Cuatro lugares que debes visitar en Chile
Chile is a country of great diversity in cultures, regions and climates. Here you can see salt flats, snow-capped mountains, steppes, beaches and glaciers. Despite the fact that Chile has been traveled for many years, we can still find little explored places and very modern cities. This long country will allow you to explore the Andes Mountains and experience the extreme climate of Antarctica. The four places you must visit in Chile to have an overview of what this country can give you are:
Santiago de Chile
Santiago de Chile is a modern and sophisticated city that is located at the foot of the Andes Mountains. Being the capital of the country it is not surprising that we find world-class infrastructures, shopping centers and restaurants with access to the best of technology. If you are used to living in big cities, here you will feel at home.
In case you visit the city during the summer, don’t forget to visit the maritime areas of Viña del Mar and Valparaíso. During winter you can have fun in the ski centers that are an hour from the city.
The city is made up of 37 well-organized districts that can be easily reached using public transport. When you are here try to visit:
- Cerro Santa Lucía that has incredible views of the Andes and where the city of Santiago was founded in 1541.
- The Museum of Fine Arts located in the Lastárria neighborhood where you can enjoy its artistic lifestyle.
- La Chascona, house of the poet Pablo Neruda located at Calle Antonia López de Bello 71 where you can delve into the life of this Chilean personality and buy some souvenirs.
Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas is a small city that is located in the Strait of Magellan, where the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic meet. Because it is in the extreme south of the continent, it is the seat of the government of Magellan and the Chilean Antarctic territory, which is why it has been nicknamed “The Capital of Patagonia”.
Its location attracts thousands of tourists who every year seek to delve into the adventure that the city and its surroundings offer us. Don’t forget to go to:
- The Plaza de Armas located in the center of the city and where there is a monument to the explorer Fernando de Magallanes.
- The Salesian Maggiorino Borgatello Museum where you will learn about the flora, fauna, history and ethnology of the area.
- Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego that belongs to both Argentina and Chile. On this island you can see glaciers, visit lakes and lagoons with their flora and fauna typical of the area. It is advisable to go in the summer time since the temperature is friendlier (15 ° C) and the rains are less. Take into account that during the summer, the sun rises quite early and sets until 22:00 or later.
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet since the average annual rainfall is zero. It is calculated that it rains once every five years or more. Being in this area you will be able to access very diverse places and carry out interesting activities:
- Visit to the town and the salt flat of San Pedro de Atacama. Here we can witness a spectrum of new and very interesting colors that are magically incorporated into the landscape. The weather remains very dry with low temperatures at night and warm afternoons. Both the town and the salt flat are south of the desert.
- Off-road rally and the Atacama Solar Race. These events have been held since 2009 and take advantage of the desert dunes for an exciting experience. Throughout the year there are about five rallies that are very fun and exciting.
- Astronomical observatories. In the Atacama Desert, a good height, little cloudiness, little air humidity and minimal radio and light pollution come together that allow us to see the sky with a very pleasant clarity. In the surroundings of the desert you can find more than a dozen observatories. These conditions have given Chile the name of “world capital of astronomy”.
Easter Island
This mysterious island also known as Rapa Nui is famous for the giant stone statues that make up its open-air museum located on the shore of the island. This National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1995. In addition to the monoliths, you will be able to see magical beaches with pink sand, meadows and volcanoes. You can explore all of this on horseback riding or diving to explore marine flora and fauna.
The beauty and tranquility of this island is really pleasant for tourists and you can enjoy a very pleasant climate throughout the year. Because the island is so small, it will take you a couple of days to get to know it in its entirety, but you probably want to stay longer.