Where to go in Chile

Deep in the southern half of the Chilean Patagonia, right on the border with Argentina, is Torres del Paine National Park. A UNESCO biosphere reserve, it’s a mesmerising reminder of nature at its technicolour best, from the emerald forests and ice-blue lagoons to brilliantly-white, snow-hatted massifs and teal grasslands. At the heart of the park is Cuernos del Paine, an enormous outcrop of granite towers and serrated peaks sliced apart by knife-sharp glaciers, whilst just beyond are the triple needles of Torres del Paine. Together, the outstanding scene not only capture the hearts of most who visit, but also provides the backdrop to some of the best walking and hiking in the world, be it 100-kilometre adventures or shorter treks to the beautiful lookout spots. It is, in fact, the only park in Patagonia that allows hut-to-hut hiking and, if it’s your cup of tea, the multi-day options are unparalleled. But, if you fancy leaving the hard work to someone else, there’s plenty on offer: hire a driver and 4WD to the highlights (the Grey Glacier, the French Valley and the three peaks of Las Torres), kayak on the glacial lakes, or horse-ride through the back country, spotting puma, guanaco and condors as you ride.

We’d hazard a guess that the arid Atacama is pretty high-up on most Chilean bucket-lists – and we wouldn’t argue with that. The Martian-like terrain of one of the driest places on the planet is not only spectacularly scenic but also surprising, exciting and an excellent playground for adventurers, wildlife enthusiasts and anyone with a camera. First up, the landscape. It’s everything you would expect a desert to be – rusty vastness, glinting salt pans, craggy rocks and weird, layer-cake formations – and a little bit more. We’re talking spurting, hissing geysers, flocks of candy-pink flamingo, oases and cacti-studded ravines, and a cast of wildlife that includes llamas, alpacas, vizcacha and, if you’re lucky, vicuñas. So, how to see and do it all? Handily a crop of dreamy, desert-chic hotels has recently cropped up in the outpost of San Pedro, the jumping-off point for most travellers, offering 4WD drives, fat-biking and geyser-hiking, sunset picnics, sand-boarding experiences, wildlife walks, and even horse-back rides. All are designed for minimum environmental impact – yet maximum visuals! – keeping this ethereal landscape just the way it should be.

Enigmatic, intriguing, mysterious, wilder-than-wild… Nope, none of the English language’s adjectives quite sums up the majesty of one of the world’s most incredible destinations, Easter Island or Rapa Nui. A teeny-tiny speck in an ocean of blue, 3,700-kilometres from Chile (and even further from Tahiti), the island has captured the hearts and minds of travellers for centuries, most of whom come to see the mysterious moai or stone faces. Strikingly-familiar from travel guides and magazines, there’s nothing quite like seeing the statues in the flesh; defying all gravity, they cling to hillocks, peer out from sandy coves and guard remote plains. Entrust a local guide to take you to the best spots, and when you’ve pondered enough, it’s time to explore. Hike volcanoes, cycle or horseback remote trails, visit ceremonial villages and discover lava tubes, or take to the water for scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing experiences that are extraordinarily good. Then, recharge the batteries and flop onto one of the archetypal Polynesian beaches, made all the more astonishing by the forbidding scenery you’ve just experienced.

In the frontier of South America, the vast spaces of the Chilean Patagonia are large – 1000 miles north to south to be exact – and the silence that fills them even larger. For a first-time visitor, the emptiness is astonishing and all part of the draw, but under the glaciers and chiselled landscapes are some of the continent’s best adventure activities. Outdoor thrills include trekking and hiking, boat trips, kayaking and canoeing, horse-back expeditions and even white-water rafting, all with an added smattering of wildlife: think pumas, guanacos (a kind of llama), vicunas, huemul deer and penguins (in some places). Practically-speaking, the area is split into a network of parks and reserves, some more accessible than others. In the north, Aysen is remote, wild and wonderful, whilst further south, iconic Torres del Paine is famous for its granite peaks and fabulous accommodation. Then there’s the Lake District: slightly less wild than its counterparts, the island archipelagos and glassy lagoons are magical and relaxing. So really, what we’re trying to say is that the Chilean Patagonia won’t let you down whichever area you choose to discover.

There aren’t many places in the world that can lay claim to balmy winters, summer skiing, alfresco jazz festivals and museum-hopping all in one go, but Santiago is one of them. Chile’s capital is culturally captivating and energetically glamorous yet still small enough to feel like home for a few days. And stay for those few days you must, for this is a city on the cusp of something wonderful. Let the eclectic neighbourhoods rule your wanderings: artier-than-thou Lastarria for strolling alongside museums and galleries, Bellavista for sidewalk eateries and hole-in-the-wall bars, and Barrio Italia for fabulous shopping. Sights-wise, even locals will tell you to visit the former home of poet and Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda, before ascending Cerros Santa Lucia for a 360-degree view of the city. Come night-time, you’ll realise just how seriously Santiago takes its food (and partying) and the gastronomic scene is alive and buzzing whether you choose a best-in-the-world restaurant or street market. Unless you want to eat alone, don’t book a table until after 9pm – plenty of time to enjoy a pisco as the sun goes down and ponder your next Chilean move…

Stretching across ‘Middle Chile,’ the Chilean wine region is a string of cultivated valleys garlanded with vines and watched over by the ever-present Andes. Mountain breezes, bright sunshine and elevated slopes guarantee exquisite chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, with grapes first appearing in the region thanks to the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. Spurred on by the arrival of French immigrants in the 20th, the region is now one of the largest and most important in the world. Just outside Santiago, visit Casablanca for a crisp chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, before getting into the big name reds – with even bigger flavours - in Colchagua. Centred around the city of Santa Cruz, these wineries are the stars of the Chilean wine show, with floating, glass-walled tasting rooms and plenty of fine-dining spots to soak up the wares on offer. Then, head to the Maipo Valley: home of the famous carmenere, it’s the second-oldest region in the country and probably the most famous, especially if merlot and cabernet sauvignon are your calling. And then there’s the Maule Valley, Rapel, Curicó, Aconcagua… Truly a varietal and a valley for all palettes.

Whether you appreciate the Lake District for its bucolic views and tranquil panoramas, or for the promise of adventure hidden beneath the snow-tipped mountains, we’re pretty certain you’ll fall for it. Settled by the Mapuche people long before the 16th century, it’s one of Chile’s most historically-rich regions and their noble respect for Mother Earth and nature is ever-apparent in the unspoilt surroundings. As the name suggests, an assortment of exquisite lakes characterise the region, their shores carpeted in forest and all overlooked by a volcano, each one fiercer than the last. In between, there are tiny villages dripping with charm and crystalline streams trickling through meadows and pastures, completing the chocolate-box scenery perfectly. Starting in the north, the lakeshore resort of Pucon is the home of the adventurist, with watersports-galore on Lake Villarrica and ample opportunities to climb volcanoes, hike and horse-ride. Further south, Puerto Varas is gentle and peaceful. Use it as a base to walk amongst the ancient trees of Alerce Andino National Park, explore the Germanic villages around Lake Llanquihue or boat out to Chiloé, a remote island of multi-coloured bungalows, listed churches and intriguing traditions that will stay with you for years to come.

The bottom half of the famous Carretera Austral highway meanders across one of Patagonia’s most varied landscapes and, at every turn, there’s another vista vying for your attention be it a classic mountain and glacier-studded snowscape, deep blue lakes, rainforest or brooding steppe. Add to that the sparkle of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field – and the ever-encroaching tip of its northern counterpart – and all the elements for a sublime, end-of-the-world escape are in attendance. It’s this variety that allows for world-class outdoor activities, including ice hiking and horseback riding, kayaking through the Marble Caves, and boating and fly-fishing amid the fjords and lagoons. Up the ante with a day of white water rafting or venture out to sea to catch a glimpse of dolphins, marine otters and sea lions.

Careering over a dozen hilltops, almost perfectly in the middle of the country’s vertiginous coastline, the city of Valparaíso is offbeat Chile through and through. In its 19th-century heyday as the long-awaited stopover for ships travelling East to West, British and European immigrants ensured that grand, Victorian houses were ten-a-penny. Cue the arrival of the thunder-stealing Panama Canal, however, and fortunes faded fast. Today, it’s a higgledy-piggledy maze of rainbow-coloured houses and constructions that tumble down over, up and around the cerros (hills), linked by clanking funiculars and wooden staircases. Poets, artists and writers have replaced the European gentry, their bohemian works displayed on walls and streets all over town, and students spill from the university, carefree and relaxed. Spend your days wandering the UNESCO-listed quarters, getting lost in the museums and handicraft shops and admiring the views. By night, tuck into ceviche overlooking the boats it probably came from, accompanied by a glass of red from the vines beyond. Some might say Valpo is unexpectedly charming, but actually, it’s really just.. charming.

Head north from Santiago and you'll arrive in the land of Pisco, a South American 'brandy' and crucial component in the beloved pisco sour cocktail. Pay a visit to one of the old pisqueras, where they still use traditional methods, including the oldest in the country, Los Nichos. It has long been debated whether Chile or Peru can claim it as their national drink, but a visit here may settle it in your mind at least… The conditions that make Elqui Valley perfect for Pisco making sound a lot like a recipe for an idyllic holiday with sun-drenched days, high-altitude hikes and clear, wide-open skies. And that brings us nicely to Elqui Valley's next claim to fame: stargazing. On hilltops throughout the valley, there is a collection of observatories, which reveal the secrets of the stars with incredible clarity.

A ferry-ride away from the Chilean coast, it's safe to say Chiloé Island is as pretty as a picture, especially when your first view of it comes in the form of brightly-painted stilted houses (palafitos) reflected in the breaking water. One of the oldest towns in Chile, Castro is a feast of history, traditional crafts and cuisine - including its specialty, curanto, a delicious mix of veggies, seafood and meats. The second largest island in South America, Chiloé is protected by its own National Park, and the marine life is - dare we say - more incredible than anything you'll see on land. On tranquil boat trips round the channels and coves, you can spy colonies of Magallenic and the rare Humboldt penguin, otters popping up from the water, and their larger counterparts, bottlenose and Risso's dolphins, fin and blue whales.

When you hear chatter about the 'Most Scenic Highway in the World', there should only be two words on your lips: road trip. This superlative title has been given to the Carretera Austral, a rugged, meandering route that spans 1,247 kilometres, and wants for nothing in the views department. The northern portion begins in Puerto Montt, winding through acres of thick forest and sprawling valleys, with ample opportunity to explore Chilean Patagonia's parks and reserves. Find yourself in the magnificent Futaleufu Reserve, famous for its iridescent river and some of the most thrilling rapids in the world, hike into Queulat National Park to see the imposing Hanging Glacier, or search for puma, red fox, pudu and soaring condors.

A historic and booming city, Punta Arenas is an oddity at the very tip of Chile's mainland. Sitting beside the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas gazes over frigid waters towards the islands beyond - and indeed, it's very easy to reach their shores for a good helping of hiking amidst sensational scenery. Speaking of which, the Tierra del Fuego archipelago is a wild and woolly playground complete with soaring peaks reaching over 7,000 feet, glaciers and mirror-smooth lakes. Take on some of the most challenging and epic treks on Earth, all the while keeping your eyes peeled for unique birdlife. Your travels may also lead you to colonies of Magellanic and King penguins or Navarino Island, where the chance to traverse the world's southernmost trekking route awaits along the island's 'teeth', the Dientes de Navarino.

Puerto Natales may have the look of a quaint fishing village, and in many ways the atmosphere is befitting of one, but adventure is never far away, amplified by the icy Patagonian vistas. Sitting on the shore of the serene Ultima Esperanza Sound, the town is a springboard for activities of every kind. Set sail on a ferry ride through the frozen Chilean fjords, trek across the Southern Ice Fields to stand, dumb-struck, in the shadow of one of over 45 glaciers, and watch ice turn to pockets of emerald forest while hiking or kayaking in Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. For the ultimate view of the fjords laid out below, make your way to the top of Cerro Dorotea - and keep an eye out for condors who nest on its sheer cliffs. Back in Puerto Natales, get warm over a dish of fire-roasted lamb Magallanico and relish the vistas once more.