The best places to visit in Chile

Chile is a beautiful country in the south of the world. A territory that spans 4,300 kilometers of dry deserts, clear skies, thriving vineyards, wild beaches, rainy forests, volcanoes, glaciers, islands, fiords, and enormous mountains. Chile is absolutely one of the countries to visit before you die, and these are its unmissable destinations. 

Santiago: Santiago is the capital of Chile and one of the most modern cities in Latin America. The center of the government, finance and commerce of the country, it is the starting point for many travelers who plan to visit the Atacama Desert, Torres del Paine National Park and the ski resorts Valle Nevado, Colorado, Parva and Portillo. Santiago is characterized by its vibrant nightlife, museums, variety of restaurants and high-end hotels. 

Highlights: San Cristóbal Hill, Santa Lucía Hill, Plaza de Armas, la Moneda Palace, Barrio Lastarria, La Vega, La Chascona, Sky Costanera, Valle Nevado, Pre-Columbian Art Museum, Bellavista, Cajón del Maipo. 

Torres del Paine National Park: Torres del Paine is the most visited national park by foreign tourists in Chile. Located at the southern extreme of the country, in the Magellean region and the Chilean Antarctic, it is world-renowned for its incredible landscapes, rivers, glaciers, turquoise lakes, peaks, forests and grasslands home to pumas, ñandúes and guanacos. This natural wonder has two long and well-marked circuits, the O circuit and the W circuit, within which exist various options of accommodation and provisions. Without a doubt a paradise for photographers and nature lovers. 

Highlights: Peohé Lake, Grey Lake, Glacier Grey, the horns of Paine, the base of the towers, Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Magdalena Island. 

San Pedro de Atacama: San Pedro is an iconic altiplanic town, located in the middle of the Atacama Desert, 2,400 meters above sea level. It’s impressive landscapes of salt formed by the mountain range and its rare rock formations make this destination one of the three most visited by tourists in Chile. The lodges and narrow streets of the small town fill with travelers from all over the world after 6 pm when they return from their tours to the Tatio Geysers, Valley of the Moon and the Céjar Lagoon. These natural wonders combined with the rural town are home to the remnants of the culture atacameña and inca, making San Pedro a unique place in the world. 

Highlights: Tatio geysers, Baltinache hidden lagoon, Céjar lagoon, Valley of the Moon, Death Valley, Puritama hot springs, Atacama salt flats, ojos del salar, Tebinquinche, Altiplanic lagoons Miscanti and Miñiques. 

Easter Island: Known for its polynesian culture, the moais and interesting legends, this mythical island is considered one of the most important touristic destinations in Chile. Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it enchants travelers with its beaches of turquoise waters, mysterious legends and ancestral traditions of Rapanui culture. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Easter Island offers something for all kinds of travelers, from surfing and diving to trekking to a volcano, mountain biking and horseback riding. 

Highlights: Rano Raraku, Rano Kau volcano, Orongo, beaches Anakena and Ahu Nau Nau, Ahu Tongariki, Ahu Tahai. 

Valparaíso: The port of  Valparaíso is the bohemian city of Chile. It’s colorful houses, street art, traditional funiculars, and cozy cafes are full of life with the artists, dancers, musicians, and poets that walk on its narrow streets. The boardwalk Barón, the museum and former house of Pablo Neruda, and the Cultural Center Ex Carcel along with its diverse patrimonial buildings are only one attractive part of this city made up of hills. Festivals, shows, carnivals, and vibrant nightlife are the special touches that make this city an unforgettable place to visit. 

Highlights: Cerro Alegre, Muelle Barón, La Sebastiana, Cultural Center Ex Carcel, Funicular Artillería, Funicular Reina Victoria, Museo Cielo Abierto de Valparaíso, Plaza Sotomayor. 

Chiloé:  Chiloé is a consolidation of islands united for the same traditions and culture rich in legends. In the fisherman’s coves they talk of mermaids and elves, in their meadows they cook meat beneath the earth, in the patrimonial churches you can see the reflection of the mixture of the ancestral culture with the jesuits. But the folklore is not the only attraction of the mythical archipelago. The wild forests are home to endangered flora and fauna such as the pudú and zorro de Darwin. 

Highlights: Tantauco Park, Stilt houses, Cooks of Dalcahue, UNESCO Heritage Churches, Penguin colony of puñhuil, National Park Chiloé, Cucao. 

Carretera Austral: One of the most scenic routes on the planet. Beginning in Puerto Montt and ending in Villa O’Higgins covering 1240 kilometers of virgin forests, age-old alerces, fiords, hot springs, powerful rivers, and a hanging glacier. This route permits access to the Northern and Southern Ice Fields, two of the most southern territories in Chile, inaccessible by any other way. In the area it is possible to raft on the Futaleufú River, fish in the Baker River, trek in Queulat National Park, or take a boat ride to the Marble Chapels. 

Highlight: Hornopirén, Pumalín Park, Chaitén, Hanging Glacier Queulat National Park, Aysén, Patagonia, Futaleufú River, Marble Chapels, Exploradores Glacier, San Rafael Lagoon.