The Republic of Chile ranks first in the world ranking of the countries with the greatest length: the distance from the northernmost point to the southernmost point is more than 4600 km. The difference in geographical latitudes also led to a variety of climatic zones. You will find tropics and deserts, mountain valleys and subantarctic regions in Chile.
What to see in Chile? Naturally, natural attractions - volcanoes and deserts, glaciers and lakes. In cities, you will find many architectural monuments - palaces and temples, and those travelers who are used to exploring the country through museum expositions will undoubtedly like the collections of the main Chilean museums.
TOP 15 attractions in Chile
Atacama Desert
One of the driest areas on the planet, the Chilean Atacama Desert is worthy of a hiker's attention. In the Atacama there are areas where even cacti cannot stand, but life reigns in the oases, pink flamingos live, and sometimes in winter, when it rains, the desert even blooms.
Atacama is an ideal spot for stargazing. Here you can see the night sky of the Southern Hemisphere and find constellations unknown to northerners. It is technically convenient to do this on Mount Cerro Paranal, where powerful telescopes are installed.
The celebrity of the Atacama is a giant geoglyph, which measures 86 meters. A huge man is painted on the slope of the Sierro Unica mountain near the town of Huara. Scientists explain the emergence of a world record holder among geoglyphs simply: 9 thousand years ago, he served as a reference point for caravans.
Torres del Paine
The huge Torres del Paine Biosphere Reserve includes several mountain ranges, lakes, glaciers and fjords. The main attraction for tourists in the park is the Gray Glacier. You can get to it on boats plying on Lake Peoe.
Hiking is a favorite pastime of the guests of the national park. On the territory of Torres del Paine there are dozens of routes of varying difficulty. You can stay in campgrounds or comfortable hotels.
How to get there: the nearest town is Puerto Natales.
Entrance fee to the park: 24 euros.
Accommodation cost: from 5 euros in a tent to 400 - in an expensive hotel.
Los Flamencos
Lakes with pink flamingos are not the only attraction in Los Flamencos National Park. You will find here the Lunar Valley, the Tulor salt marsh, an abandoned village in the 15th century, where archaeological excavations are still being carried out, majestic volcanoes and pristine lakes.
There are many hiking trails in the reserve. Trekking trails run at high altitudes, and therefore it is important to pre-acclimatize and only then take long walks.
To get there: by plane from Santiago to Antofagasta, then by bus to San Pedro de Atacama.
Valley of Geysers El Tatio
The active release of steam and hot water from the geysers of the Los Flamencos reserve begin in the early morning, and therefore it is better to come here at least by 7 o'clock. At dawn, a fantastic picture opens up to the traveler's eyes. The valley fills with steam, salt build-ups are painted in all shades of pink, and the surrounding mountain caps gleam mysteriously in the sun.
When heading to the El Tatio Valley, don't forget your hat too! The air temperature at this time of day barely rises above zero, and therefore warm clothing is vital on this tour. You can warm up in the pools with thermal water, which cures rheumatism and other unpleasant things.
To get there: by plane from the capital to Antofagasta, then a bus to San Pedro de Atacama and a tourist bus.
Lauca
The Lauca Highland Reserve is located in northern Chile on the border with Bolivia. UNESCO has taken these lands under special protection, because Lauka is called "the world's reserve of biosphere resources."
The highest attractions of this natural reserve in Chile are the volcanoes, the caps of which are located 6 km above sea level. Lakes Chungara and Kotakotani store a supply of the purest fresh water, and herds of wild vicunas and llamas graze on their shores, which can not only be photographed at close range, but even fed.
To get there: by plane from Santiago to Arica, then by bus to Parinacota.
Stop: in Parinakota or at a camping on the shores of Lake Chungara.
Metropolitano Park
A favorite not only of the residents of the capital, but also of tourists, the Metropolitano Park is spread over 722 hectares on the slopes of Mount Cristobal. From here you can enjoy picturesque views of Santiago. Noteworthy in the park:
- Outdoor pools. One of them offers panoramic views of the city. The pools are open from November to March.
- Funicular, built in 1925. It connects the zoo and the top of the hill.
- Santiago Zoo, where you can get acquainted with the typical representatives of the Chilean fauna.
- 20-meter statue of the Virgin Mary, from the foot of which you can look at Santiago.
To get there: by bus NN 409 and 502 to the station. Bellavista. Then take the funicular.
La Moneda
The residence of the Chilean president is located in the old palace of La Moneda in Santiago. The mansion was built at the end of the 18th century by the Spanish colonialists and designed by an Italian architect. Connoisseurs of architectural styles can easily discover elements of classicism in the appearance of the presidential palace.
The residence of the administration used to serve as a mint, and only in the 30s of the last century the president moved there. The building has traces of bullets that fired at the residence during the 1973 military coup.
The palace is open to tourists.
Cathedral of Santiago
The largest cathedral in the Chilean capital is located in the historic center of the city on the Plaza de Armas. It was built in the second half of the 18th century in the neoclassical style. The temple became the fifth to be erected on this site. Previous cathedrals were completely destroyed by an earthquake.
The interior of the temple is decorated in the best baroque traditions. Carved balconies and choirs, an altar made of marble, bronze bas-reliefs and stained glass windows create a magnificent composition and leave no doubt that the Cathedral in Santiago deserves to be considered one of the most beautiful in the Western Hemisphere.
Sotomayor Square
Valparaiso has many attractions of its own, but the most famous is Sotomayor Square in the old town. In the center of the square there is a monument dedicated to the memory of the heroes of the Pacific War. On the opposite side is the building that houses the command of the Chilean Navy, which is based in Valparaiso. The palace was built at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the project was based on several old Parisian mansions.
To get there: st. metro Puerto.
Jesus in the Andes
About a century ago, a monument appeared on the border of Chile and Argentina at an altitude of 3854 meters above sea level, ending the dispute about the accuracy of the territorial division between the two countries. Jesus the Redeemer has become a symbol of mutual understanding, and tourists from Argentina and Chile come to look at the statue.
The statue was installed in 1904. The height of the sculpture with a pedestal is about 13 meters.
Location: Bergemo Pass, take the Pan American Highway to the eastern entrance to the Paso Internacional Los Libertadores Tunnel.
Pucon
A beautiful city in central Chile, from where many hiking routes begin in Araucania - a beautiful region where condors soar over the gray caps of extinct volcanoes.
Travel agencies in Pucon rent out climbing equipment, and local guides are ready to offer tourists of any degree of physical fitness an exciting and safe trip to the Andes.
The ski resort on the slopes of the Villarrica volcano is open from July to September. For skiers and snowboarders there are two dozen slopes of various difficulty categories.
To get there: by train from Santiago (780 km from the capital).
Punta Arenas
The southernmost mainland city on the planet, Punta Arenas is a famous landmark in Chile. However, do not delude yourself: the adjective "southern" in the case of Punta Arenas does not mean "warm". The climate here is quite cool, and the ski resorts that surround the city on all sides are open for most of the year.
In the city, you can look at the Strait of Magellan, which separates the mainland of Chile from the island of Tierra del Fuego, and watch penguins.
Magdalene Island
The main attraction of this small island is the giant penguin colonies, which are quite calm about tourists. You can not only look at the funniest inhabitants of Chile, but also walk in their company, observe their habits and take hundreds of funny photos with the indigenous inhabitants of the Chilean hinterland.
Visiting time: from December to early March.
To get there: ferry from Terminal Tres Puentes to Puenta Arenas.
Tour price: from 100 euros.
La Portada
A huge arch, which is at least 30 million years old, adorns the coastal ocean waters in the northern part of Antofagasta province. The honor of creating a stone structure belongs to nature itself - winds, surf and time have turned the andesite rock into a unique stone structure.
In the vicinity of La Portada, you can watch rare birds: gannets and terns. Dolphins are often found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and fur seals are often found on stone beaches.
Easter Island
Scientists have not yet managed to unravel the mystery of the gigantic stone idols of Easter Island, territorially related to Chile. Every year thousands of curious tourists come to see the giants, but they do not even get an answer to the question of how these statues were delivered from the quarries. However, the inhabitants of a small patch of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean are sure that idols can walk on their own.
In addition to 900 statues of stone giants on the island, the ceremonial village of Orongo, the Hanga Roa Catholic temple, decorated with skillful wood carvings, and the lake in the crater of the Rano Kau volcano are worthy of attention.
To get there: by plane from Santiago. On the way - 5, 5 hours, ticket price - from 800 euros round trip.
