Valparaíso
Bellavista's most famous resident writer was Pablo Neruda, who made a point of watching Valparaíso's annual New Year's fireworks from his house at the top…
Must-see attractions in Middle Chile
Valparaíso
This cultural center built from the bones of a prison has a little bit of everything the thinking traveler could ask for. There are excellent murals in…
Middle Chile
This little village has good ocean views and a few restaurants and cabins. Head to the bridge for a 30-minute boat tour of the Laguna de Cahuil (CH$5000…
Viña Del Mar
There are over 3000 plant species in the nearly 400 hectares of parkland that comprise Chile's Jardín Botánico Nacional. It's 8km southeast of the city…
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Middle Chile
The spectacular setting on a windswept ocean headland makes it easy to understand why Isla Negra was Pablo Neruda’s favorite house. Built by the poet when…
Parque Nacional Archipiélago Juan Fernández
Middle Chile
This national park covers the entire archipelago, a total of 93 sq km, though the township of San Juan Bautista and the airstrip are de-facto exclusions…
Valparaíso
Cannons still stand ready outside this naval museum. Much space is devoted to Chile's victory in the 19th-century War of the Pacific. Other exhibits…
Valparaíso
The historic heart of the city is Plaza Matriz, which is watched over by Iglesia La Matriz. Begun in 1837, it's the fifth church to occupy this site since…
Valparaíso
As colorful as Valparaíso's trademark houses – and built almost as high – are the fruit and vegetable displays in the Mercado Cardonal, bordered by Yungay…
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Parque Nacional Radal Siete Tazas
Middle Chile
The upper basin of the Río Claro marks the beginning of the ecological transition between drought-tolerant Mediterranean vegetation to the north and moist…
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Middle Chile
Exhibiting the impressive private collection of controversial entrepreneur and alleged arms dealer Carlos Cardoen, this is the largest private museum in…
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Valparaíso
Plaza Sotomayor is dominated by the palatial blue-colored Edificio Armada de Chile. In the middle of the square lies the Monumento a los Héroes de Iquique…
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Reserva Nacional Altos de Lircay
Middle Chile
The great range of challenging hikes at this well-organized, easily accessible national park will leave you as short of breath as the fabulous views. Its…
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Viña Del Mar
Nowhere is Viña's nickname of the 'Garden City' better justified than at the magnificently landscaped Parque Quinta Vergara, which you enter from…
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Middle Chile
Between Angol and the Pacific, the coast range rises to 1550m within the 68-sq-km Parque Nacional Nahuelbuta, one of the last non-Andean refuges of…
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Middle Chile
Looming large within this national park are two of the highest mountains in the coastal range, Cerro El Roble (2200m) and Cerro La Campana (1890m), which…
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Concepción
The massive, fiercely political mural La Presencia de América Latina is the highlight of the university art museum La Casa del Arte. It's by Mexican…
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Parque Nacional Laguna del Laja
Middle Chile
Some 93km east of Los Angeles you'll find the 116-sq-km Parque Nacional Laguna del Laja. Within the park is the symmetrical cone of Volcán Antuco (2985m)…
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Valparaíso
The city's most illustrious, influential and infamous residents rest in peace in Cementerios 1 and 2, where the tombs look like ornate mini alaces. Nearby…
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Valparaíso
Adjoining the main cemetery, the Cementerio de Disidentes is the spot where English and European immigrants were buried. Despite the name, these departed…
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Museo Antiguo Monasterio del Espíritu Santo
Middle Chile
The award for the most unintentionally bizarre museum displays in Middle Chile goes to this museum. Mannequins in nuns' habits re-create scenes from Santa…
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Valparaíso
Twenty classic, colorful murals are dotted through this cerro's lower streets, forming the Museo a Cielo Abierto, an open-air museum with works from famed…
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Museo de Arqueología e Historia Francisco Fonck
Viña Del Mar
The original moai (an Easter Island statue) standing guard outside the Museo de Arqueología e Historia Francisco Fonck is just a teaser of the beautifully…
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Middle Chile
In response to the devastation that the 1939 quake caused, the Mexican government donated the Escuela México to Chillán. At Pablo Neruda's request,…
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Valparaíso
The rambling art nouveau building at the western end of Cerro Alegre is called Palacio Baburizza; it houses the Museo de Bellas Artes, which has a decent…
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Valparaíso
One of Valpo's only modern landmarks is the controversial horseshoe-shaped Congreso Nacional, located in the eastern section of El Plan. Its roots lie in…
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Parque Botánico Isidora Cousiño
Middle Chile
This stunning 14-hectare park is down the road from Mina Chiflón del Diablo, an undersea mine that's now a popular tourist attraction. Paths wind through…
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Middle Chile
On the northeast corner of Chillán's main square stands the stark, modernist Catedral de Chillán. Built in 1941, its soaring semi-oval form is made of a…
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Viña Del Mar
A fantastic barrio for an afternoon stroll, with lovingly restored mansions, great city lookouts, a small 'castle' and the summer palace of the President…
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Middle Chile
The Quintay Whaling Station (1943–1964) was the largest on Chile's long Pacific Coast, employing up to 1000 men at its height. This open-air museum at the…
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Middle Chile
Built in 1749 to discourage incursions by pirates, these Spanish fortifications were reconstructed in 1974. To reach them, follow the path from Cuevas de…
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Middle Chile
Los Angeles is at the heart of Chile's agricultural region and its market is one of the country's biggest and best. Expect towering pyramids of both…
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Middle Chile
Up a short footpath from Baron de Rodt and illuminated at night, these damp caverns sheltered Juan Egaña, Manuel de Salas and 300 other patriots exiled…
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Concepción
Parque Ecuador is a narrow stretch of well-maintained urban parkland that runs along the foot of Cerro Caracol – walk up one of the two access roads …
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Viña Del Mar
Pretty Castillo Wulff, built by a prominent Valparaíso businessman in the early 20th century, hangs out over the sea: pass through the art exhibitions to…
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Viña Del Mar
This children's museum has plenty of play areas and a big workshop for art classes. There are a few reproductions of masterpieces from the 15th to 20th…
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Valparaíso
Local cartoonist Lukas had a sharp eye for the idiosyncrasies of Valparaíso. You need to speak Spanish to understand his sardonic political strips…
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Valparaíso
The recently revamped Ascensor El Peral starts from near the Tribunales (Law Courts) just off Plaza Sotomayor and continues to Cerro Alegre, home to the…
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Middle Chile
On your way to the resort, stop at this roadside attraction, where you can visit a shallow cave and a waterfall and learn about the escapades of the…
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Valparaíso
Where Prat and Cochrane converge to become Esmeralda, the Edificio Turri narrows to the width of its namesake clock tower, the Reloj Turri. This is one of…
