If you love fine dining, wine, incredible landscapes, and historical and cultural excursions, traveling to Chile will be a delight for you. The country has points of interest ranging from desert adventures to the glamour of a cosmopolitan city.
Atacama Desert
In northern Chile, the Atacama Desert region is one of the most visited in the country, second only to the capital, Santiago. As you can imagine, the climate here is hot and dry, especially during the afternoons. Nights and early mornings are quite cold, regardless of the time of year.
The main city in the Atacama Desert is the beloved San Pedro de Atacama. Small and charming, it enchants with its dirt streets, small houses, and delicious restaurants. Furthermore, San Pedro is full of curiosities, such as the law prohibiting dancing in the city. It is said that this is because the ancestors of its people are buried there, and it would be disrespectful to dance on top of them. Is it true?
Antofagasta is another suggested city to visit in Chile in the Atacama Desert region. Although coastal, it is part of the desert region and offers unmissable attractions, with beaches of a very beautiful shade of blue and a marvelous starry sky.
Central Chile
The region considered the center of Chile is the most visited in the country. Popular destinations like Santiago, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar are located here. On your trip to Chile, if Santiago isn’t your final destination, you’ll almost certainly have a layover at the airport, so why not take advantage of a stopover to explore these destinations?
You can dedicate a few days to exploring Santiago and its tourist attractions, such as the SkyCostanera, the tallest building in Latin America, and also enjoy day trips to the cities of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, where you’ll find a lovely coastline to enjoy in the summer!
Wineries
Chile is a benchmark when it comes to wine production, did you know? Very close to Santiago are several wine regions that attract tourists year-round. The famous Concha y Toro winery is located here, in the region known as the Maipo Valley. Other nearby regions worth visiting are: Casablanca Valley (1 hour from the capital) and Aconcagua Valley (1 hour and 30 minutes from the capital).
Although we don’t recommend staying near Chilean wineries (unless you want to dedicate a large part of your trip to this experience), day trips from Santiago to the vineyards are excellent.
Chilean Patagonia
Like Argentine Patagonia, the Chilean portion boasts breathtaking landscapes. It’s a great option for those looking for cities to visit in Chile during the winter. Here, snow is the star attraction during this season, drawing many tourists from all over the world.
The most visited cities in the region are Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales. Both are gateways to Torres del Paine National Park with its magnificent nature and glaciers, but Punta Arenas is also a starting point for those who want to explore the famous Strait of Magellan, a route that facilitated passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean; its historical significance is undeniable.
Santiago
Santiago is the capital of Chile and the country’s most visited destination, especially in winter. It’s a city that successfully blends modern buildings with the snow-covered Andes Mountains as a backdrop. Many Brazilians choose to travel to Santiago to see the snow and enjoy sports like skiing and snowboarding.
This is because the city is a great base for those who want to explore the best ski resorts in Chile, as there are no ski resorts in the capital itself. Valle Nevado is the most famous, and there are day trips departing from Santiago daily.
But there are many tourist attractions in Santiago. There are options for historical and cultural tours, such as visiting the famous La Moneda Palace and the Plaza de Armas, as well as outdoor activities like Cerro San-Cristóbal, Cerro Santa Lucía, and Parque Araucano.
In fact, if your trip is in the summer, don’t miss going to the top of Cerro San-Cristóbal to enjoy the public swimming pools! The sunset seen from up there is also the most beautiful in the capital.
It is also from Santiago that tours depart for the cities of Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, where tourists can find the Chilean coast.
Valparaíso
Located about 140km from Santiago and a popular day trip destination, Valparaíso is a coastal city where you can enjoy the sand between your toes, but you’ll need courage to wade into the water, as the Pacific Ocean is cold year-round.
Valparaíso is a vibrant and colorful historic city. The bohemian atmosphere seems to permeate the city, so you’ll always find a lively bar to socialize with your travel companions.
Walking through the streets with houses painted in different colors, artists and musicians showcase their talents in a fun way.
The beaches are pleasant for admiring the sea, but not exactly for swimming. This is because the water is cold and the sea is rough, with strong currents. It’s also worth mentioning that Valparaíso’s beaches are near the city’s port, so the water isn’t the cleanest. Nevertheless, it’s worth a visit to relax and enjoy the breeze.
Vina del Mar
Viña del Mar is the ideal city if you want to dive into the Pacific Ocean. Also located 140km from Santiago, here you’ll find a more tranquil atmosphere, although the city is also quite lively and full of tourism and leisure options.
Although the waters are also cold here, the sea is a bit calmer for those brave enough to face the water temperatures! You’ll see surfers and bodyboarders enjoying the days. But, if you need help deciding which beaches to visit in Chile, take advantage of these suggestions in Viña del Mar: Playa Renaca (the most famous and lively day and night!), Playa del Sol (the best located) and Playa Los Marineros (with the calmest waters in the entire region).
San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama is a small, rustic, and charming town located in the heart of the Atacama Desert. It’s the starting point for the main excursions for those who want to explore the wonders of the world’s driest desert, with adventure options that extend to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia.
The tourist attractions of the Atacama Desert are all related to ecotourism. So, prepare to see nature in a way you’ve never seen before. In the Valle de la Luna, for example, you’ll feel like you’re walking on otherworldly ground. At the Lagunas de Baltinache, you’ll find salt-filled lagoons that are an oasis in the middle of the desert. At the Termas de Puritama, you can immerse yourself in waters that come into contact with volcanic magma and, therefore, have temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius! At the Geysers, the hot water turns to steam as it escapes through craters in the ground and encounters sub-zero temperatures!
This destination doesn’t seem real, it’s so different and enchanting. It’s no wonder that many couples choose the Atacama Desert for their honeymoon. And your adventure will begin in San Pedro, where you’ll learn about something very important: acclimatization. At 2400m above sea level, it’s common for tourists to experience some symptoms of altitude sickness. Headaches, dizziness, and nausea are some of them. Drink plenty of water, avoid alcoholic beverages, and always have anti-nausea medication on hand.
Some tours reach altitudes of 4900m, so it’s important to acclimatize to avoid these symptoms. In this case, it’s ideal to plan each tour from the lowest to the highest altitude. This way, day after day, your body will adjust better.
And when thinking about what to pack for the Atacama, don’t forget sunscreen, a hat or cap, sunglasses, and UV-protective clothing.
Antofagasta
The city of Antofagasta is also coastal, but due to its proximity to the Atacama Desert, it’s also one of the base cities for those who want to explore the Atacama and its wonders, but not only that.
If you decide to include Antofagasta in your itinerary during your trip to Chile, be sure to set aside time to enjoy the local beaches. There’s an area called Costanera, where locals and tourists go to stroll along the seashore and enjoy a beautiful view with the sea on one side and the Andes Mountains on the other.
The tourist infrastructure here is much better than in San Pedro de Atacama, for example. The city has a more modern feel, with tall buildings, varied constructions, museums, parks, paved roads, and a variety of transportation options. This is because Antofagasta prospered from copper mining, and as a result, the city became quite wealthy.
Punta Arenas
Located in the far south of Chile, the city of Punta Arenas is part of Chilean Patagonia and receives visitors from all over the world who seek to explore the famous Strait of Magellan. This maritime passage connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans was discovered in 1500 by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and was crucial, facilitating the transport of goods and people from one place to another. At that time, it was the best route for ships. Later, with the opening of the Panama Canal, the Strait of Magellan became less used and today it is a route used by cruise ships.
In winter, Punta Arenas is covered in snow and experiencing sub-zero temperatures. If you enjoy the cold, you will love exploring the natural beauty of this place. From here you can hike and trek to observe the forest and the animals that live here (guanacos, foxes…), visit museums full of history about the city’s colonization, and even observe penguins on a nearby island, Magdalena Island.
It’s also possible to visit Torres del Paine National Park from Punta Arenas. The drive to the park entrance takes about 3 hours, where tourists will find glaciers, mountains, rivers, and lakes with a bluish hue that seems almost unreal! A perfect trip for ecotourism enthusiasts.
Easter Island
Now, if you enjoy exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations, Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean will appeal to you. It’s considered one of the most remote islands in the world, but it’s accessible by plane, as it has an airport. Flights connect in Santiago and take about 5 hours.
The main city on Easter Island is Hanga Roa, where you’ll find local tourism agencies that will take you to explore the island’s main attractions. Don’t miss the Moai statues, symbols of the region’s ancestral indigenous culture, known as Rapa Nui. One of these statues is located in Rano Rakaru, an unmissable tourist spot in the region.
Many other excursions will immerse you in Rapa Nui culture. Visit the altars called Ahu – where various ceremonies were held and which are still considered sacred places – and the Te Pahu and Te Niu caves, which were used as shelters by ancestral peoples.
But also remember that we are on an island and that, obviously, the beaches are also a unique attraction. There are various options, all with crystal-clear waters and fine, white sand. Anakena Beach is the most famous, with its extensive stretch of sand, calm sea, and tourist infrastructure including a restaurant and restrooms. Ovahe Beach, on the other hand, is small but picturesque. The water is typical of the area, very clear.