- Let's take a look at the map
- How Chile celebrates New Year
- Party on the beach and exotic island
- Useful information for travelers
The distant South American country of Chile is famous for its glaciers and national parks, ocean beaches and Easter Island, whose gigantic stone idols still evoke many hypotheses and scientific theories about their appearance at the end of the world. Most often, active Russian tourists go to the Southern Hemisphere in June-August, when winter comes there and you can go skiing, but the most restless people meet New Year in Chile. At this time, it is especially pleasant to sunbathe on the ocean beaches and enjoy the sun and warmth, because below the equator in December, summer comes everywhere in the world.
Let's take a look at the map
Chile stretches from north to south for more than 4500 kilometers, and therefore several types of climate are observed in the country:
- In the northern regions, the climate is tropical desert, while in the south it is temperate oceanic, and there are places similar in weather conditions to the alpine tundra.
- On Easter Island, where, with the development of the tourism industry, the European traveler increasingly sets foot, the weather is determined by the humid subtropical climate.
- In the central part of the country, the most favorable climatic conditions for a comfortable rest are observed and the weather resembles the Mediterranean.
- The weather in Chile is significantly influenced by the proximity of the Pacific Ocean, its cold Peruvian Humboldt Current and the Andes mountain range.
The weather in the popular beach resort of Iquique is hot and dry during the New Year holidays. Precipitation is unlikely, and thermometer readings easily reach + 28 ° C and even higher during the day.
In the capital of Chile, New Year is celebrated hot in every sense. The air temperature tends to the 30-degree mark during the day, although at night a light jacket or warm sweater will not interfere with the celebration.
How Chile celebrates New Year
Chile is often called the most European country on the South American continent and the reason for this is the large number of immigrants from the countries of the Old World who have immigrated here over the past 200 years. Most of the new inhabitants of the country are immigrants from Germany and Spain, and therefore the Christmas and New Year traditions here not only took root and took root, but also flourished in lush color.
Chileans begin to decorate streets and houses for the upcoming holidays well in advance. Christmas markets are opening in Santiago and other large cities, where Chileans and foreign tourists buy gifts for family and friends, souvenirs, New Year's candles and firecrackers and other things necessary for celebrating the holidays.
On New Year's Eve, hearty German-style meat dishes, sweet corn stews, several types of grain breads, fruits and, of course, local wine appear on the tables. The Spaniards and Germans brought winemaking traditions to the Southern Hemisphere, and now Chile is one of the world's largest exporters.
The main product of the festive table is grapes, because Chileans, like residents of other Spanish-speaking countries, sacredly honor a long tradition. On New Year's Eve, when the clock starts striking, you need to eat a berry with each stroke and make a wish at the same time.
Traditions associated with clothing are no less important for Chileans in the New Year. A brown dress or suit, in their opinion, will bring career growth, and red lingerie - good luck in your personal life or long-awaited love.
Some traditions surprise with their originality:
- On New Year's Eve, all girls who have reached the age of six have their ears pierced. The first earrings are considered a symbol of growing up and mean that the girl begins to turn into an adult girl.
- On New Year's Eve, a straw effigy is still burned in the villages, thus getting rid of the troubles and misfortunes that happened in the old year.
- In the Chilean town of Talca, it is customary to celebrate the New Year at … a cemetery. Before midnight, its inhabitants gather in the burial places of their ancestors, set tables and communicate with the spirits of the dead, asking for protection and blessings.
Santa Claus in Chile is called Viejo Pascuero. His duties are not much different from those assigned by Europeans to the shoulders of Santa Claus. A kind old man gives children toys and sweets, listens to poems and songs and tells how to behave in order to receive even more gifts next year.
Party on the beach and exotic island
From Santiago, you can fly to the city of Iquica, which is called the resort capital of the country. Chilean airlines operate daily flights, the travel time is about two hours. You will like to celebrate the New Year on the beaches of Chile, because the weather at this time is excellent here! On land, thermometers rise to almost 30 degrees, and the water in the ocean warms up to + 20 ° C.
Easter Island is another popular destination for tourists who decide to fly to South America. There are regular flights between Santiago and the island, but planes fly only once a week during the New Year season, so book your tickets and plan your trip well in advance. You have to spend about 5 hours in the sky. On the island, you can have a New Year's picnic by the ocean, admire volcanoes, count gigantic statues and attend a music service in a Catholic church, all of which are carved out of wood.
Useful information for travelers
In order to get to the New Year's celebration in Chile, you will have to make a transatlantic flight. There are no direct flights from Moscow to Santiago, but with transfers you can get on the wings of several airlines at once:
- Approximately € 1,300 is charged for a round-trip ticket if you choose to use Delta Air Lines. The flight is operated with two transfers - in the Netherlands Amsterdam and Atlanta. In order to buy a ticket to board the Delta, you will have to obtain a US visa, since visa-free transit flights through the airports of this country are not possible.
- You can bypass US airports if you fly with Lufthansa and Chilean airlines. In this case, the connections will take place in Frankfurt and Sao Paulo. Tickets will cost at least 1,500 euros, and you will have to spend about 20 hours in the sky.
European aviators often run special-price ticket sales, and you can cut down on travel costs if you can take advantage of the offers. To be the first to know about ticket discounts, subscribe to the newsletter on the official websites of the selected air carriers.
