Things to do in  Chile

Part of the UNESCO–listed Los Glaciares National Park, Perito Moreno is known as one of the most beautiful glaciers in the world. The third largest in Argentina, it’s one of South America's last advancing glaciers, and boasts an area that’s bigger than Buenos Aires. But facts aside, this section of the South Patagonian ice field is a vision of crackling celestial blue, especially when you witness gigantic chunks of ice crashing into the water below.

Nicknamed the Garden City and located just an hour from Santiago, Viña del Mar is a charming seaside town famous for its flowers and its beach. Top attractions include the seafront Wulff Castle, the Flower Clock (Reloj de Flores), and Francisco Fonck Museum, the entrance of which is marked by a stone moai statue from Easter Island.

Cerro Concepción is a charming hillside neighborhood in Valparaiso, Chile, that draws visitors with its kaleidoscopic streets and stunning panoramic views of the city, Pacific Ocean, and Concón Dunes. Be sure to budget vacation time to explore its winding alleys filled with cafés, boutiques, and art galleries.

PaLos Glaciares National Park (Parque Nacional Los Glaciares) protects Argentina’s wild Patagonian expanses of icy glaciers and mountain lakes. With a massive 47 glaciers, the Andean ice cap is the largest outside Antarctica and Greenland. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to several natural wonders, including Perito Moreno Glacier and Mount Fitz Roy.

Named after German physician and archeologist Dr. Francisco Fonck Foveaux, who was based in Chile, the Fonck Museum covers the full spectrum of pre-Columbian cultures. The site’s most famous features are undoubtedly two original moai statues from Easter Island, which greet you as you enter the cultural institution.

Paseo Gervasoni encapsulates the eccentric, colorful tangle of Valparaiso’s cityscape. This short cobblestone pedestrian street is lined with bright and bold murals, 19th-century mansions, and a cluster of cafés, bars, and restaurants. The views from Paseo Gervasoni are some of the best in the city.

When travelers make their way to the far southern reaches of Argentina, chances are they’re heading into Tierra del Fuego National Park. The country’s only coastal national park protects the Andean-Patagonian forest, a land of peat bogs, beech forests, glistening lakes, remote beaches, and snow-capped peaks ideal for outdoor adventures.

Art and architecture fans will pass a happy hour or two at Valparaíso’s Baburizza Palace (Palacio Baburizza). Today, the former residence boasts an exceptional fine arts collection showcasing both Chilean and European artists from the 19th to the 20th centuries. Considered one of Chile’s most important visual art collections, it’s well worth a visit.

Hailed as the San Francisco of South America, Valparaíso’s Historic Quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its beautiful buildings, street art, and steep hills. Visit to admire the historic architecture and take a vintage funicular up the summits of the cerros, where you’ll find trendy cafes and bars.

Named after the Chilean politician Rafael Sotomayor, Plaza Sotomayor marks the center of Valpariaso’s grand historic district. The square is home to the duck-egg-blue Chilean Navy headquarters, and a moving monument that pays homage to Chilean sailors who died during the Battle of Iquique.

The presidential palace known as La Moneda Palace (Palacio de la Moneda)is one of Santiago’s architectural icons. A giant Chilean flag billows before the white, neoclassical building, which houses movie theaters, art galleries, and an independent bookstore. Look for the statue of former president Salvador Allende at the southeast corner of Plaza de la Constitución.

The Santiago skyline is dominated by San Cristobal Hill (Cerro San Cristobal), a forested mountain rising 2,821 feet (860 meters) above the city. The site is protected as part of the Santiago Metropolitan Park (Parque Metropolitano), one of the most famous city parks in Chile. Today, the park serves as a scenic escape above the smog that can grip Santiago on winter days, and offers fantastic views across this city of 6.5 million to the Andes Mountains.

The site on which the city was founded back in 1541, Plaza de Armas is both the heart of Santiago de Chile’s historic district and the epicenter of the modern city. The leafy, palm-fringed plaza is surrounded by grand monuments and architectural landmarks, and it’s abuzz with activity at all hours of the day and night.

Learn about the history of Chilean wine production, sample full-bodied reds, and explore underground cellars at Undurraga, an award-winning, internationally recognized vineyard outside of Santiago. The winery’s gardens, designed by Pierre Dubois in the 19th century, appeal to nature lovers and wine buffs alike.

Threaded with staircases and punctuated by plazas, the 230-foot-high (70-meter-high) Santa Lucía Hill is a landmark of downtown Santiago. Climb the 200+ stairs to the Torre Mirador viewpoint for panoramic views over the city and Andes beyond, catch the ceremonial cannon fire at noon, and people watch in the colorfully tiled Pedro de Valdivia Plaza.