Central Chile

Valle Nevado

Central Chile is one of the most important regions of Chile. It is where you will find Santiago (the nation's capital), a number of charming small towns in the Andean highlands, the largest ski resort in Chile, and important seaside ports like Valparaiso.

Cities

• 1 Santiago — the capital city, and cultural center of the country, with many museums, events, theaters, restaurants, and bars, and you can ski in the nearby Andes and then go the beach later that day
• 2 Constitución — historically a popular seaside resort, reached by rustic train (ramal) from Talca
• 3 Los Andes — a city on the route between Santiago and Chile's primary border crossing with Argentina
• 4 Melipilla — the best place to drink chicha, a homemade alcoholic wine-like drink
• 5 Pichilemu — a laid-back town with beaches and surfing
• 6 Pomaire — handicrafts, rather commercial
• 7 Quintay — a seaside resort village with a whaling museum
• 8 Rancagua — a good base for exploring the region's vineyards, and smaller villages and towns
• 9 Reñaca — a small beach town popular with Santiaguinos and Argentines from Mendoza in January and February
• 10 Santa Cruz – the base for exploring the Colchagua Valley wine region
• 11 Sewell — an old mining town
• 12 Talca — vast hiking east of it, including Descabezado Grande
• 13 Valparaíso — sea, hills and beautiful old houses
• 14 Viña del Mar — the most important beach in the country hosts a botanical garden

Other destinations

• 1 Algarrobo — the home to the largest swimming pool in the world at the San Alfonso del Mar resort
• 2 El Colorado — ski area
• 3 Farellones — a small mountain village near the ski resorts of La Parva, El Colorado, and Valle Nevado
• 4 Juan Fernández Islands — a remote islands 670 km offshore
• 5 Portillo — a ski area close to the Argentine border
• 6 Radal Siete Tazas National Park — an extraordinary bucolic paradise of waterfalls and lakes
• 7 Valle Nevado — ski resort
• 8 Altos de Lircay National Reserve — a 121-km² reserve in the Andean mountain skirts with hiking, horseback riding, and connecting with nature

Understand

Climate

In central valleys the climate is essentially Mediterranean. This kind of climate is characterized by warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters.

Talk

The majority of the population speaks only Spanish. Just a few people, especially tourist guides, engineers and businessmen can speak fluent English. Nevertheless, many young people understand some simple English phrases and can start basic conversations since English has been more prioritized in the national curriculum in the last few years.

Get in

• Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL ^IATA) near Santiago.

See

Santiago, the country's capital and metropole, has the widest range of sites and activities. Valparaíso is a pleasant and colorful city on the coast.

• 1 Curanipe. A growing fishing village, where in the morning at the Playa San Pedro locals mix with tourists for the fish coming in from the sea for the best prices, and surfers and fisher boats fight (literally) for the best best space between the waves. (updated Mar 2018)
• 2 Pelluhue. A popular surfers' town along the coast south of Santiago. (updated Mar 2018)

Do

• Swimming – In the largest swimming pool in the world at the San Alfonso del Mar resort.
• Surfing – Everything between 15 Cobquecura and 16 Pelluhue , like Curanipe, Cardonal, Tregualemu and Buchupureo are exceptional surfing destinations and mirror the shape and conditions of the Californian coast on the northern side of the continent. This region is still a hidden gem and receiving a lot of state sponsoring for development. However, beaches and breaks are far from overrun and you can find many lone opportunities to try out your board.
• Hiking – To the east of Talca vast opportunities exist, including Descabezado Grande (3,953 m), Radal Siete Tazas National Park, Altos de Lircay National Reserve, and other reserves.

Buy

• 1 Large Supermarket, Cobquecura. Along to coast you mostly have the choice between small and very small mini-markets. In case you are looking for a decent supermarket with sizeable selection, try this one at the south when you enter the coastal region from Chillan. (updated Mar 2018)

Sleep

• 1 Ecolodge Ekilibre, Cardonal, ☏ +56 984 064 596, ecolodge.ekilibre@gmail.com. Inexpensive hostel with a friendly Chilean-French couple that offers tours, regional advice and lodging. Surf in summer, and ski in winter. Dorm: 6,000-8,000 pesos. (updated Mar 2018)

Go next

Article Geo different to Wikidata
Wikivoyage: Latitude -34.2, Longitude -71.1 (Map, Geohack)
Wikidata: Latitude -35.33667, Longitude -70.72833 (Map, Geohack)
Difference: 130.9km