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Santiago, Chile - courtesy radzfoto - CC-BY

Are you looking for a magnificent South American get-away?

Then Chile may just be the spot.  It has it all from the sub-tropical to alpine tundra and Antarctic ice.

If you enjoy visiting national monuments and seeing interesting architecture, then the Central Zone will be your destination.  Check out the Valparaíso Customs House, declared a National Monument in 1976, or Iglesia de la Matriz.  This is the oldest church in Chile first built in 1559 and reconstructed in 1837. Of particular interest inside the church is the sculpture of Christ of the Agony, carved in wood at the end of the 17th century (Seville school), the face of which can hardly be seen because of its strange position.

Don’t miss the Museum of San José del Carmen – El Huique.  The historic value of the house is only increased by the famous people who have left their mark over the years. One of  these people was doña Gertrudiz Echeñique. She was the wife of Federico Errázuriz Echaurren, president of Chile from 1896-1901. Their daughter, doña Elena Errázuriz Echeñique, begged her children while she was dying to preserve the house for the future. They donated the property to the Chilean army in 1975.

Then there is the sector centered on Santiago.  A historians and architectural buffs delight.  It is located in the Central Valley, between the Cordillera de la Costa and Cordillera de los Andes with its overwhelming presence of mountains.

The climate of this area is mediterranean, warm and with regular temperature variations between summer and winter.  You will find nature sanctuaries, museums, such as the Natural History Museum (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural) and the pre-Columbian Art Museum with a permanent exhibition called ‘América Precolombina en el Arte,’ and temporary exhibitions that change every year.  Also the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, a fine arts museum which is the oldest art museum in Latin America.

Of course Santiago has a magnificent collection of government buildings and a vibrant night life.

Head north to the Atacama desert, the world’s driest desert. Here you can find valleys, oasis, gulchs and salt flats far more daunting and vast than any desert found in North America, such as Death Valley.

Or head south to the Patagonia of Chile. This region is covered by ice and snow all year round. Along the coastline the climate is humid with a lot of rain and low temperatures. There are large numbers of fiords, archipelagos and canals. Located in this zone is the National Park Torres del Paine and, in the extreme south the Chilean Antarctic.

And if you want to escape to the water, Chile is often characterized by the islands which are part of its national territory. The most important are Easter Island and those which form the Juan Fernández Archipelago.

There is something for everybody.

For more information about Chile travel and tourism