Middle Chile

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Overview

If you love wine, fine dining, never-ending springs, street art, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, surfing or just lazying for days on wild coasts, there's a spot in Middle Chile that was created just for you. This is Chile's most important wine-producing region, and the wineries and cozy bed and breakfasts of the sun-kissed Colchagua, Maule and Casablanca Valleys will tickle your palate and enliven your senses. For board riders, there are killer breaks up and down the coast, with surf culture exploding in towns like Pichilemu, Matanzas and Buchupureo. Hikers and skiers will love the lost lagoons and steep pistes found eastward in the Andes, while cultural explorers won't want to miss the murals and jumbled alleyways of Valparaíso and the hard-rocking musical exploits of Concepción.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

La Sebastiana

Valparaíso

Bellavista's most famous resident writer was Pablo Neruda, who made a point of watching Valparaíso's annual New Year's fireworks from his house at the top…

An interior view from the old jail building in Valparaiso Cultural Park.

Parque Cultural de Valparaíso

Valparaíso

This cultural center built from the bones of a prison has a little bit of everything the thinking traveler could ask for. There are excellent murals in…

Cahuil

Middle Chile

This little village has good ocean views and a few restaurants and cabins. Head to the bridge for a 30-minute boat tour of the Laguna de Cahuil (CH$5000…

Jardín Botánico Nacional

Viña Del Mar

There are over 3000 plant species in the nearly 400 hectares of parkland that comprise Chile's Jardín Botánico Nacional. It's 8km southeast of the city…

Casa de Isla Negra

Middle Chile

The spectacular setting on a windswept ocean headland makes it easy to understand why Isla Negra was Pablo Neruda’s favorite house. Built by the poet when…

Robinson Crusoe Island in Juan Fernandez National Park, Chile.

Parque Nacional Archipiélago Juan Fernández

Middle Chile

This national park covers the entire archipelago, a total of 93 sq km, though the township of San Juan Bautista and the airstrip are de-facto exclusions…

Palm tree at Valparaiso Naval and Maritime Museum

Museo Marítimo Nacional

Valparaíso

Cannons still stand ready outside this naval museum. Much space is devoted to Chile's victory in the 19th-century War of the Pacific. Other exhibits…

Plaza Matriz

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…

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