Best Things to Do in Chile

The Altiplanic Lagoons of northern Chile's Atacama Region are among South America's most visually spectacular high-altitude destinations, a series of vividly colored lakes scattered across volcanic plateaus above 4,000 meters elevation within the Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos. The most celebrated of these is Laguna Miscanti, a deep sapphire lake nestled below the cone of the Miscanti volcano, paired with the smaller Laguna Miñiques immediately to the south. The intense color of these waters results from mineral content and the angle of high-altitude sunlight filtering through exceptionally thin, clear air. All three species of Chilean flamingos — Chilean, Andean, and James's — breed and feed along the lagoon shores, their pink plumage vivid against the turquoise water and bleached salt margins. The surrounding plateau of the Altiplano stretches to the horizon in every direction, a treeless, windswept world of volcanic cones, yellow paja brava grasses, and ancient lava flows. Wildlife encounters here can also include viscachas, vizcachas, and Andean foxes moving through the bofedal wetlands. The lagoons are typically visited on day tours from San Pedro de Atacama, with acclimatization to altitude strongly advised before the journey.

Ana Kai Tangata is one of Easter Island's most evocative and mysterious natural sites, a sea cave cut into the volcanic cliffs near the southwestern coast of Rapa Nui, accessible by a short walk from Hanga Roa. The cave's name translates from Rapa Nui as 'the place where men are eaten' — a name that has fueled longstanding speculation about cannibalistic practices on the island, though modern scholars treat this etymology with significant caution and multiple alternative interpretations exist. What makes Ana Kai Tangata unmissable is the remarkable prehistoric rock art on its ceiling: fragile red and white paintings depicting the manutara sooty tern, the sacred bird at the center of Rapa Nui's annual Birdman competition that determined the island's ruling chief each year. Waves surge into the cave's mouth, creating dramatic acoustics and sea spray that catch the light beautifully at certain hours. The paintings are gradually deteriorating due to salt air and moisture, adding urgency to each visit. Access is free and unguarded, and the site is best visited at low tide when the full cave interior is accessible and the ocean art visible without obstruction from incoming waves.

Anakena Beach is Easter Island's most celebrated stretch of white coral sand, tucked within a sheltered bay on the island's northern coast and considered one of the most remote tropical beaches in the world. According to Rapa Nui oral tradition, Anakena was the landing site of the island's founding chief, Hotu Matu'a, who led the first Polynesian settlers to this tiny Pacific outpost over a thousand years ago. The beach is flanked on its grassy inland edge by two significant ahu platforms: Ahu Nau Nau, which features seven moai statues — several still bearing their distinctive topknot red scoria — and Ahu Ature Huki, site of the very first moai re-erection on the island in 1956, accomplished by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl using only ropes and wooden levers. Swimming and snorkeling in the bay's calm turquoise waters attract visitors seeking respite from the island's more intense archaeological touring. Palm trees fringe the shoreline, providing shade for picnics, and a small café serves refreshments near the beach's park entrance. Anakena beautifully combines Rapa Nui's ancient cultural significance with genuinely gorgeous natural scenery.

Angelmo is Puerto Montt's legendary waterfront market district, a dense, chaotic, and utterly captivating stretch of fishing wharves, seafood restaurants, and artisan craft stalls that has defined the port city's commercial character for generations. Located on the eastern edge of Puerto Montt's bay in the Los Lagos Region of Chilean Patagonia, Angelmo serves as the de facto gateway to the Chilean Lake District and the archipelagos of Chiloé. The seafood here is extraordinary — fresh curanto, giant king crab legs, locos (Chilean abalone), sea urchin, smoked salmon, and dozens of native shellfish species are served at long communal tables in rustic waterfront comedores where locals and travelers eat side by side. The adjacent craft market overflows with Chilota woolens, carved wood figures, dried flowers, and mythological chivato figurines drawn from Chiloé's rich folklore traditions. Ferries depart from Angelmo for Chiloé Island and the remote fjords of the Aysén Region, making it a natural embarkation point for some of Chile's most adventurous travel routes. The market operates daily and is most alive in the early morning when fishing boats unload their overnight catch directly onto the dock.

Aquamundo Aquarium is Santiago de Chile's principal marine education facility, located along Avenida Viel in the city's Quinta Normal cultural park complex. The aquarium focuses primarily on the extraordinary marine biodiversity of Chile's exceptionally long Pacific coastline — one of the world's most productive oceanic ecosystems, shaped by the cold Humboldt Current — and its exhibits bring visitors face-to-face with species rarely seen outside Chilean waters. Highlights include large tank displays featuring Chilean seahorses, giant Pacific octopus, moray eels, sea turtles, and schooling fish native to the Humboldt Current system. Interactive touch pools allow younger visitors to gently handle sea stars, urchins, and other intertidal species under staff supervision. A section dedicated to freshwater ecosystems of Chilean Patagonia introduces visitors to native trout species, river otters, and the remarkable fish diversity of Andean lakes and rivers. Educational programming for school groups and families emphasizes conservation awareness and the threats facing Chilean marine environments from overfishing and ocean warming. Aquamundo is compact enough for a comfortable two-hour visit and pairs naturally with the adjacent Museo de Historia Natural and the broader Parque Quinta Normal for a full cultural afternoon.

The Arrayanes Forest — locally known as Bosque de Arrayanes — is a singularly enchanting woodland within Los Arrayanes National Park on the Quetrihue Peninsula in Argentina's Neuquén Province. The forest is composed almost entirely of arrayán trees (Luma apiculata), a myrtle species whose most striking feature is its impossibly smooth, cinnamon-colored bark that glows warm amber in afternoon sunlight. Arrayán trees are extraordinarily slow-growing, and the specimens here are among the oldest and largest in the world, with gnarled trunks twisting upward to heights rarely seen for this species. The forest is only accessible by boat across Lake Nahuel Huapi from Villa La Angostura, or by a 12-kilometer trail on foot, both of which add to the sense of arriving somewhere truly remote and protected. Walt Disney reportedly drew inspiration from this forest during a 1941 visit to Argentina, incorporating its dreamlike quality into the visual language of Bambi. The ethereal light filtering through the red-barked canopy creates a photographic experience unlike anything else in South American nature. Walking through the grove remains entirely silent and unhurried, with boardwalks protecting the delicate root systems of these remarkable trees.

Ascensor Concepción is one of Valparaíso's oldest and most atmospheric funicular elevators, operating since 1883 and connecting the lower city near Esmeralda Street to the hilltop neighborhood of Cerro Concepción — one of the cerros most celebrated for its bohemian cafés, boutique guesthouses, and outstanding Pacific Ocean views. The funicular's wooden carriages creak pleasantly as they ascend a near-vertical wooden trestle structure that has been repaired and reinforced many times over its 140-year history. At the summit, visitors emerge into a tranquil residential world of painted Victorian houses, flowering bougainvillea, and murals covering garden walls from pavement to roofline. Cerro Concepción is home to the beloved Café con Piernas tradition and several of Valparaíso's finest restaurants and wine bars tucked into repurposed historic buildings. The viewpoint at the top of the ascensor offers sweeping panoramas over the bay, cargo port, and surrounding hillsides that make the brief ride entirely worthwhile. Ascensor Concepción is one of the few funiculars in Valparaíso that operates with reliable consistency, though visitors should always confirm operating hours locally before planning their day around it.

Ascensor El Peral is one of Valparaíso's most iconic funicular elevators, connecting the lower port district near the Plaza de Justicia to the residential hilltop neighborhoods that define this UNESCO-listed city's distinctive character. Built in 1902, the El Peral ascensor is a beautifully preserved piece of Victorian engineering, its wooden cabins counterbalancing each other as they creep up and down a steep incline of roughly 52 percent gradient. At the top, visitors step out into a quieter residential world of brightly painted houses, ocean-view terraces, and the charming Municipal Fine Arts Museum, housed in a neoclassical building overlooking the Pacific. The journey itself lasts barely a minute, but the views of Valparaíso's harbor, colorful hillside murals, and industrial port below are genuinely breathtaking. El Peral remains an active part of daily life for local residents, not merely a tourist attraction, giving riders an authentic glimpse into how porteños navigate their dramatically vertical city. The funicular is remarkably affordable, and combining it with a walk along the upper cerros is among the most rewarding ways to explore Valparaíso beyond the well-trodden cerro Alegre circuit.

The Atacama Desert is one of the driest and most otherworldly landscapes on Earth, stretching across northern Chile's Antofagasta Region between the Pacific Ocean and the towering Andes. Averaging barely 15 millimeters of rainfall per year, the Atacama is frequently described as the closest terrestrial analog to Mars — a comparison validated when NASA scientists used its soil to test life-detection instruments for planetary rovers. Yet far from being barren, the desert conceals an astonishing variety of landscapes: vast salt flats shimmering under high-altitude sunlight, turquoise lagoons fringed with pink flamingos, geyser fields erupting at dawn, and valleys of eroded rock formations glowing crimson at sunset. The town of San Pedro de Atacama serves as the primary base for exploration, offering tours to the Valley of the Moon, El Tatio geysers, and the Salar de Atacama. Stargazing here is extraordinary — the Atacama hosts some of the world's most powerful observatories precisely because its clear, unpolluted skies offer over 300 cloudless nights annually. Adventure activities range from sandboarding and mountain biking to multi-day trekking expeditions toward high-altitude peaks and volcanic crater lakes.

The Atacama Salt Flats — Salar de Atacama — constitute South America's third-largest salt flat and one of the continent's most strikingly surreal landscapes, spreading across a vast inland basin in northern Chile's Antofagasta Region. Covering approximately 3,000 square kilometers at an elevation of 2,300 meters, the salar is formed by mineral-rich brines that rise from deep aquifers and evaporate under the intense Atacama sun, leaving behind thick crusts of halite, lithium, boron, and potassium. Chile holds roughly 40 percent of the world's identified lithium reserves beneath this salt flat, making it a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition. At the salar's southern edge, the Laguna Chaxa within the Los Flamencos National Reserve shelters populations of all three Chilean flamingo species — Chilean, Andean, and James's — wading through shallow pink-tinted brine pools with the snow-capped volcanoes of the Andes as a backdrop. The play of light across the salt crust changes dramatically through the day, from brilliant white at noon to deep gold and violet at dusk. Organized tours from San Pedro de Atacama include guides who contextualize both the ecological fragility and geological significance of this extraordinary place.

Perched majestically on a cerro overlooking Valparau00edsou2019s vibrant bay, Baburizza Palace is a testament to European elegance transplanted to the Pacific coast. This architectural gem, built in 1916 for the Croatian merchant Pascual Baburizza, stands as one of Chile’s finest examples of Art Nouveau and Secessionist styles. Its intricate facades, adorned with allegorical figures and delicate ironwork, hint at the opulent interiors within, offering a captivating glimpse into the city’s prosperous past.

The most striking experience is undoubtedly exploring the palaceu2019s meticulously preserved rooms, now home to the Valparau00edso Museum of Fine Arts. Imagine the grandeur as you ascend the sweeping central staircase, admiring original stained glass and rich wood paneling. Each gallery space, once a lavish salon or private chamber, now frames significant works of Chilean and European art, creating a unique dialogue between the historical setting and the artistic masterpieces it houses. The panoramic views of the port city from its balconies are simply breathtaking.

To truly appreciate Baburizza Palace, plan your visit for a clear morning, when the sunlight illuminates its vibrant exterior and the bay sparkles below. Allow ample time to wander through each floor, absorbing both the art and the architectural details. Consider pairing your visit with a ride on a nearby *ascensor* (funicular) for an authentic Valparau00edso experience, making the journey to the palace itself part of the adventure.

Leaving Baburizza Palace, visitors carry more than just memories of beautiful art; they take with them an intimate understanding of Valparau00edso’s golden age. The palace embodies the city’s unique blend of European influence and Chilean spirit, a cultural landmark that continues to inspire. Itu2019s a vivid story told through architecture and art, a lingering echo of a bygone era that resonates deeply with every guest.

Barrio Italia is Santiago's most creatively energetic neighborhood, a compact district of early 20th-century residential architecture that has reinvented itself over the past two decades as the city's premier destination for independent design, artisan food, and contemporary culture. The barrio takes its name from the Italian immigrant community that settled here in the early 1900s, and traces of that heritage survive in family-run delis, Italian pastry shops, and the names of local streets and businesses. Today, Barrio Italia is defined by its extraordinary density of vintage and antique furniture shops, independent design studios, craft breweries, specialty coffee roasters, and farm-to-table restaurants occupying lovingly restored townhouses. Avenida Italia and Avenida Condell form the twin axes of this creative hub, lined on weekends with market stalls and filled with a relaxed, artistically inclined crowd browsing, lunching, and gallery-hopping. The neighborhood hosts the celebrated Feria de Diseño design market regularly, drawing emerging Chilean designers and collectors from across the city. Barrio Italia rewards aimless wandering and represents an authentically local counterpoint to the more tourist-oriented experiences found elsewhere in Santiago.

Barrio Lastarria is Santiago's most refined cultural quarter, a compact enclave of 19th-century architecture, bookshops, independent cinemas, and open-air antique markets clustered around the Plaza Mulato Gil de Castro. Named after the Chilean intellectual José Victorino Lastarria, the neighborhood has long attracted writers, artists, and academics who fill its café terraces with animated conversation. The area sits adjacent to the Parque Forestal and the fine collection of the Museo de Bellas Artes, making it natural to combine a cultural stroll through the barrio with an afternoon of world-class art. Boutique restaurants here emphasize quality ingredients and creative menus — from Peruvian-Chilean fusion to refined French bistro cooking — making Lastarria one of the city's premier dining destinations. Weekend antique fairs attract collectors and curious browsers hunting through vintage Chilean postcards, silverwork, and mid-century furniture. Architecture enthusiasts appreciate the neighborhood's well-preserved early 20th-century facades, ornate ironwork balconies, and intimate courtyards hidden behind thick colonial-era walls. Barrio Lastarria rewards slow exploration and represents a thoughtful, unhurried alternative to Santiago's larger commercial districts.

Baños Colinas is a collection of natural thermal hot springs set dramatically within a high-altitude mountain valley in the Cajón del Maipo region of the Metropolitan Region, roughly 90 kilometers southeast of Santiago. The springs emerge from geothermal activity deep beneath the Andes at temperatures reaching 36–40°C, filling a series of natural rock pools alongside a glacier-fed river whose icy rush provides a classic thermal contrast experience beloved by Chilean bathers. The setting is extraordinary: jagged Andean peaks tower on all sides, snow fields visible even in summer months, while the thermal pools sit on an open plain surrounded by volcanic rock and sparse high-altitude vegetation. Access requires navigating a long dirt road through the canyon's upper reaches, adding a sense of genuine remoteness to the experience. Facilities are intentionally basic — changing areas and a small admission booth constitute the infrastructure — preserving the natural character that makes Baños Colinas special compared to more developed spa destinations. The drive itself through the upper Cajón del Maipo is spectacular, passing through the Embalse El Yeso reservoir and moonscape terrain before reaching the springs. Visiting in the morning on a weekday avoids peak weekend crowds significantly.

Tucked into the upper reaches of the Maipo Canyon southeast of Santiago, Baños Morales is a small thermal village that serves as a gateway to some of the most dramatic high-altitude terrain in Chile’s Metropolitan Region. Sitting at around 1,800 metres above sea level, the settlement offers natural hot spring pools alongside trails leading deeper into the Andes, including routes toward the glaciated peaks of the Monumento Natural El Morado just beyond.

The thermal baths themselves are simple and unpretentious—outdoor pools fed by warm mineral water, with mountain views across the narrow valley. The more ambitious draw is the trail into El Morado, which climbs through rocky terrain and alpine scrub to a glacier-fed lagoon at the foot of the Morado massif. The hike takes a full day and involves significant elevation gain, but the reward is a close encounter with Andean glacial scenery rarely accessible without a longer mountaineering commitment.

The most reliable visiting window runs from November through April, when snow has cleared from the trails and the road into the canyon is open. The austral summer months of December through February bring the warmest temperatures and the longest days, ideal for the El Morado hike. Winter from May through September closes access entirely, as snow and ice make the upper valley impassable for ordinary vehicles.

Baños Morales lies approximately ninety-five kilometres from Santiago, reachable by a combination of bus from the Busterminal Cajón del Maipo and local transport from San José de Maipo. Weekend buses run directly in summer. The canyon road itself passes through San Alfonso and Lo Valdés, each offering their own appeal, making it easy to build a full day’s itinerary along the Maipo valley before returning to the capital in the evening.

Bellavista is Santiago's most vibrantly bohemian neighborhood, nestled at the foot of Cerro San Cristóbal between the Mapocho River and the hill's forested slopes. By day, its streets are decorated with elaborate murals, independent galleries, and artisan craft markets overflowing onto tree-shaded sidewalks. By night, Bellavista transforms completely into the city's undisputed epicenter of nightlife and dining, with hundreds of restaurants, bars, and live music venues packed tightly along Pío Nono Street and its surrounding blocks. The neighborhood is also home to La Chascona, one of Pablo Neruda's three beloved houses in Chile — now a museum honoring the Nobel laureate's eclectic tastes and remarkable poetry. Bellavista draws a diverse crowd of students, creatives, tourists, and longtime residents, creating a social energy that few other Latin American barrios can match. Chilean cuisine shines here in particular, with traditional dishes like pastel de choclo and cazuela alongside innovative modern interpretations by a new generation of chefs. The neighborhood is entirely walkable and connects naturally to Cerro San Cristóbal's trails and funicular for panoramic views over the city.

Cajón del Maipo is a spectacular Andean canyon stretching southeast from Santiago into the heart of Chile's Andes, offering some of the most accessible wilderness scenery in South America's Southern Cone. The Maipo River carves through dramatic gorges flanked by volcanic peaks, forest-covered slopes, and tiny highland villages where hot springs bubble up from geothermal activity far below the surface. Adventure travelers flock here for world-class white-water rafting, trekking, mountain biking, and horseback riding routes that penetrate deep into the cordillera. The small village of San José de Maipo serves as the canyon's gateway, providing reliable services for day-trippers and multi-day expeditions alike. Further into the canyon, Baños Morales and El Volcán offer rustic thermal baths and trailheads leading toward glaciers and high-altitude lagoons above 3,000 meters elevation. Wine lovers note that the canyon's lower reaches are also home to boutique vineyards benefiting from cool mountain air and volcanic soil. Cajón del Maipo is reachable within 90 minutes from Santiago by car or organized tour, making it the capital's ultimate weekend escape into raw Andean grandeur.

Calbuco Volcano rises dramatically above the islands and channels of Chile's Los Lagos Region, a stratovolcano whose snow-capped summit and symmetrical cone make it one of the most visually striking peaks in Patagonia. Located south of Puerto Montt near the city of Calbuco, the volcano gained international attention in April 2015 when it erupted for the first time in 43 years, sending a spectacular ash plume 15 kilometers into the atmosphere in two dramatic pulses over 24 hours. The eruption images — showing lightning crackling through the billowing ash cloud against a night sky over the lake-dotted landscape — became some of the most widely shared volcanic photography of the decade. Calbuco is classified as one of Chile's most dangerous volcanoes due to its proximity to inhabited areas and the explosive nature of its eruption style, and is monitored continuously by the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería. When dormant, the volcano's reflection appears in the calm waters of nearby lakes and channels, creating a classic Patagonian landscape composition beloved by photographers. Hiking on the volcano's slopes is possible with authorized guides during quiet periods, offering close-up views of lava fields, fumaroles, and the layered geology of this geological giant.

The Carretera Austral is one of the world's great road journeys — a 1,240-kilometer unpaved highway stretching through Chilean Patagonia from Puerto Montt in the Los Lagos Region southward into the remote wilderness of the Aysén Region. Conceived by General Augusto Pinochet and built largely by the Chilean Army Corps of Engineers between 1976 and 2000, the road was cut through terrain so rugged — glaciers, fjords, ancient forests, and sheer granite walls — that construction required extraordinary engineering feats and claimed numerous lives. Today, the Carretera Austral is a pilgrimage route for cyclists, motorcyclists, and 4WD overlanders who spend weeks traversing its length, passing through the dramatic landscapes of Parque Nacional Queulat, the hanging glacier at Ventisquero Colgante, and the turquoise waters of the Río Baker — Chile's most voluminous river. Small communities of settlers cling to river valleys along the route, offering simple accommodation and food to passing travelers. Road conditions vary significantly by season, with sections impassable during heavy winter rains. The ferry crossings required at several points — notably at Hornopirén and Caleta Gonzalo — add logistical adventure and breathtaking fjord scenery to an already unforgettable journey.

The Casablanca Valley is Chile's premier cool-climate wine region, located in the coastal hills of the Valparaíso Region roughly midway between Santiago and the port city of Valparaíso. Influenced by the cold Humboldt Current sweeping northward from Antarctica, the valley's maritime climate produces consistently elegant Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay with pronounced acidity and expressive aromatics that have earned global acclaim since the 1980s. Casablanca was a pioneer among Chilean wine regions in harnessing cool-climate viticulture, challenging the dominance of the warmer Maipo and Colchagua valleys that had previously defined Chilean wine internationally. Today, dozens of wineries welcome visitors for tastings, cellar tours, and vineyard lunches set against rolling hillsides blanketed in neatly trellised vines. Notable producers including Viña Casas del Bosque, William Cole, and Emiliana offer sophisticated tasting programs throughout the year. Pinot Noir has increasingly emerged as a Casablanca strength alongside the white varieties, adding further depth to the valley's portfolio. The region is easily visited as a day trip from Santiago or en route between the capital and Valparaíso, making it an ideal stop for any wine-focused Chile itinerary.

Casas del Bosque Vineyard, known formally as Viña Casas del Bosque, is one of the Casablanca Valley's most distinguished wineries, producing cool-climate wines that have earned consistent recognition among South America's finest estates. Established in 1993 on a former forest clearing in the coastal hills of Valparaíso Region, the vineyard quickly developed a reputation for benchmark Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay shaped by maritime influence and carefully managed yields. The winery's tasting room sits surrounded by 200 hectares of vines and offers structured tour-and-tasting experiences that walk visitors through the Casablanca Valley's distinctive terroir and winemaking philosophy. Premium selections under the Gran Reserva and Pequeñas Producciones labels demonstrate particular depth and complexity, drawing wine enthusiasts from across South America and beyond. An excellent on-site restaurant — Tanino — elevates the visitor experience further, pairing seasonal local ingredients with the vineyard's own wines in a setting overlooking the vine rows. Casas del Bosque is easily reached from both Santiago and Valparaíso, making it a natural anchor for a Casablanca wine day out. The estate welcomes visitors year-round with advance reservations recommended for restaurant dining.