beaches: there are 30 km of spectacular coastline, and it's a popular bathing place for the whole of the region. You can also visit the ruins of Florida Blanca, 10 km west, the site of the failed colony founded in 1870 by Antonio Viedma. It's certainly worth visiting Estancia La María, 150 km west, with one of the main archaeological sites in Patagonia. A huge canyon with 87 caves of paintings including human hands and guanacos, 4000-12,000 years old.

Piedrabuena

Known officially as Comandante Luis Piedrabuena, this quiet town is named after the the famous Argentine explorer and sailor, Piedra Buena, who built his home on Isla Pavón, an island in the river Santa Cruz, in 1859. On this small mound in the deep emerald green fast-flowing river you can visit the Casa Histórica Luis Piedra Buena, a reconstruction of the original building where he carried on a peaceful trade with local indigenous groups. However, the island has become most popular as a weekend resort for those fishing steelhead trout. It's a world-renowned fishing spot, and there's a smart four-star hosteríaas well as an attractive campsite to cater for anglers and their families on weekend breaks . In March there's a national trout festival. Piedrabuena is a good base for exploring the Parque Nacional Monte León, which protects 40 km of coastline and steppe, 30 km south .