Choose from 124 Fun Things to Do in Chile
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Concha y Toro Winery
Open since 1883 and ranking among South America’s largest wine producers, Concha y Toro Winery is one of Chile’s most famous winemakers. The winery has vineyards all over the country and produces a huge variety of wines, including the world-renowned Don Melchor cabernet sauvignon. Its Pirque winery is a favorite Maipo Valley destination for oenophiles.
The Basics
In addition to its award-winning cabernet sauvignon, Concha y Toro is well known for its other reds—syrah, merlot, malbec, pinot noir—as well as chardonnay and rosé wines. Guided tours of the winery allow wine lovers to stroll through the vineyards and Grape Variety Garden, visit the wine cellars, and enjoy an expert-led wine tasting. Wines are paired with cheeses and tapas at the on-site wine bar, and the well-stocked shop has wines at all price points.
Most visitors arrive from Santiago, and many day trips combine a visit to Concha y Toro with a drive through the Maipo Valley vineyards, a stop at the El Yeso Lagoon, or wine tasting at other regional wineries such as Undurraga, Santa Rita, or Cousiño Macul.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The legal drinking age in Chile is 18. Children can also join the winery tours, without taking part in the wine tasting.
- Concha y Toro winery tours take around an hour, including wine tasting.
- Advance booking is required for winery tours and tastings, and tours are conducted in Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
- The winery and parts of the vineyards are wheelchair accessible.
How to Get There
The Concha y Toro winery is located in Chile’s Maipo Valley, close to the village of Pirque, about a 45-minute drive south of Santiago. The closest train station is Las Mercedes station, which has direct connections to Santiago. Outside the station’s Concha y Toro Oriente exit, minibuses run the short distance to the winery every 30 minutes.
When to Get There
Winery tours are possible all year, but advance bookings are highly recommended. The annual harvest typically runs from the end of March to May, and it’s a popular time to visit, thanks to the cooler weather and autumn leaves adding a touch of color to the landscape.
Chile’s Maipo Valley
Less than an hour’s drive from Santiago, the Maipo Valley is one of Chile’s most renowned wine-growing regions. Sheltered by the Andes Mountains to the west and with a warm, dry climate, the area has an ideal terroir for wine growing. The Maipo Valley is famous for its French-style wines, most notably its fruity cabernet sauvignons, but there are also some fine syrah, carménère, and merlot wines, as well as a growing selection of chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Along with Concha y Toro, other top wineries in the region include Santa Rita, Santa Carolina, and Undurraga.
Address: Ruta G-45 (Avenida Virginia Subercaseaux), Pirque, Chile
Admission: Varies
From $ 25
Central Post Office
From the outside, the French-styled Correo Central (Central Post Office) is a frothy white wedding cake of a building, while inside its all tiered galleries topped by a beautiful glass dome. Built in 1882 on the northwest corner of Santiago's Plaza de Armas, the Central Post Office, designed by Chilean architect Ricardo Brown, has been a national monument since 1976.
Next door to the Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago, aside from buying your stamps, the Correo Central is also home to the Museo Postal y Telegrafico. Dedicated to Chile's postal history, here you can see a huge collection of stamps from around the world.
Practical Info
On Plaza de Armas 559, Correo Central is open from 8:30am-7pm Monday to Friday, and from 8:30am-1pm on Saturdays. The nearest metro is Plaza de Armas. The post office museum is just off to the right side of the Correo, and you can walk right in — entrance is free.
Address: Puente 503-597, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile, Chile
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-7pm, Sat 8:30am-1pm
From $ 22
Easter Island
Known officially as Rapa Nui, chances are you know this Polynesian island in the South Pacific as Easter Island (or Isla de Pascua in Spanish). The island was annexed by Chile in 1888, and today is one of the world’s most fascinating UNESCO World Heritage sites, mostly due to its mysterious past.
The isolated island was named “Easter Island” by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who first saw the island on Easter Sunday in the year 1722. Today, Easter Island is best known for the hundreds of gigantic stone statues that are lined up all around the coast. These surviving statues – called moai – are some of the only remains of the island’s native inhabitants. Most were thought to have died off more than 150 years ago due to the slave trade and disease brought to the island by European colonizers.
Today, the moai are by far the most popular reason for travelers to visit Easter Island. Much like Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids at Giza, archaeologists are not entirely sure how the moai were transported to their final locations, which makes these big-headed statues all the more interesting.
But driving/hiking around to see the moai aren’t the only things to do here. Visitors can also expect to find many archaeological sites scattered all around the island (many near the burial grounds that the moai are associated with), as well as volcanic craters, caves, white-sand beaches suitable for surfing, snorkeling and even scuba diving.
The isolated island was named “Easter Island” by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who first saw the island on Easter Sunday in the year 1722. Today, Easter Island is best known for the hundreds of gigantic stone statues that are lined up all around the coast. These surviving statues – called moai – are some of the only remains of the island’s native inhabitants. Most were thought to have died off more than 150 years ago due to the slave trade and disease brought to the island by European colonizers.
Today, the moai are by far the most popular reason for travelers to visit Easter Island. Much like Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids at Giza, archaeologists are not entirely sure how the moai were transported to their final locations, which makes these big-headed statues all the more interesting.
But driving/hiking around to see the moai aren’t the only things to do here. Visitors can also expect to find many archaeological sites scattered all around the island (many near the burial grounds that the moai are associated with), as well as volcanic craters, caves, white-sand beaches suitable for surfing, snorkeling and even scuba diving.
Address: Chile
From $ 63
Anakena Beach
With its stretch of white sand fringed with Tahitian coconut palms, a backdrop of grassy hills and ocean waters that rarely dip below 64 degrees F (18 degrees C) even in the winter months, few places come as close to paradise as Anakena Beach. One of only three beaches on Easter Island, Anakena also plays an important part in the history of the island. It was here that King Ariki Hotu Matu’a first landed on Easter Island and later, the beach became a spiritual center for the Miru tribe–the remnants of which can be seen in the seven beautifully restored moai of Ahu Nau Nau and the single moai of Ahu Ature Huki that overlook the beach.
Aside from its striking setting and dramatically situated moai, the main draw to Anakena Beach is, of course, the ocean and the warm, clear waters make the ideal spot for swimming, surfing and snorkeling.
Practical Info
Anakena Beach is located along the northern coast of Easter Island, about 11 miles (18 km) from Hanga Roa.
Address: Easter Island, Chile
Admission: Rapa Nui Park: $60 for non-Chileans
From $ 115
Cousino Macul
You might not expect a winery so close to the city of Santiago, but then, Santiago has been growing up towards the mountains in recent decades, so it’s not so much that Cousiño Macul was built in the city as that the city has grown all around it. Cousiño Macul is a peaceful oasis in the district of Peñalolén, at the foot of the mountains, which are seen in the background over the planted fields. The winery was founded in 1856 by Matías Cousiño, and is still owned and run by the same family.
From the tasteful treed entryway to the quiet store, it feels like there is a reverence for the product and process here. In late summer and early fall, you can try grapes straight off the vines, which depending on the exact week may be Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah. The tour of this winery includes a small exhibition area of winemaking tools used in the 19th century, including the apparatus used to hand place the cork in each individual bottle, which took great physical effort, as did moving the barrels around the winery, which was done with the use of a small train-like system.
The Cousiño Macul tour includes a walk through the cellars, and a view of the family’s private wine collection with sample wines from most years since they started. There are tastings throughout the course of the tour, which gives you a chance to savor each one in a different location, rather than tasting them all one after another, and of course, there is a souvenir glass.
Practical Info
The winery is best known internationally for its reds, but also produces a refreshing Sauvignon Gris, a rosé, made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, a variety of wine mainly known in California. This wine is served chilled, and, like the other wines on offer in the store, comes with a 10-20% discount over supermarket prices, and they are happy to box up the wine so it will make it home safely.
Address: Calle Quilin 7100, Santiago, Chile
From $ 78
Altiplanic Lagoons
To see lakes this high above sea level, you have to come to the altiplano, the very definition of which is “high plain,” an area between the peaks of the Andes in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. These two lakes, Miscanti and Miñique, are located at about 13,500 feet and are within driving distance of San Pedro de Atacama.
The two lakes are a deep blue, backed by snow-capped volcanoes and surrounded by a large plain of yellow tussock grass that whips in the wind. This grass is one of the preferred foods of the vicuña, the shyest of the llama-like species in the area, and if you are lucky, you may see a small herd around here. It is also fairly common to see a fox or two and sometimes even quick-running rheas, an emu-like bird native to the area.The protected lakes make for a great photo opportunity, but swimming is not allowed.
The lakes are managed by an indigenous community located in Socaire, a town often visited for its handmade crafts and local historical church.
Practical Info
The Altiplanic Lagoons are located 71 miles from San Pedro de Atacama, and it is generally very cold in this area due to the high altitude. Swimming in the lake is prohibited.
Address: Chile
From $ 81
Cerro Santa Lucia
Cerro Santa Lucia is one of two hills that overlook Santiago, where in 1541 Pedro de Valdivia founded the city long before Chile existed as an independent country. At the time, the hill was called Huelén by the indigenous people; a nearby street (by metro Salvador) still bears that name.
The hill rises about 230 feet over the surrounding part of the city, and there are excellent views of downtown from several terraces up there. Cerro Santa Lucia has three main constructions: the main entrance on the Alameda, with its wide, curving staircase, fronted by a fountain and backed by a yellow mansion; the fort at the top from which the best views of downtown can be seen; and the Castillo Hidalgo, which often hosts large international events.
There are also gardens and the Pedro de Valdivia Plaza, which has its own fountains and colorful tiled benches with Moorish influence. The top of the hill can be reached via the main entrance, as well as by way of the pedestrian access at the corner of José Miguel de la Barra and Victoria Subercaseaux, up a flight of stairs. There is also an elevator on the west side of the hill, where the pedestrian street Huerfanos ends, but this route only takes visitors halfway to the top.
Visitors to the hill would be hard-pressed to miss the cannon-firing, which takes place every day at noon and can be heard throughout many parts of downtown. This activity was suspended for several months after the 2010 earthquake, but it is back, routinely surprising those wandering the area.
Practical Info
The two metro stations closest to Cerro Santa Lucia are Santa Lucia and Bellas Artes. Visitors can easily walk over the hill by going up the main entrance from the Santa Lucia side and exiting down on the Bellas Artes side, or vice versa. Many people opt to tack on a trip up the hill to their time spent in the Lastarria neighborhood, Parque Forestal or both. Good shoes are recommended, as some of the upper staircases are uneven and most of the hill is cobblestoned.
Address: Santiago, Chile
From $ 24
Casablanca Valley
Its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and unique mix of clay and sandy soils has made the Casablanca Valley one of Chile’s top wine producing regions despite it’s relatively new arrival on the scene. The first vines were planted in the mid-1980s—more than 100 years later than some of Chile’s other notable wine regions.
Visitors to the Casablanca Valley, which is best known for its white grapes, like Sauvingnon Blanc and Chardonnay, can enjoy an afternoon in the quaint city of Casablanca, before embarking on a tour of the scenic region. Travelers love the wine museum at El Cuatro and agree that the eco-friendly and organic practices of Veramonte make it worth a stop.
Practical Info
Casablanca Valley is located 75 kilometers northwest of Santiago and 30 minutes southeast of Valparaiso. It’s a region known for Sauvignon Blac, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but travelers will also find varieties of Reisling, Cabernet Franc and Viognier.
Address: Chile
From $ 109
Cerro Concepcion
Perhaps the most scenic of Valparaiso’s popular cerros, Cerro Concepcion is home to quaint shops, unique art galleries and picturesque views of the stunning Chilean countryside—as well as a whole lot of rolling hills. On clear days visitors can gaze out over the dunes of Concon and even see as far as far off Vina.
The climb to Cerro Concepcion may be steep, but quiet cafes perfect for people watching offer up the ideal place for travelers to catch their breath. Afterwards, the hidden side streets, colorful murals decorating old building walls and spectacular views offer up enough reason to wander slowly from the heights of Valparaiso Heaven back to the reality down below.
Practical Info
Because the hills of Cerro Concepcion are steep and dozens of stairs line the walkways, travelers with mobility issues should avoid trying to trek through the scenic streets and instead opt for one of the elevators (called ascensores by locals) that are nearby.
Address: Papudo 541, Valparaiso, Chile
From $ 18
Ahu Akivi
Restored by archaeologists William Mulley and Gonzalo Figueroa in 1960, the seven grand moai that make up Ahu Akivi are among the most visited attractions of Easter Island. Dating back to the 15th century, the moai are thought to have been built in three stages and are unique in their placement—not only is Ahu Akivi one of few moai sites located inland, but the moai are the only ones on the island that face toward the ocean.
Legend has it that the seven identical moai of Ahu Akivi were built in honor of the seven explorers sent to discover the island by founder Hotu Matu'a; thus the statues look out to sea toward their home land. Another theory on their placement is that the site was used as a celestial observatory—the moai face the sunset during the Spring Equinox and look away from the sunrise of the Autumn Equinox.
Practical Info
Ahu Akivi is located close to the center of Easter Island, about four miles (7 km) northeast from Hanga Roa. The entrance fee to the Rapa Nui National Park is $60 for all non-Chileans (payable on arrival to the island) and includes entrance to Ana Kai Tangata.
Address: Hanga Roa, Chile
Admission: $60
From $ 115
Angelmo
Located at the west end of Puerto Montt, the small fishing port of Angelmo got its name — according to local legend — from the mispronunciation by indigenous locals of the name of a local doctor, Angel Montt, when the town was first getting established.
Avenida Angelmo leads toward the port, lined with seafood restaurants and crammed with vendors selling handicrafts and souvenirs. Popular items include knickknacks made from the Alerce tree, a species native to Chile’s Lake District, as well as bottles of Licor de Oro. A fish market right on the banks of the bay sells the fresh catches brought in from local fishing boats, and restaurants — some built on stilts over the water — serve some of the best quality seafood in the area.
Practical Info
Angelmo is located just under 2 miles (3 kilometers) west of downtown Puerto Montt. The walk takes about 30 minutes.
Address: Av Angelmó, Puerto Montt, Los Lagos, Chile, Chile
From $ 27
Ahumada Boulevard (Paseo Ahumada)
Santiago is a busy, walkable city, with a fairly compact downtown. But there are times when you’ve had enough of having to move along at the speed of the crowd, and wish you could have a more spacious place to be. And you can. There are three major pedestrian thoroughfares in downtown Santiago, Huérfanos, which runs west down from Cerro Santa Lucía, and both Paseo Ahumada and Paseo Estado, which stretch north from the Alameda (Avenida Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins) towards the Mapocho River and Mercado Central.
Paseo Ahumada is perhaps the busiest of the three, and you’ll find families and individuals walking, talking on the phone or sitting on benches at most times of day, On the street there are nearly always street performers and vendors, selling hats, scarves, and the occasional television antenna. There are also popular stands selling mote con huesillo, a local drink made of sweet peach punch with reconstituted dried peaches and wheat kernels at the bottom. Shoe stores and fast food, ice cream, cafés and some of the major department stores fill out the rest of the blocks, which quiet down after work or when it gets dark.
Practical Info
Instead of walking into Paseo Ahumada directly from the Alameda, dip down about half a block further and start in on Nueva York, a quieter, cobblestoned street with historic fountains that runs past the stock exchange. And further along on Paseo Ahumada, plan a stop at the Cathedral, which is on Santiago’s Plaza de Armas.
Address: Santiago, Chile
From $ 22
Ahu Tongariki
With 15 gigantic stone-carved moai lined up on a 200-foot-long platform and a remote location framed by the looming Rano Raraku volcano and the crashing ocean, Ahu Tongariki is nothing short of spectacular. For many visitors, this is the star attraction of Easter Island, and looking up at the towering figures, the largest of which stands 14 meters tall, it’s hard not to be in awe of the Rapa Nui people, who achieved the seemingly impossible feat of carving and moving the 30-ton stone boulders to their waterfront perch.
Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial site ever made on the island, featuring the largest number of moai ever erected on a single site, and each statue is unique, with only one featuring the iconic red-rock “pukao,” or ceremonial headdress. Even more astounding, considering the size and weight of the statues, is that the site was almost completely destroyed by a tsunami in 1960, with the rocks flung more than 90 meters inland. The ahu has since been painstakingly restored, a project that took Chilean archaeologists Claudio Cristino and Patricia Vargas five years and was finally completed in 1995.
Practical Info
Ahu Tongariki is located on the southeast coast of Easter Island and takes about 30 minutes by car from Hanga Roa. The entrance fee to the Rapa Nui National Park is $60 for all non-Chileans (payable on arrival to the island) and includes entrance to Ahu Tongariki.
Address: Easter Island, Chile
Admission: Rapa Nui Park: $60 for non-Chileans
From $ 115
Cejar Lagoon
Located just 20 miles from the town of San Pedro de Atacama, this unusual desert sinkhole attracts many visitors. Filled with water, Cejar Lagoon is popular for the opportunity it provides to take a dip in the middle of the desert. The water can have salt concentrations up to 30 percent, which makes floating not only easy, but also pretty much impossible to avoid. For this reason, the lake is often compared to the Dead Sea and is sometimes called the “floating lake.” The top few inches of water are often warm from the sun, while there are cold currents down below, making for a mixed swimming experience.
Even if you decide not to swim in this “floating lake,” enjoy the view and how the glassy surface reflects the scenery back to you, including the Domeyko mountain range. Flamingos occasionally fly overhead and the lake is ringed white with residual salt, while the blue of the lake contrasts with the yellow tussock grass that grows all around.
Practical Info
Cejar Lagoon can be visited on a half-day trip, so it's still manageable if you have an afternoon flight out of Calama. Those with sensitive skin should bring fresh water to rinse off the salt and keep their faces out of the lagoon water.
Address: Chile
From $ 33
Club Hipico
Santiago's Club Hipico (Club Hípico de Santiago) is the most exclusive of Santiago's race tracks. Dating back to 1870, it's the oldest racetrack in country and home to South America's oldest stakes race — the Clásico El Ensayo, making it the best place to see thoroughbred horse racing while in the Chilean capital.
One of the country's three main tracks (the other two are Hipodromo Chile and Valparaiso Sporting Club), Club Hipico is known for its formal gardens, fountains, ponds, and views out to the Andes.
Located just west of Parque O'Higgins, race days are long by international standards, and there are usually around 18 races per card. With an arena that can hold over 30,000 people, live concerts also take place at Club Hipico.
Practical Info
Club Hipico is located on Av. Blanco Encalada 2540, and the nearest metro is Parque O'Higgins. Races are generally held on Mondays and Fridays, and the occasional Sundays, though do check beforehand to be certain.
Address: Avda Blanco Encalada, Región Metropolitana 2540, Chile
Hours: Tour Hours: Mon-Sun 9:30am-6pm
Admission: Tours: Adults 1000, Children Age 6-12 500, Children Under 6 Free
From $ 22
Barrio Italia
Italian immigrant artists began settling the neighborhood surrounding Avenida Italia during the nineteenth century. During the first half of the 1900s, the neighborhood became a hub of commercial and industrial activity, and today, it’s quickly becoming one of Santiago’s trendiest neighborhoods.
Early twentieth century buildings — once private homes and workshops — now house boutiques, galleries, antiques stores and cafes. Aside from antiques and vintage home furniture, Barrio Italia is also known for its interior design shops. A smattering of restaurants with open air tables serve Italian, but you’ll also find Chilean, Portuguese and Spanish among Barrio Italia’s culinary offerings.
Practical Info
Barrio Italia is located near Santa Isabel metro station. Exit the station and walk east on Santa Isabel until you reach Avenida Italia.
Address: Santiago, Chile
From $ 41
Ana Kai Tangata
An eerie cavern burrowing into the sea cliffs, Ana Kai Tangata is almost entirely hidden from view, camouflaged by the rocky coastline and lapping waves. Step inside the cave and you’ll soon realize why the spot is so renowned—the looming arches of black-rock are etched with an elaborate series of bird drawings, painted with a blend of natural earth and animal fats.
Thought to have been used by the island’s earliest settlers, the cave’s history remains a subject of speculation among archaeologists, but the name, which translates to the ambiguous "man eat cave," and the paintings, lend themselves to a number of theories. Most notable is the subject matter of the paintings—the manutaras, or black terns, depicted were also the focal point of Orongo’s annual Birdman ceremony, which took place during the autumn equinox and pitted Rapa Nui hopus (chiefs) against each other in a competition to retrieve a sacred manutara egg.
Practical Info
Ana Kai Tangata lies on the northwest coast of Easter Island, just a few kilometers south of Hanga Roa. The entrance fee to the Rapa Nui National Park is $60 for all non-Chileans (payable on arrival to the island) and includes entrance to Ana Kai Tangata.
Address: Chile
Admission: Rapa Nui Park: $60 for non-Chileans
From $ 200
Colchagua Valley
If you’re interested in tasting some of the best wines Chile has to offer, you’ll want to spend some time in the Colchagua Valley. Nearly two dozen area wineries are open to the public in what has become the country’s most prominent wine region, where the dry climate, plentiful sunshine and loamy soil create ideal conditions for producing red—Cabernet Savignon, Carmenere and Merlot for the most part.
The town of Santa Cruz sits at the heart of the region and is the most popular jumping off spot for wine tours in the surrounding valley. Such tours come in a variety of forms, like bike rides through a vineyard or a ride on the Santa Cruz Wine Train.
The valley isn’t just about wine, however. The second symbol of the area is the huaso, or Chilean cowboy, and the culture surrounding them. A great way to enjoy the scenery of the valley is from the saddle of a horse, stopping for lunch in an old-fashioned hacienda.
Practical Info
The Colchagua Valley is located in Chile’s central valley, and the summer months may be the best times to visit. The city of Santa Cruz serves as the area’s hub.
Address: Colchagua Valley, Chile
From $ 276
Concon
Travelers in search of picturesque beaches, iconic balnearios and extraordinary nightlife will find the ultimate tropical trifecta in the coastal commune of Concon. Home to three of the nation’s top beaches—Playa Negra, Amarilla and Boca, Concon has plenty of options for holiday visitors on a quest for sun and sand.
In addition to idyllic views of the Pacific, travelers will find towering modern buildings alongside old-school concrete apartments lining the streets of Concon. Expansive public gardens, rundown fishing docks and quiet local villages add character and charm to this popular destination. Visitors looking to dance the night away—even long after the sun goes down—can head to Avenida Renaca and Los Pellines—two of the commune’s most lively neighborhoods.
Practical Info
Concon is located on the Pacific coast of Chile, north of Tenaca, Vina del Mar and south of Quintero. The Aconcagua River ends near the commune as well.
Address: Concon, Chile
From $ 230
El Morado Natural Monument
El Morado is the name given to one of the most popular hikes in Cajón de Maipo, an area that follows a narrow river valley south east of the city, heading up towards the Andes, and to Argentina. Along this serpentine road, there are loads of places to stop and eat everything from full meals to a traditional coffee and kuchen (German-style fruit pastry), and in the plaza in San José del Maipo (the main town), there are always handicrafts for sale.
But further up the valley is the entrance to El Morado, a wide open uphill hike on which you can see the many striations of natural coloration in the rock, from red to brown to green and yellow. If you continue up, you arrive at the San Francisco Lagoon and Glacier. For those who have never seen a glacier before, it’s a stunning sight, and though you’ll probably want to dip a hand or foot in the milky glacial lagoon below just to say you did, you’ll probably quickly step away, as the water is at near freezing point. When the ice of the San Franciso Glacier is stable, you may see people climbing it, though it goes without saying that that is only for well-equipped experts.
Possible animal sightings here include many different types of birds including a giant hummingbird and some small mammals such as the small, burrowing herbivorous coruro, that looks a bit like a prairie dog.
Practical Info
The El Morado hike and glacier are in an area that is very exposed to harsh weather such as wind and snow. Be sure to go with a qualified guide and be prepared for a very sunny walk, with SPF clothing and good quality sunglasses. There can be snow up on this hike until late December, and the sunlight reflected off the snow is very bright.
Address: Santiago, Chile
From $ 110