Places of Interest

Combarbalá is a small town located in the Limarí Province at the Coquimbo Region with a population about 13.483 inhabitants. Their economic activity is agriculture, exploitation of goats, stone crafts combarbalita and now finally to the tourist industry driven by the Cruz del Sur Astronomical Center, located on the outside of town.

This village is located 57 kms. southeast of La Serena, embedded between 2 hills, reaching 1100 meters above sea level. To get to this small town is not very difficult. It is only 50 minutes by car from the capital of the region. On our way, we can find many streams and picturesque villages.

Coquimbo is a town ll kms from La Serena. Its population is 188 thousand inhabitants and it is the main port of the region. Unlike the city of churches, in Coquimbo the fishing industry, distilleries, tanneries and construction stand out. In recent years, tourism has also had an increase, without skeptically looking at its neighbor La Serena.

Its people are more humble and hardworking, but everyone works together in the development of the city - a port city where its streets and attractive promenades give way to enchantment for tourists visiting throughout the year in unsuspected numbers. At the port, they offer boat rides for visitors and, in recent years, more and more luxury cruises such as the Discovery World and the Crystal Serenity are reaching this port. 

La Serena is the capital of the Fourth Region. This city of churches is recognized as the second city of tourism, following Viña del Mar and the second oldest in the country after being founded in 1541 and rebuilt in 1549 by Francisco de Aguirre. This beautiful city is located 480 kms. north of Santiago and it has a population of about 180.000 inhabitants. La Serena has become the place for an ideal escape for those who love tranquility and relaxation.

A few kilometers further up the valley of Rio Claro, we can find this village of 500 inhabitants, Pisco Elqui. It is characterized fot its production of pisco. For most tourists, visiting the pisco factory is a must.

Montegrande is located 98 kms. from La Serena and 31 kms. from Vicuña, within the Rio Claro Valley, southeast of the capital of the Elqui Valley.

Among its main attractions are the tomb of the Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral, as well as her House-School where the 1945 Nobel Prize winner practiced her profession of teaching. Both have been declared national monuments, making it obligatory for tourists to visit. These words from her last testament are inscribed on her tombstone:

"It is my will that my body be buried in my beloved town of Montegrande in the Elqui Valley.”.

Paihuano is situated 91 kms. east of La Serena, on the way to the mountains. It has an area of 1.700 km 2 and its population is around 4 thousand people.

Its economy is mainly oriented to the development of pisco grapes and their subsequent export. The tourist industry is its second largest source of income. The commune covers other major towns of the valley, such as Montegrande, Horcon, Pisco Elqui, Alcohuaz and Cochiguaz.

Peralillo  is located 5 kms. from Vicuña. It is one of the smallest in the valley and has only 978 inhabitants according to the latest census in 2002. Despite its small size, it is one of the most important localities in the Elqui Valley, maintaining a very characteristic structure around its main street,and where we can highlight its old adobe church.

San Isidro  is located 3 kms. northwest of Vicuña. Its church is the big attraction. It has strokes of colonial brickwork in its interior. The Fiesta of San Isidro, which is held in May, in honor of the patron of agriculture, has great religious importance.

Vicuña is located in the chest of the valley, this village is found 62 kms. east of La Serena, on the International Route 41. It has been constituted as a unifying center of a number of picturesque villages scattered along this magnetic valley, including Rivadavia and Peralillo, among others.

This main city and capital of the valley was founded in 1821 by Colonel Joaquín Vicuña Larraín by supreme decree of Don Bernardo O'Higgins. It has a population of 23.807 inhabitants and its economy is based primarily on agro-industrial activities and tourism.

Calama is located at 2250 meters above sea level. It has 150.000 inhabitants and is situated 215 kms. northeast of Antofagasta and 1568 kms. of Santiago. Its importance lies in being the nearest city to the Chuquicamata mine. It is the largest oasis in the mountain range area, proof of which can be seen in the surrounding plantations.

Antofagasta is considered the fifth largest city in Chile. It is the capital of the Second Region. The "Pearl of the Far North" is located at 1361 kms. north of Santiago and has a population of around 255.000 inhabitants. This city is characterized for having grown as a long, narrow strip along the coast upto the hills of the Cordillera de la Costa Mountain Range. Its main activity is its bustling commercial life (Monday-Friday from 09:00am to 1:30pm and from 4:00pm to 9:00pm). Shipments of copper extracted from the largest worldwide open pit mines, such as Chuquicamata and La Escondida are loaded in this city.

Guanaqueros and Tongoy of Coquimbo are presented separately from the others. Both have become fishermen's coves and beaches which get pretty crowded during the summer.

The first one corresponds to 10 kms. of fine, white sandy beach, warm waters and great for supporters of water sports and fishing. Somewhat further south, Tongoy has become a major resort with an approximate area of 18 kms. of beaches in Playa Grande and Playa Socos. It has great hotels, camping sites, fine summer houses, an active yachting port and fine restaurants which include the best seafood and fried empanadas.

120 kms north of La Serena (75 kms. on the Panamericana Freeway and 45 kms. on an innner dirt road) is one of the newest natural reserves of Chile. It receives the name of Humboldt penguin and it is formed by 3 small islands: Chañaral, Choros and Isla Damas. 

We must sail from Caleta Punta Choros, a tiny fishing village where we can hire the services to take us by boat to the islands. The best one is Damas and it is the only one where we can disembark. We are welcomed by two beautiful white, sandy beaches, La Poza and Tijeral, picturesque Humboldt and Magellanic penguins and the company of dolphins while crossing by boat. As activities, trekking in the area of Tijeral is recommended. Camping areas can also be found, since it is the only way to stay overnight. From this island, you can take excursions to Choros, where we can see the only colony of the "nose- bottle dolphin”.

Hornito Beach is located 90 kms. north of Antofagasta and is 5 kms. long. Its beach is known for having fine sand and warm and quiet waters. It is surrounded by cliffs which provide protection for the summer houses. The temperature in summer is usually very high.

Juan Lopez Beach is another beautiful beach located 38 kms. north of the capital of the Second Region. Its fine, sandy beach is 1 km. long and protected from the wind. It is located at the foot of Cerro Moreno and its calm and warm waters make it ideal for swimming and various water sports.

This pictures village was known, by the Incas, for its richness in gold, which soon attracted the Spanish. In 1560, one of the native people found a picture of the Virgin, which motivated the construction of the first church in the area. The original virgin soon disappeared and in the mid-seventeenth century the first parish priest of the town ordered a new one from Peru, similar to the previous one, carved in cedar wood. Today, it is still in the old Andacollo church, built between 1772 and 1789 to provide a sanctuary for the holy image.

In the heart of the Elqui Valley, is the small town of Montegrande, where Gabriela Mistral spent part of her childhood and where she was buried. The house where she lived is called "Gabriela Mistral House School". It was quite simple, a small adobe building of one floor, typical of the area, at the foot of a hill. A 20 square meter room was the classroom where her older sister, Emelina, worked as an elementary teacher and head of the post office. 

The second room was smaller and it was the bedroom of the family. The house also has a long and narrow patio with beautiful trees and a view of the river.