Parque Safari is an animal park and safari center that allows you to get closer to wild animals than you would at a traditional zoo. The only one of its kind in Chile, the park gives you the chance to observe giraffes, emus, lions, and animatronic dinosaurs while riding in a variety of different types of vehicles.
Popular among families and science fans, the National Museum of Natural History (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural) features exhibits on everything from dinosaurs to early human life. Since 1830, the museum has housed a herbarium of Chilean and exotic plants; today, the collection features over 150,000 plant specimens.
Located within Monumento Natural El Morado (El Morado National Monument), the humble hot springs of Baños Morales make it a favorite getaway from nearby Santiago. Here, at an elevation of nearly 6,000 feet (1,829 meters), visitors can enjoy bathing in springs that are naturally heated by the rich, volcanic earth.
When Magellan passed through his eponymous strait bound for Chile for the first time, he cruised past the tiny Magdalena Island (Isla Magdalena). Today, travelers make it a point to stop at this scenic island just northeast of Punta Arenas to explore the rocky shores and observe the huge colony of Magellanic penguins at their critical breeding site.
Set in Providencia, a chic suburb on the outskirts of Santiago, the Costanera Center is a massive development featuring offices, two luxury hotels, and a mall that spans six stories. It's a great place to go to watch a film, do a bit of shopping, or simply grab a bite and people-watch.
One of a few salt lagoons dotted along the arid plains of the Atacama Desert, the Ojos del Salar (Salt Eyes are so-called for their unusual appearance. The pair of small, perfectly round lakes appear like a pair of deep-blue eyes peering out from the desert floor and are one of the area’s most photographed sites.
Situated southeast of Santiago’s tourist center, Barrio Italia beckons visitors with its creative flair and lively atmosphere. Once a hub for Italian immigrants, this increasingly trendy neighborhood has become a paradise for art enthusiasts, fashionistas, and food lovers alike, offering a diverse blend of boutiques, galleries, cafés, and antique stores.
Nestled between the shores of the Pacific Ocean and cascading sand dunes, the coastal town of Concón, Chile, offers an accessible escape from Santiago or Valparaiso. Between its pristine beaches, vibrant nightlife, and natural attractions, Concón can be a relaxed getaway or a jumping-off point for adventure.
Though Santiago's historical district boast many architecturally outstanding buildings, most were built or refurbished in the early 1900s, well after the Spanish Colonial period. The Red House - or Casa Colorada - is a fine exception. It's no mystery why this squat stone structure has survived Santiago's tectonic history of earthquakes (and the gas-lamp fires that inevitably followed) intact. Originally completed in 1779 as the home of "Count of the Conquest" Don Mateo de Toro y Zambrano, it has served as a salon for Chile's politicians and VIPs for centuries. Today, the Casa's thick-walled corridors and sturdy rooms are home to the Museo de Santiago, a solid museum featuring dioramas about key moments in the Chilean history. Please note: The Red House (Casa Colorada) is closed for renovation.
The brainchild of brothers Hernan and Eduardo Gras, and partner Cristian Hartwig, MontGras Winery opened in 1993. Using state-of-the-art technology, the award-winning winery is best known for its full-bodied syrah, malbec, carmenere, and cabernet sauvignon wines.
In spite of its ominous name, the Channel of Last Hope (Ultima Esperanza is a calm inlet stretching from Eberhard Fjord to Monte Balmaceda in Chilean Patagonia. The 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ladrillero gave it its name in the belief that navigating it was his last opportunity to reach the Strait of Magellan.
One of two snow-capped volcanic cones rising above the town of Puerto Varas on the shores of Lake Llanquihue, Cabulco is also one of Chile’s most active volcanoes. Cabulco has had 36 confirmed eruptions, 13 of them since 1893. While not a perfect cone like neighboring Osorno Volcano, the sight of Calbuco is equally magnificent.
Stretching over 745 miles (1,200 kilometers), Carretera Austral, Chile's legendary Southern Highway, takes travelers through unparalleled landscapes, from majestic mountains to crystal-clear lakes and dense forests. A wide range of outdoor and cultural activities make it a Patagonian dream come true for nature lovers and thrillseekers alike.
Valparaiso Cruise Port is the gateway to UNESCO-listed Valparaiso and the coastal resort of Vina del Mar. Sometimes referred to as Little San Francisco due to its hilly streets, Valpo—as it's known to locals—was once a popular stopover for ships traversing the Straits of Magellan between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Founded in 1893 by Salesian missionaries, the Maggiorino Borgatello Salesian Museum preserves and offers insights into the cultural and environmental history of southern Chile’s Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region (also known as the Magallanes Region). It’s the third-oldest museum in the country.
After hiking through Pucón’s national parks, the Termas Geométricas are the perfect place to soothe aching muscles. Part of Villarrica National Park, the naturally heated and cooled pools are shrouded by native forest interspersed by waterfalls and natural springs, and connected by red wooden walkways.
Reigning supreme over Southern Chile, the 3,500-year-old Villarrica Volcano is an active volcano home to a 1.2-mile (2-kilometer) wide crater that spurts huge clouds of smoke and vivid orange lava. At its foot is Villarrica Lake, around which several lovely towns offer stunning views of the volcano and serve as the perfect base for climbing, hiking, skiing, and watersports.
Established in 1820 and housing nearly two million burials, the General Cemetery of Santiago (Cementerio General de Santiago) is both the largest and oldest cemetery in the country. With rows of ornate sculptures and mausoleums broken up by gardens of palm trees, a walk through the cemetery may as well be a lesson on the stylistic evolution of architecture itself, in addition to being a memorial.
Museo Interactivo Mirador combines fun and education in more than 350 interactive science, art, and technology exhibits. You can also enjoy a workshop, a live demo, or a 3D film, before grabbing lunch at one of the on-site cafés or strolling the expansive gardens.
This lavish and well-preserved mansion symbolizes the wealth and power of the influential Braun-Menéndez family during Patagonia’s Golden Age. Designed by French architect Antoine Beaulier in 1903, the former residence-turned-museum is home to a collection of artifacts exploring the history and culture of the Magallanes region, as well as fine furniture, tapestries, and statues.
Despite its altitude and aridity, the Atacama Desert has hosted human settlement for thousands of years. The ruins of the village of Tulor are one of the most tantalizing archaeological clues left behind by some of the earliest peoples in the region. As one of the oldest archaeological sites in Chile, it dates back to 300 BC, according to carbon dating.
The largest of the South Shetland Islands, King George Island (Isla Rey Jorge) is the first stop for many travelers making their way to Antarctica. Its scenic bays—which include Maxwell, Admiralty, and King George Bays—are home to much of the unique wildlife and scenery that draws intrepid travelers to the frozen south.
In the heart of the Casablanca wine country, Estancia El Cuadro is a winery, event center, and getaway all rolled into one. You can come for a wine tour, dine on Chilean fare at the restaurant, or simply roam the walking trails that surround the property.
The Chilean building boom of the late 1800s, spurred by rising silver, copper, and nitrite prices worldwide, inspired some of the city's most marvelous architecture. Grand palaces were built with neoclassical facades fashionably adorned with baroque and art nouveau touches. The finest of them all is located in the heart of the Calle Dieciocho neighborhood: the Cousiño Palace.
Unforgiving winds, rugged coastline, and narrow passages made the Strait of Magellan one of the most deadly channels for early explorers of South America. Luckily, modern cruise ship technology means today’s travelers can safely cross the strait for a scenic voyage past rocky fjords, forested islands, and glaciers that spill into the sea.
Comprising ancient glaciers, fjords, and icy islands, Laguna San Rafael National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve in the remote depths of Chilean Patagonia. The park's star attraction is the 30,000-year-old San Valentín glacier, which you can get close to on a Zodiac boat ride.
Presided over by the mighty Villarrica Volcano, Villarrica National Park is one of central Chile’s natural highlights. Waterfalls, caves, rivers, and forests comprise the pristine landscapes of this national park, which is also home to rare species such as pumas, red foxes, and mountain monkeys. The charming town of Pucón serves as the gateway.
Located on the Strait of Magellan, near the southern tip of Chile, Punta Arenas is a port of call for South American cruises and a departure point for Antarctica expeditions. Punta Arenas is best known as the gateway to southern Patagonia including Torres del Paine National Park and El Chalten and its proximity to the penguin colony at Isla Magdalena.
Famed for its colony of adorable Magellanic penguins, Otway Sound (Seno Otway) houses one of the most easily visited penguin preserves in the world. In September, thousands of the smallish warm-weather penguins—all of them couples—make their way to this large inland bay in southern Chile and begin building nests.
Esmeralda Corvette Museum (Museo Corbeta Esmeralda) is a full-scale representation of the Chilean corvette Esmeralda, a small warship that was sunk in the 1879 naval Battle of Iquique during the War of the Pacific between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance. A popular attraction, it offers visitors an immersion in Chilean history.
