Discover 7 superb destinations in Chile
Chile is a long, narrow country stretching along South America's western edge with more than 6,000km of Pacific Ocean coastline. Experience these 7 superb destinations:
1. SANTIAGO
Santiago, Chile’s capital and largest city, sits in a valley surrounded by the snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. Plaza de Armas, the grand heart of the city’s old colonial core, is home to 2 neoclassical landmarks: the 1808 Palacio de la Real Audiencia, housing the National History Museum, and the 18th-century Metropolitan Cathedral.
SLEEP AT CASA ARRAYÁN HOTEL BOUTIQUE
Located at the foot of the Andes mountain range, just an hour and a half from the main ski centers of the capital of Chile, this small boutique hotel was designed to blend in with nature, with a unique setting and a panoramic view.
SLEEP AT HOTEL ISMAEL
The perfect reflection of Santiago, Chile’s bohemian spirit, beautiful parks, picturesque avenues and vibrant dining and nightlife, Ismael Hotel offers a lively and unique pied-a-terre in the city’s Lastarria neighborhood.
SLEEP AT HOTEL PLAZA SAN FRANCISCO
An alluring union of classic elegance and contemporary luxury, Hotel Plaza San Francisco stands at the gateway to downtown Santiago as the only sustainable 5-star hotel in the city centre.
SLEEP AT LE REVE HOTEL BOUTIQUE
You will feel at home is the motto of this beautiful hotel, which has 4 floors, elevator and 31 rooms with a view of the garden or the street and with a balcony or terrace.
SLEEP AND PLAY AT VALLE NEVADO SKI RESORT
The Hotel Valle Nevado is the resort’s most exclusive lodging option, offering high-end amenities and personalized service. The hotel is located in the heart of the resort, offering ski-in/ski-out access and outdoor balconies to soak up the stunning panoramic views of snowy peaks. The Hotel Puerta del Sol is the mid-range hotel that is perfect for families, friends and couples. Rooms face north (ski terrain view) with outdoor terraces, or south (resort view) with a bay window.
PLAY AT CHILEVIVE TOURS
ChileViveTours is a a receptive tourism agency that began its activities 10 years ago, with the purpose of spreading the spectacular places and sites of Chile, especially in the central region, Santiago and its surroundings, through high-quality tours and experiences.
MOVE WITH FIREFLY HELICOPTERS
Firefly Helicopters offers shuttle & aerial services, executive flights, vineyard tours, tours to the Andes Mountains and other destinations.
2. VALPARAISO & VINA DEL MAR (116 KM WEST OF SANTIAGO)
Valparaíso is a port city on the coast. It's known for its steep funiculars and colourful, clifftop homes. La Sebastiana, the quirky former residence of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, is now a museum with far-reaching Pacific views. During the 19th century, an influx of European immigrants left their mark on the city’s architecture and cultural institutions, many of which congregate around downtown’s Plaza Sotomayor.
Vina del Mar is a coastal resort city northwest of Santiago, Chile. It’s known for its gardens, beaches and high-rise buildings. Quinta Vergara Park is home to the Quinta Vergara Amphitheater, the early-20th-century Vergara Palace and the Artequin Museum, which displays copies of major artworks. The Museum of Archaeology and History Francisco Fonck features stone moai sculptures from Easter Island and shrunken heads.
SLEEP AT AUGUSTA APART HOTEL
Augusta Apart Hotel is a unique place which has originated from the fusion of Valparaiso's past and future. This gives an opportunity of living an unforgettable experience. With 6 exceptional suites, roomy and comfortable, Augusta is a place which stands out for its details in decoration, service, and attention.
SLEEP AT BIANCA'S HOUSE B&B RENACA
If you’re looking for a family-friendly small hotel in Vina del Mar, look no further than Bianca's House B&B Renaca. Close to some of Vina del Mar's most popular landmarks, such as Iglesia Naval Nuestra Señora del Carmen and Plaza Colombia.
PLAY AT CHILEAN CUISINE COOKING CLASS
Chilean Cuisine Cooking Classes are great fun and very “hands on”. Prepare tasty chilean meals with special tips to help you reproduce each dish at home. Each class begins with a visit to the fresh food markets for the ingredients. Every class prepares pisco sours, empanadas and Chilean pebre plus a tasty entreé, main course and dessert of selected by the participants.
3. COLCHAGUA (160 KM SOUTH OF SANTIAGO)
Colchagua is a province south of Santiago in central Chile known for its wineries. Its capital, San Fernando, is the departure point for the steam-powered Wine Train, which journeys west to Santa Cruz through the Colchagua Valley. Santa Cruz is characterized by colonial architecture and its central square, Plaza de Armas, home to the Colchagua Museum with its pre-Columbian art and archaeological findings.
SLEEP AT VIK CHILE
Ideally perched on a hilltop in the middle of this most picturesque valley, with the Andes mountains in the distance, Vik Chile boasts 360-degree views out across the surrounding vineyards and nature. Its floating, sculptural roof of bronzed titanium, which was inspired by the mountains, the wind, and the work of Frank Gehry and Richard Serra greets guests as they arrive.
4. SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA (1 629 KM NORTH OF SANTIAGO)
San Pedro de Atacama is set on an arid high plateau in the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile. Its dramatic surrounding landscape incorporates desert, salt flats, volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. The Valle de la Luna in the nearby Los Flamencos National Reserve is a lunarlike depression with unusual rock formations, a huge sand dune and pink-streaked mountains.
SLEEP AT EL ANDINISTA ECO-LODGE
Eco-Lodge El Andinista is a beautiful place to rest and enjoy nature, located in an oasis in one of the driest deserts in the world in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. The lodge has fully equipped rooms for 2 people with breakfast included.
SLEEP AT HOTEL JARDIN ATACAMA
Set in a colonial style building featuring a garden and a restaurant, Hotel Jardin Atacama offers heated rooms with private bathrooms. There is a restaurant that offers breakfast buffet and guests can unwind in the garden or in the shaded colonial style galleries.
PLAY AT LOCAVENTURAS
Locaventuras is a tour operator specialising in tours and alternative circuits in northern Chile since 2013. Locaventuras offers high-quality tours in the company of guides with years of experience and who speak several languages. Tours are small groups to respect and preserve the environment to the maximum.
5. TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK ( 2 777 KM SOUTH OF SANTIAGO)
Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is known for its soaring mountains, bright blue icebergs that cleave from glaciers and golden pampas (grasslands) that shelter rare wildlife such as llama-like guanacos. Some of its most iconic sites are the 3 granite towers from which the park takes its name and the horn-shaped peaks called Cuernos del Paine.
6. RAPA NUI (EASTER ISLAND)
Easter Island, a Chilean territory, is a remote volcanic island in Polynesia. Its native name is Rapa Nui. It’s famed for archaeological sites, including nearly 900 monumental statues called moai, created by inhabitants during the 13th–16th centuries. The moai are carved human figures with oversize heads, often resting on massive stone pedestals called ahus. Ahu Tongariki has the largest group of upright moai.
WHEN TO GO: The best time to visit Chile depends on the region you're traveling to. October to March are the warmest and most accessible months for visitors heading to Patagonia, in the south of the country. Meanwhile, Santiago, the Central Valleys, and the Atacama Desert are truly year-round destinations.
VISA: Visitors to Chile must obtain a visa from one of the Chilean diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the 92 visa exempt countries.
CURRENCY: Chilean Peso
LANGUAGE: Spanish, English is widely spoken in most established tourist destinations.
HOW TO GET AROUND: Most Chileans travel by bus and it is a reliable, affordable option. Chile is a vast country and internal flights are handy for covering long distances in a hurry. The country has a good road network and driving is a quick, relatively stress-free way of getting around.
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