FERNWAYER'S GUIDE TO CHILE

Chileans often joke that they don’t need a passport to see the world. Likely that’s because the world’s skinniest country is one of the most diverse. 

From the driest desert on Earth to the frosty southern fjords, Chile stretches a little over 2,600 miles – almost as long as the United States is wide. Despite crossing nearly 40 degrees of latitude, Chile’s widest point is only 217 miles. Bounded to the west by the ferocious Pacific Ocean and to the east by the Andes, Chile’s interiors are riddled with temperate rainforests and volcanoes.

Diversity isn’t limited to geography: Chilean cities offer a distinct experience fusing Indigenous heritage with Spanish and European influences. Even the language deviates. So why visit? Read on to find out.

Best Things To Do in Chile

Chile can feel as European as it can Indigenous, offering a mix of modern innovation and ancient traditions matched by few places in Latin America. As much for the modernist as it is for the antiquarian, for the poet as it is for the athlete, these are some of our favorite experiences in Chile.

1. Explore natural wonders

The Atacama Desert shocks through Martian valleys, thermal pools, saline lakes, geysers, and salt flats where Andean, Chilean, and James flamingos wade. Tours depart from the adobe town of San Pedro de Atacama: self-driving in the desolate Altiplano is risky. 

An arid environment, high altitude, and thin air adds out-of-this-world stargazing. Local astronomers run camps on the outskirts of town while the Elquí Valley is studded with observatories. This green oasis is part of Chile’s “Little North” (Norte Chico) where the lower Atacama is freshened by the Pacific Ocean and a rare desert bloom in Llanos de Challe National Park follows a rainy winter.

Chile’s environment shifts in Los Ríos and Los Lagos where Valdivian evergreen forests cradle lagoons and volcanoes – you can thank those for the thermal hot springs.

The southernmost regions of Aysén and Magallanes are, literally, the polar opposite of the Atacama. Chilean Patagonia is where you’ll find the granite peaks and glacial lakes of Torres del Paine National Park. Hiking the world-famous W and O treks brings the possibility of spotting pumas and the guarantee of seeing guanacos. 

Rest your feet on a boat ride through the Marble Cathedral cave system where erosion has sculpted natural chapels. Nearby, the Laguna San Rafael biosphere preserves the Northern Patagonian Ice Field. Chungungos (sea otters) and Huemul (Andean deer) are among the fauna species. 

2. Experience a modern mountain capital and artistic cities

There’s no escaping the wilderness, even in Chile’s sprawling capital. Santiago sits at the foot of the Andes with Cerro San Cristóbal granting incredible mountain views. On limited time, prioritize the Museum of Memory and Human Rights – a sobering but important education in recent history – and neighborhood forays. 

Lastarria is flooded with second-hand bookstalls, handmade gifts, and fashion from upcoming Chilean designers. At the heart of the neighborhood, the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center hosts free and ticketed art exhibits. Barrio Italia is a cherished enclave for finding authentic Italian fare amid antique stores and carpentry workshops. 

The freshly regenerated Franklin Factory is a buzzy new hotspot for microbreweries, distilleries, and music.

Further afield, the artsy seaport Valparaíso breathes poetry, creativity, and bohemia. Concepción offers a glimpse into mining history at the Lota Mining Circuit and has a history of cultivating Chilean rock bands including Los Tres and Los Bunkers. Valdivia is Chile’s unofficial craft beer capital with a non-stop events calendar.

3. Dive into a bounty of seafood

Asado is the backbone of Chilean cuisine but seafood is cornerstone. Flowing towards the equator from Antarctica, the upwelling Humboldt Current sees Chile rank as a top ten fishing nation particularly for salmon and the versatile white fish of merluza and reineta which is served fried, baked, and tossed in ceviche.

Start with machas a la parmesana (clams baked with parmesan) – a specialty in Viña del Mar. Empanadas stuffed with ostiones (Chilean scallops) are prized throughout the Valparaíso Region while locos (Chilean abalones) are a premium mollusk subject to strict fishing regulations. They’re usually topped with mayonnaise although I’d suggest eating them drizzled with lemon juice.

Chupe indicates a cheese-thickened stew padded out with camarones (prawns) or mariscos (mixed shellfish). Chile’s secret ingredient, merkén – a smoky spice, is the star of a good chupe. Pastel de jaiba is a creamy casserole prepared with crabmeat and served in a greda (clay pot). If you tire of seafood, try pastel de choclo – a corn equivalent made with minced meat or mushrooms.

Empanadas de pino are the quintessentially Chilean street eat where the dough is stuffed with ground beef, hard-boiled eggs, and an olive – mind the pit. Also watch out for street vendors serving sopaipillas (fried pumpkin rounds) with a dollop of pebre (Chilean salsa). 

Once (pronounced “on-say”) is an afternoon snack of sandwiches, cake, and hot beverages. Never rush a meal; sobre mesa is alive and well in Chile!

4. Uncork the stories of Chilean wine 

Chile’s vineyards snake their way across the coastal valleys and Andean foothills. The Maipo and Colchagua valleys in the Central Valley Region are behind Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère – the vino tinto of choice among Chileans. These Bordeaux-originated grapes are peppery on the nose with fruity undertones.

Reds also dominate the mountainous Aconcagua Valley, named for its proximity to the highest peak in the Americas. Being a touch nearer the Pacific, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay flourish in the Casablanca Valley. The sandy soils of this younger extension to the Aconcagua Region are nourished by the Humboldt Current’s cooling influences.

Wineries and vineyards are visited from Santiago, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar with experiences including cycling and horseback riding. Itineraries generally include a large estate such as Concha y Toro and a boutique producer. Others, such as Vik, offer luxury lodging.

5. Taste other traditional beverages 

Wine isn’t the only beverage on the table! Pisco is produced in the Elquí Valley by distilling wine from, ordinarily, Muscat grapes. It’s the star ingredient of the piscola, Chile’s most commonly consumed cocktail, and pisco sour, a refreshing lemony aperitif. Note that measures are generous in Chile.

Cola de mono is Chile’s Christmas tipple. Milk, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon are brewed to create an aromatic base which is chilled before being topped up with pisco (or served virgin) on Christmas Eve. And why the name, “monkey’s tail”? Nobody knows, but everyone has a theory. 

Mote con huesillos is a sweet non-alcoholic drink combining husked wheat and peaches that are cooled prior to serving. This syrupy drink is traditionally drunk atop Cerro San Cristóbal and sold by street vendors in summer. 

One you won’t forget, terremotos are a concoction of pipeño wine, grenadine, and pineapple ice cream. “Earthquake” cocktails are drunk with abandon during Fiestas Patrias when the whole country erupts with street parties and family barbecues. Their origin is tentatively linked to the aftermath of the 1985 Valparaíso earthquake but, either way, they’re named for the quivering effect they leave on your legs. Fortunately, terremotos are also available as virgin cocktails.

6. Fall into rhythm in the “Nation of Poets” 

Gabriela Mistral cast a beam on Chile’s poetry prowess when she became the first Latin American to scoop a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945. Chile’s second recipient, Pablo Neruda, credits Mistral for igniting his passion for literature. 

Two of Neruda’s houses are located in the Valparaíso region and visiting lets you experience the coast from a poet’s perspective. From La Sebastiana, Neruda could see all of the port city from his fifth-floor office while his Isla Negra beach house sits directly on the sand. 

Vicente Huidobro's house museum in Cartagena preserves the legacy of the father of Creationism and nurtures new talent. Plans are afoot to turn the home physicist and “anti-poet” Nicanor Parra (brother of the folklorist Violeta Parra) into a cultural center in Las Cruces.

Visitable from Valparaíso, this string of coastal towns and its untouched scenery is known as El Litoral de los Poetas (the Coast of Poets). The port city remains an epicenter for creatives and poetry is prevalent at book stores and through street art and festivals across the country. 

7. Connect with Indigenous cultures

Santiago’s Museum of Pre-Columbian Art is the gateway for learning about Chile’s Indigenous people of which 11 groups are recognized.

The Biobío, Los Ríos, Los Lagos, and Araucania regions are the heartland of the Mapuche people. Restaurants and markets in the lakeside towns of Villarrica and Pucón honor traditional Mapuche recipes and crafts. Both have small community museums preserving the stories and lore.

It’s also possible to visit one of the last remaining ruka – traditional Mapuche homes – and learn about how the people (che) of the earth (mapu) work with plants. Most function as cultural centers and it’s possible to sleep in a ruka-inspired homestay through Peuma Ñuke.

Indigenous New Year is celebrated on the June solstice with major We Tripantu celebrations in Araucanía and the northernmost city, Arica. This is the gateway to Lauca National Park where Quechua and Aymara people uphold Indigenous customs relating to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

8. Learn to speak “Chilean” Spanish

¿Hablas español? Knowing the basics will put you in excellent stead as English isn’t widely spoken. However, Chileans speak the most divergent form of Spanish – and it’s a source of national pride.

Chileans speak at the speed of lightning, elongating their words and peppering their talk with chilenismos (Chilean slang). ¿Cachai? at the end of a sentence is a means of checking understanding. Weón (pronounced “way-on”) has multiple uses depending on the context. Using the noun incorrectly might lose you a friend, using it correctly will gain you one for life.

Most endearingly, Chileans deploy the diminutive (-ito and -ita) with abundance. You’ll never be offered a cup of café or té but rather a cafécita or técito. Even the largest dog is greeted as un/a perrito/a. 

Flora and fauna names have roots in Mapuche, Quechua, and Aymara languages. The modern-day term carpa comes from a Quechua word for nature immersion. Pololo/a (boyfriend/girlfriend) derives from a Mapudungún verb for bugs “flying around”. 

9. Cast away to intriguing islands

Twenty minutes by ferry and an attainable day trip from Puerto Montt, Chiloé is an easier option than Rapa Nui for an island getaway.

Over half of the island is consumed by rainforest with one trail weaving its way to the Dock of Souls (Muelle De Las Almas) from where spirits depart. Chiloé has its own mythology unique to the island which you’ll encounter at village craft fairs.  Furthermore, Puñihuil is the only place in the world where Humboldt and Magellanic penguins live side by side. 

Islanders historically lived in palafitos, wooden homes on stilts with a lower level used for fishing and boat maintenance. Several of these are rented as vacation homes and there are lookouts for convenient viewing.

Try curanto, the Chilote specialty where shellfish, meat, and chapaleles (potato dumplings) topped with nalca (Chilean rhubarb) are cooked in hot stones under the ground. It’s a meal to linger over while you learn about La Pincoya, the dancing mermaid, and Caleuche, the phantom ship responsible for Chiloé’s persistent sea mist.

10. Pore over textiles and pottery inspired by Pachamama

Andean and rural communities in Chile uphold traditional loom weaving. Alpaca and llama wool is colored with plant-based dyes and spun into sweaters (chombas), ponchos, blankets, hats, scarves, and toys depicting animals and Indigenous motifs relating to Pachamama.

Alpacas yield the softest wool and these durable jumpers are ideal for the coldest regions as well as breezy summer evenings. Chileans wear chombas with pride: they’re not just for tourists!

Visit the mountain town of Pomaire to browse and purchase the earthenware pottery prevalent in every Chilean kitchen. Chanchitos, clay pigs symbolizing friendship, are the most portable choice of souvenirs.

Passed down through families, weaving and pottery represents community in Chile. Chilote lore says that when knitting needles touch, it symbolizes lifelong friendship. Meanwhile, the Pomaire community upholds techniques established by the Diaguita, Quechua, and Aymara people.

Chile’s high season falls during the Southern Hemisphere summer: December, January, and February. Late spring (October/November) and early fall (March) bring pleasant weather conditions and fewer crowds. 

Central Chile and the Atacama Desert are year-round destinations although tourist hubs swell in January/February. Patagonian tourism dwindles in fall with parks closing between May and October. 

Los Lagos and Los Ríos are the rainiest parts of Chile. Winter (June through August) is the wettest season and can derail plans for trekking, mountaineering, and rafting.

February

Join the Viña del Mar Music Festival or the Andean Sun Carnival in Arica.

February

Join the Viña del Mar Music Festival or the Andean Sun Carnival in Arica.

March to May

Experience Chile’s grape harvest at vendimias festivals.

March to May

Experience Chile’s grape harvest at vendimias festivals.

July to August

Winter is the best time for Milky Way sightings in the Atacama Desert.

July to August

Winter is the best time for Milky Way sightings in the Atacama Desert.

September

Join the Fiestas Patrias to see chinchinero drumming and cueca dancing.

September

Join the Fiestas Patrias to see chinchinero drumming and cueca dancing.

October

October is the best time to see the rare desert bloom in Chico Norte.

October

October is the best time to see the rare desert bloom in Chico Norte.

November

Visit Torres del Paine ahead of peak summer season.

November

Visit Torres del Paine ahead of peak summer season.