Highlights and main attractions of the Falkland Islands
Forgetting the instant association with its chequered history, the windblown archipelago of the Falkland Islands is actually a fantastic place to visit, each island with its own unique combination of stunning, desolate landscapes, curious wildlife and all with an air of sheer isolation and anonymity that belies the ubiquitous name.
Located to the southeast of South America approximately 480 kilometres, close to the Antarctic and Cape Horn, the infamous islands were discovered in 1520 during a Spanish expedition, before settlers from Saint-Malo arrived only to be chased away by the Spanish. Later populated by Argentina and conquered by Great Britain in 1833 they have long been the subject of well-documented power struggles, but the serenity of the landscape and position at the end of the earth could not be more aloof from this.
Included as part of an itinerary combining other attractions within Antarctica, tourism here is now more established so the time to visit is most definitely now.