Santiago & Central Valley


Casa de la Moneda

Chile's central region, focal point of its political, economic and cultural life, is where we find the largest cities with the biggest population, including the capital, Santiago. This big city has the Andes and its winter sports centers to the east, and a series of seaside resorts along the central coast to the west. This is the reason why most foreign visitors, especially businessmen, focus on this part of the country.

From a geography and climate point of view, the country's central region is a parenthesis in the long, narrow strip of land known as Chile. Its two distinctive features are an agreeable Mediterranean climate and beautiful valleys where the well-known Chilean wines are produced. This is the country's main wine-producing zone.

In the agricultural south of the capital, the countryside is very enjoyable, generous with its fruits and beautiful landscape. Near Santiago in places like Pirque, life on the farm continues being part of local tradition.

The northern boundary is La Serena, a favorite place for local and foreign tourists because of its beautiful beaches, casino, night life and a well preserved colonial architecture. La Serena has a broad spectrum of hotel and tourist facilities, allowing visitors to go on all types of excursions to the nearby beaches and national parks or practice water sports on its beaches.

     
View of Cayambe volcano   Andes
  The Andes Mountains rise to the east with peaks over 6,600m. The landscape is semi-arid in the foothills, with permanently snow-capped mountains. This sector's small population works in the mines.....
Viña del Mar   Central coast
  Modern highways connect Santiago with the main cities of Chile's central pacific coastline. Viña del Mar is about 74 miles away and, next to it, Valparaiso, Chile's first port, which hopes to be declared a World Heritage by the UNESCO. ...
Wine Valley   Wine valleys
  Mountains peaks reaching for the clear blue skies, fertile valleys with their rivers winding through spacious terrain and between green rolling hills heading towards the ocean.