Chile is a South American country that looks like a narrow strip of land. It has unique borders with Andes mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Also, Chile is the southernmost country in the world as it is the closest one to Antarctica.
Chile has recorded a stable rise in tourism through the years as more foreign tourists come to visit the country. It is not surprising as there are many exciting sights and places to visit in the country. Check below some of the best things to see and do when you visit Chile.
Check the Street Arts in Valparaiso
It is rare to find local governments supporting street arts, but Valparaiso stands out. The government supported local artists in painting the walls along the streets of the city. Thus, it is covered with murals that attract local and foreign tourists who visit Chile, benefiting the locals.
Dubbed as the “Jewel of the Pacific,” Valparaiso proved to be a must-visit place in Chile. The bustling streets of Valparaiso are usually filled with well-organized street art tours. Interestingly, all of the murals and paintings on the walls are made by local artists who do not necessarily put their names in work.
Local cafes, restaurants, and bars are glad that the streets became a tourist attraction and have thus drawn in their customers. Aside from the street art, tourists can get a chance to come close to the home of the world-renowned Nobel Prize winner, Pablo Neruda. His house, La Sebastiana, is an additional place to visit in Valparaiso.
Taste Wine
Chile is not only known for its sceneries, as Chilean wines are quite famous as well. The wine industry in the country is very much alive as local wineries do wine tours for foreign tourists. Many say that Chile is a heaven for wine aficionados as they produce high-quality wines.
There are so many places to visit when tourists want to do wine tours because of the locals’ initiative to become one of the most inviting wine-producing countries in the world. Tourists can check Elqui, Limari, Choapa, Maipo, San Antonio, Maulo, Itata, Malleco, and the more popular option — Casablanca.
Each valley or winery offers different wines depending on their specialty and local produce. On the wine tours, tourists have the chance to meet the winemakers, see the wine production first-hand, explore the winery, taste a variety of quality wines, and have lunch with perfectly matched wines.
Eat Chilean Food
It is an unwritten rule for tourists to also enjoy the local delicacies and food when they visit Chile. After all, in Chile, there are so many things to try. Chilean cuisine is described as generally fresh and simple, which is great for tourists who have sensitive taste buds.
Tourists must try the Pastel del Choclo that is widely popular. It is like a shepherd pie stuffed with vegetables, meat, and a cornmeal topping.
Check out Santiago’s La Vega Chica market for those looking for a great place to experience authentic and local food. The place is filled with restaurants and stores that offer the local delicacies of Chile at a relatively reasonable price.
Enjoy being Under the Stars in the Atacama Desert
It is fascinating how Chile offers so many things to tourists, brought mainly by nature. In the country’s northern region, the Atacama Desert has become a go-to place for those who want to experience the surreal feeling of being under the clear sky full of stars.
Tourists can thank the high altitude of the desert and little to no pollution for making it an excellent spot for stargazing. People can rent equipment like telescopes or cameras from local tour operators to fully enjoy the view of the sky. December to February are the recommended months to visit the area because it is summer.
The Atacama Desert also offers other attractions, especially during the day. Tourists can visit various hot springs, try sandboarding, check the moon-like terrain, see salt lakes, and much more.
Hike the Villarica Volcano
Chile offers another thrilling adventure to tourists as it is possible to hike active volcanoes in the country. But, the most popular one is in the Lake District in Chile. Interestingly, tourists can hike one of the most active volcanoes in the country — the Villarica Volcano.
There are designated local tours for the volcano. Thus, tourists can get up close to an active volcano while enjoying the scenery of the Lake District. Moreover, there are so many other activities that tourists can spend their time doing in the Lake District.
Tourists can enjoy kayaking, fly-fishing, cycling, and of course, hiking. Indeed, Lake District offers activities that give thrill and enjoyment to tourists of all kinds.
Discover the Monuments on Easter Island
Mysteries surround Easter Island because of the thousands of unexplained monuments found on the island. These monuments are giant head statues called moai. However, the combination of mystery and nature attracts thousands of tourists to Easter Island.
Since it is surrounded by water, tourists can enjoy the pristine beaches and azure sea. They can also experience the local food of Easter Island that is heavily based on seafood and fish. According to tourists who have been to Easter Island, it is best to try their lobsters, swordfish, and tuna.
Aside from the beaches, the island is known for volcanoes. One of the most famous ones is the Rano Kau, wherein its crater is surrounded by 400 unfinished or defective moai.
Play with Penguins at Isla Magdalena
It is a given that penguins primarily live in Antarctica, but the continent is difficult to reach and not welcoming to tourists. Isla Magdalena in the Magallanes Region is the closest place where tourists can experience interacting with flocks of penguins.
Getting to the Isla Magdalena is an adventure already, as tourists can only reach the island through a two-hour boat ride from Punta Arenas, the regional capital. However, it is worth it as the experience lets tourists come close to nature and wildlife as the Magellan Strait is famous for having humpback whales.
The humpback whales are just a bonus as the main highlight of the trip are the penguins. In Isla Magdalena, penguins are welcoming to tourists as they freely interact with them. Although their number is decreasing, the thousands of Magellan penguins will indeed strut their stuff along the shore.
Trek Along the Torres del Paine
The trek on the famous Torres del Paine National Park will give thrill and excitement to adventure seekers. There are two trekking trails: W and O. The W Trek is the widely popular trekking area as tourists can visit the national park’s highlights along the way.
The four-day trek will be worth it as tourists can witness the beauty of nature like glaciers, mountains, and lowlands. Tourists can embed the image of nature in their memory as the valleys, peaks, hides, hanging glaciers, pampas, metamorphic rocks, and ice blue steams will leave them in awe.
Even though the trek takes few days to finish, it will not feel like a challenge as the scenery can overpower the exhaustion. The O Trek, or full circuit, is for more experienced trekkers as it takes seven to nine days because the trail passes through the northern edge of the mountains.
Trip to Cajon del Maipo
A trip to Cajon del Maipo is great for those who are seeking an all-in-one adventure. There are many things that tourists can do in this canyon that is two hours away from Santiago. They say that it is considered a trekker’s paradise for its picturesque scenery and landscape, which people can visit all year round.
Cajon del Maipo is a popular tourist attraction, especially for those who are looking for an adventure-filled weekend escapade. Locals and tourists come here to see first-hand the jaw-dropping 2,500 above sea level Embalse del Yeso, which provides the water supply for the entire city of Santiago.
Aside from the stunning scenery of the mountain range, tourists can enjoy different activities as well. They can enjoy trekking, skiing, horse riding, and many more activities. Also, famous hot springs along the area will surely complete the relaxing weekend getaway for the tourists.
Visit the Patagonia Glaciers
If Chile is known for its natural beauty, the Patagonia Glaciers will prove this point further. The area is famous for the amazing experience of trekking along the ice with mountainous scenery in the Patagonia Glaciers. According to tourists, newcomers in Chile must immediately try trekking here.
Tourists can enjoy organized trekking tours as thousands of people visit the glaciers, especially from October to November. These months are in the spring season, which means that winter just ended, making the glaciers shine in excellent condition.
There are two main ice fields that tourists love to visit in the Patagonia Glaciers: Grey Glacier and San Rafael Glacier. The Grey Glacier is in the southern part, and it is over 270km long, 6km wide, and 30m in height. Meanwhile, San Rafael Glacier is in the north and is really close to the equator.
Conclusion
A visit to Chile will surely be well-spent because of the best things tourists can do and see in the country. Chile banks on the beauty of its nature like the mountains, glaciers, seas, and others to attract tourists.Keep these must-do’s in mind the next time you plan to visit Chile.
