Monumento Nacional Isla de Cachagua
Middle Chile
Closed to the general public, this guano-stained rocky outcrop is home to roughly 2000 Humboldt penguins, as well as a colony of sea lions.
Must-see attractions in Chile
Middle Chile
At the entrance to Viña Santa Cruz, this car museum showcases older models from the 1890s through to the 1980s in a big showroom.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Near Anakena, this beach offers seclusion for wannabe Robinson Crusoes but is considered dangerous because of falling rocks.
Valparaíso
Explore the natural history of central Chile in nine rooms that focus on biology and ecosystems. Signage is in Spanish only.
Santiago
Edgy contemporary works in a stunning multilevel space, with the odd Picasso, Miró or Matta thrown in for good measure.
The Lakes District
A small but well-done museum inside the historic 1920 Casa Niklitschek telling the story of Puerto Octay via antiques.
Northern Patagonia
Above El Rincón sector of Tortel, this three-hour round-trip hike offer views of the Baker estuary and canals.
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
About 2km north of Tahai is Ana Kakenga. This site comprises two caves opening onto the ocean (bring a torch).
Parque Nacional Torres del Paine
An easy hour's walk leads to Mirador Nordenskjöld, an overlook with superb views of the lake and mountains.
Santiago
This newly inaugurated space features the photography, sculpture and painting of rising Chilean artists.
Chiloé
The east side of the bridge into town offers the best viewpoint for Palofitos Gamboa.
Norte Chico
The city's cathedral has a striking three-tiered design rising over the main plaza.
Valparaíso
This palatial blue-colored naval command building dominates Plaza Sotomayor.
Valparaíso
This funicular dates back to 1902 and connects Av Elias to Paseo Dimalow.
Punta Arenas
A central plaza of magnificent conifers surrounded by opulent mansions. Facing the plaza’s north side, Casa Braun-Menéndez houses the private Club de la…
Valparaíso
The historic heart of the city is Plaza Matriz, which is watched over by Iglesia La Matriz. Begun in 1837, it's the fifth church to occupy this site since…
Punta Arenas
On display are a collection of antique farm and industrial machinery, a typical pioneer house and shearing shed, and a wooden-wheeled shepherds’ trailer.
Puerto Montt
A small child's footprint discovered in a marshy field 28km west of Puerto Montt turned the archaeological world on its head in 1975 – evidence of human…
Northern Patagonia
Relatively unknown and not often accessed, Parque Nacional Hornopirén protects a lush wilderness of alpine terrain. It remains obscure mainly because…
Coyhaique
Draped in lenga, ñire and coigue, the 21.5-sq-km Reserva Nacional Coyhaique has small lakes and Cerro Cinchao (1361m). The park is 5km from Coyhaique …
Coyhaique
Near Paso Alto Coyhaique on the Argentine border, this 181-hectare wetland reserve hosts diverse birdlife, including black-neck swans, coots and grebes…
Chiloé
Founded in 1849, this church is another one of the island's 16 protected by Unesco. A complete restoration was finished in 2015, which gave everything a…
Santiago
This barrio within a barrio, roughly bordered by Recoleta, Loreto, Bellavista and Dominica streets, is the heart of Santiago's immigrant communities,…
Puerto Montt
Along busy, diesel-fume-laden Av Angelmó is a dizzying mix of streetside stalls (selling artifacts, smoked mussels, cochayuyo – an edible sea plant – and…
Punta Arenas
The pet project of the Caceres brothers, this funky homespun museum is a delightful detour for fans of natural history. Imaginative displays use fine…
Valparaíso
Adjoining the main cemetery, the Cementerio de Disidentes is the spot where English and European immigrants were buried. Despite the name, these departed…
Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
This new open-air interpretation center aims to help visitors better understand the rubble surrounding many of the island's archaeological sites by…
Iquique
Take in the artifacts salvaged from the sunken Esmeralda at this small museum inside the haughty colonial-style customs house, built in 1871 when Iquique…
Museo Antiguo Monasterio del Espíritu Santo
Middle Chile
The award for the most unintentionally bizarre museum displays in Middle Chile goes to this museum. Mannequins in nuns' habits re-create scenes from Santa…
Valparaíso
Twenty classic, colorful murals are dotted through this cerro's lower streets, forming the Museo a Cielo Abierto, an open-air museum with works from famed…
Parque Nacional Isla Magdalena
Northern Patagonia
An island sanctuary with hot springs and trails, Parque Nacional Isla Magdalena makes an engaging trip for adventurers, but there is little infrastructure…
Arica
Eiffel designed this former customs house. Prefabricated in Paris, it was assembled on-site in 1874, with walls made of blocks and bricks stacked between…
Punta Arenas
Pioneer days are made real again at the Patagonian Institute's Museo del Recuerdo, part of the Universidad de Magallanes. The library has historical maps…
Middle Chile
In response to the devastation that the 1939 quake caused, the Mexican government donated the Escuela México to Chillán. At Pablo Neruda's request,…
Norte Grande
This handsome building with wooden balustrades, built in 1910 as the coast guard, sits at the entrance to the newly restored Muelle Salitrero (Nitrate…
Sur Chico
Valdivia’s modern-art museum sits alongside the archaeological museum and is built atop the foundations of the former Cervecería Anwandter, the one-time…
