Highlights
Santiago
Nestled in the foothills of the Andes, Chile's fabulous cosmopolitan capital, Santiago, is one of South America’s most enticing cities. French-Colonial and Spanish Baroque architecture serve as a backdrop to jazz clubs, theatres, a cathedral, Bellas Art Museum and the Lastarria neighbourhood, with its galleries, restaurants and coffee shops. Santiago is surrounded by the fertile valleys that produce the region's most famous bounty – wine! Local wine-making traditions stretch back to conquistador times and there are several wine routes to explore in the world-renowned Maipo Valley, with vineyard tours and tastings for true connoisseurs.
Easter Island
Otherwise known as Rapa Nui, Easter Island is the world's most remote inhabited island. Its strong Polynesian colonial heritage is celebrated annually during the February Tapati Festival. With gorgeous pink sand beaches, volcanoes and deserted caves, the island enjoys a warm, sub-tropical climate year-round. Easter Island's mysterious statues, carved out of volcanic rock some time between 1250 and 1500AD, are believed to symbolise the sacred ancestors of its Polynesian inhabitants. Each of the nine-hundred sculptures is unique and ranges in size from two to twenty metres. Today, just 2,000 residents inhabit this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Torres Del Paine National Park
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Torres del Paine National Park, near Punta Arenas, is a peaceful, rural wonderland of colossal granite peaks, snow-clad mountains and glacier-fed lakes. Formed at least twelve-million years ago, this unique landscape offers seventeen hours of sunlight per day in the summer months. The park is ideal for exploring by car and on foot, with 97 kilometres of roads winding through the dramatic scenery and a number of hiking trails. The park is home to multiple species of mammals and birdlife, including the puma, rhea, Andean Condor, flamingo and guanaco, Chile's version of the llama.
Puerto Montt
The bustling port city of Puerto Montt has a German colonial heritage, with notable architecture including the Llanquihue Bank building, Inmaculada Cocepcion School and numerous ornate local residences. For further cultural discovery, there is an art gallery and museum, while culinary enthusiasts will enjoy the fantastic, abundant seafood under the shadow of the Calbuco Volcano. Widely available, cancato (a seafood stew) and Erizo sea urchins are two delicious and popular local dishes on offer.
Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas sits on the shore of Lake Llanquihue, majestically overlooked by snow-capped volcanoes. Known as the City of Roses, its flower-lined streets are ideal for exploring on foot, stopping off to refuel with a local beer and perhaps a Lomito, a traditional sliced pork sandwich popular among the Chilean people. It’s also a great place to shop for handicrafts, handmade chocolates and woven items, as well as for discovering the local history, including the 19th century homesteads of German settlers, antique churches and museums.
Atacama Desert
Renowned for spectacular salt pans, broad valleys and ancient history, Chile’s world-famous Atacama Desert is also one of the best places in the southern hemisphere to star-gaze, due to its dry air, clear skies and three-hundred cloudless nights per year. This stark terrain is an internationally important location for the mining industry and for scientific study, home to hi-tech observatories and a third of the world’s telescopes. The colourful village of San Pedro de Atacama is the archaeological capital of Chile, where visitors can marvel at soaring volcanoes, lava fields and rolling dunes, set against a backdrop of endless sky.
Patagonia
Patagonia, in remote southern Chile, is a spectacular area with endless attractions to discover. Tierra del Fuego is perfect for fly-fishing and is arguably the world’s best destination for trout fishing in rivers and lakes. From October to March, the Straight of Magellan has a thriving colony of Magellanic Penguins and it’s also a great place to whale-watch. The wilderness area northwest of Punta Arenas offers mountain-climbing, horse-riding, rafting and the chance to explore spectacular ice fields and the mountainous terrain around Torres del Paine National Park.
Valparaiso
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, Valparaiso is Chile's largest and oldest port, dating back to 1536. Prettily surrounded by a collection of verdant hills that wind their way down to the coastline, the town comprises a jumble of multi-coloured houses in a tangle of narrow cobblestoned streets. The best views are at Mirador Diego Portales, to the east of the city, which is as popular with today's travellers as it was historically, when artists, poets and philosophers were drawn to the city by its imperfect beauty.