Santiago is Chile’s capital and largest city. It is situated in the country’s central valley, and administratively is a part of the Santiago Metropolitan Region. While Santiago is the capital, legislative bodies meet in nearby Valparaiso..

Climate
Santiago has a mild Mediterranean climate: relatively hot dry summers (November to March) with temperatures reaching up to 35 degrees Celsius on the hottest days; winters (June to August) are more humid, with typical maximum daily temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius, and minimums of a few degrees above freezing. Mean rainfall is 360 mm per year.

Thermal inversion (a meteorological phenomenon whereby a stable layer of warm air holds down colder air close to the ground) causes high levels of smog and air pollution to be trapped and concentrate within the Central Valley during winter months. The government has attempted to reduce pollution by giving incentives for heavy industry to move out of the valley but such measures have seen limited results.

The Mapocho river, which crosses the city from the north-east to the south-west of the Central Valley, is contaminated by industrial and household sewage, dumped unfiltered into the river, and by upstream copper-mining waste (there are a number of copper mines in the Andes east of Santiago). The central government recently passed a law that forces industry and local governments to process all their wastewater by 2006. There are now a number of large wastewater processing and recycling plants under construction.

Sound levels on the main streets are high, mostly because of noisy diesel buses. Diesel trucks and buses are also major contributors to winter smog.

Climate of Chile

Weather
Ranges from hot and arid in the north to very cold in the far south. The central areas have a mild Mediterranean climate with a wet season (May to August). Beyond Puerto Montt in the south is one of the wettest and stormiest areas in the world.

Required clothing
Lightweight cottons and linens in northern and central areas. Rainwear is advised during rainy seasons. Mediumweights and waterproofing are needed in the south.

Activities in Chile

Trekking
One of Chile’s most popular regions for trekking is the Lake District, which lies some 900km (560 miles) south of Santiago, and where several of the country’s national parks can be visited. The Lago Verde Trail in the Parque Nacional Huerquehue leads through beech forests, past waterfalls and offers good views of the Volcan Villarica.

The fairly remote Parque Nacional Queulat (characterized by glaciers, fjords and volcanic peaks) is a popular destination for adventure travel package tours. Guided hikes, ecology tours and boat trips are available at Parque Nacional Conguillio. The Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, which lies 400km (250 miles) northwest of Punta Arenas, offers abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery consisting of huge glaciers, fjords, waterfalls and blue lakes dotted with icebergs; the park has a well-developed network of trails complemented by trekking huts. In many cases, visitors intending to trek through Chile individually must register with local rangers or at the nearest CONAF (Corporacion Nacional Forestal) office. At the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, solo treks are not allowed.

Wildlife
Naturalists wishing to follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin (who wrote extensively about Chile’s fauna and flora) may head to the Juan Fernandez Islands (located in the Pacific, some 965km/600 miles west of Santiago). The islands contain numerous indigenous plants and animals, most notably the Juan Fernandez fur seal and the Juan Fernandez hummingbird.

The Parque Nacional Lauca (155km/95 miles from Arica) is filled with flamingos, rheas (an ostrich-like bird) and llamas. Guanacos (or llama guanicoe) roam freely in the Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (see above), which is also a good place to observe giant condors. Magellanic penguins can be seen at Chiloe Island (485km/300 miles from Santiago), a region of evergreen forests and fjords much admired by Darwin. The abundant coastal wildlife of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego includes large colonies of sea elephants, sea lions and penguins.

Climbing
The Lake District’s Volcan Villarrica and Volcan Osorno are the most popular destinations. Various companies offer guided ascents, but ice gear is required. Guides are compulsory.

Tourist Attractions in Chile

There are four tourist information centers in Santiago, including one at the airport. This particularly caters for foreigners just arriving in the country. There are also regional tourist offices throughout. Visitors to Chile are faced with a wide variety of excursions from which to choose; for the purposes of this guide, the country has been divided into three geographical areas, ranging from north to south.

Northern Region
Arica, near the northern border with Peru, is an excellent tourist center. It has good beaches and the famous San Marcos Cathedral. Conditions in the area are ideal for deep-sea fishing. The unique landscape of Altiplano, near Arica, where vast volcanoes, salt marshes and lakes exist together upon a 12,000 ft plateau, is home to the indigenous Aymara Indians.

Llamas and alpacas can be seen here. The nearby UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Lauca National Park, is worth visiting. Traveling south through the Atacama Desert, excursions can be made to the hot springs of Mamina and to the oasis of the Pica Valley.

The port of Antofagasta is the stopping point for air services and for most shipping lines. From here, a visit can be made to Chuquicamata, the world’s largest opencast copper mine, and also to the archaeological oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama and to the geysers at El Tatio.

Further south is Coquimbo, situated in one of the best harbors on the coast. Nearby is the beautiful bathing resort of Los Vilos. 9 miles north of Coquimbo is La Serena, the provincial capital. This charming and well laid-out town is graced with fine buildings and streets, and good reproductions of the attractive Spanish colonial style of architecture.

The town is at the mouth of the Elqui River and excursions can be made from here to the rich fruit-growing region of the Elqui Valley, which is also full of reminiscences of the Chilean Nobel Prize Winner, Gabriela Mistral. Tours can also be arranged to the Tololo Observatory, the largest in the southern hemisphere.

Central Region and the Islands
This is the most temperate and pastoral region of the country, where the snow-capped peaks of the Andes provide a backdrop for rolling green fields, vineyards and orange groves. Valparaiso, the principal port, has many attractions. Only 8km (5 miles) to the north is Vina del Mar, Chile’s principal and most fashionable seaside resort with casinos, clubs and modern hotels. The Valparaiso Sporting Club offers a race course, polo grounds and playing fields.

From Valparaiso there are excellent road and rail services to Santiago, where visitors will find all the conveniences of a modern capital city, including good hotels to suit all tastes. The Virgin Mary guards the city from the peak of the 860m (2822ft) Cerro San Cristobal (Saint Christopher’s Hill), in the northeast of the city, where a zoo, gardens, restaurants and fine views of the city can be found; the Club Hipico and the Prince of Wales Country Club provide sporting facilities.

From Santiago it is also possible to visit ski resorts such as Portillo, Farellones, and the newest and most fashionable, Valle Nevado. Immediately south of Santiago, in the heartland of Chile, one can visit many vineyards where much excellent Chilean wine is produced. Traveling south through the heartland of Chile one reaches Talca with its fine parks and museums.

Pacific Islands
650km (403 miles) west of Valparaiso are the Juan Fernandez Islands, which can be reached either by plane or boat from the Chilean mainland. Alexander Selkirk was shipwrecked here in the early 18th century, and Defoe based his novel Robinson Crusoe on Selkirk’s adventures.
Easter Island is another Pacific Chilean possession, situated 3800km (2361 miles) west of the mainland.

It is most famous for the Moai, gigantic stone figures up to 9m (30ft) tall which are found all over the island. Other sites include the crater of the volcano Rano Kao, the rock carvings at Oronco, and the museum in the main town of Hanga Roa. The best method of travel to the island is by air.

Tour guides and guest house keepers tend to meet every plane, so although it is possible to book good hotel accommodation from Santiago or Valparaiso, it is not essential. Many of the hotels specialize in catering for groups and will arrange tours if asked. Tours can also be arranged with a tour guide. Jeeps, trucks, motorbikes and horses can all be hired.

Southern Region
A visit to the impressive waterfalls at Laguna de Laja is recommended. Temuco marks the beginning of the Lake District, where Lake Villarica and the Trancura and Cincira rivers combine to create beautiful scenery, and an angler’s paradise. Lake Todos los Santos is also well worth a visit.

At the southernmost end of the railway line and the Pan American Highway, there is the picturesque town of Puerto Montt and, nearby, the colorful small fishing port of Angelmo. Inveterate travelers will wish to go on to visit Chiloe Island, and should not miss the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Torres del Paine National Park (located in Chilean Patagonia), which is simply one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and remote places on the planet. The whole area of Magallanes and Tierra del Fuego is worth exploring during the summer season.

Nightlife in Chile

While many restaurants and hotels offer entertainment, there are also a number of independent discos and nightclubs. Casinos: The Municipal Casino in Vina del Mar offers large gambling salons, full cabaret and boîte with Chile’s best dance bands.

A casino operates in Gran Hotel in Puerto Varas between September and March. Arica also has a casino operating throughout the year with baccarat, roulette, black jack, a restaurant and late-night cabaret.

Food and Dining in Chile

Santiago has many international restaurants; waiter service is usual. The evening will often include floor shows and dancing. Examples of typical national dishes are empanada (combination of meat, chicken or fish, with onions, eggs, raisins and olives inside a flour pastry), humitas (seasoned corn paste, wrapped in corn husks and boiled), cazuela de ave (soup with rice, vegetables, chicken and herbs), bife a lo pobre (steak with french fries, onions and eggs) and parrillada (selection of meat grilled over hot coals, often including delicacies such as intestines, udders and blood sausages). Seafood is good. Best known are the huge lobsters from Juan Fernandez Islands. Abalone, sea urchins, clams, prawns and giant choros (mussels) are also common.

Chile is famous for its wine. Pisco is a powerful liqueur distilled from grapes after wine pressing. Grapes are also used to make the sweet brown chicha as well as aguardiente, similar to brandy. Beer is drunk throughout the country.

Shopping in Chile

Special purchases include textiles such as colorful handwoven ponchos, vicuna rugs and copper work. Chilean stones such as lapis lazuli, jade, amethyst, agate and onyx are all good buys.

Shopping hours:Mon-Fri 1000-2000, Sat 1000-1400. Large shopping malls are open daily 1000-2100.

Currency Information:

Currency: Chilean Peso (peso) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of peso20,000, 10,000, 5000, 2000 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of peso500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1.

Currency exchange: Foreign exchange transactions can be conducted through commercial banks, casas de cambio, or authorized shops, restaurants, hotels and clubs. Visitors should not be tempted by the premiums of 10 to 15 per cent over the official rate offered by black marketeers. Casas de cambio are open daily 0900-1900.

Credit & debit cards:American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travelers cheques:Must be changed before 1200 except in casas de cambio (which in any case tend to offer better rates than banks). There may be some difficulty exchanging travelers cheques outside major towns. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars.

Currency restrictions:There are no restrictions on the import and export of either local or foreign currency.

Exchange rate indicators:The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Chilean Peso against Sterling and the US Dollar

Banking hours:Mon-Fri 0900-1400.

Culture of Chile

Northern Chile was an important center of culture in the medieval and early modern Inca empire. Afterwards, their culture was dominated by the Spanish during the Colonial and early Republican period. Other European influences, primarily English and French, began in the 19th century and have continued until today, as in other Western societies.

The national dance is the cueca. Another form of traditional Chilean song, though not a dance, is the tonada. Arising from music imported by the Spanish colonists, it is distinguished from the cueca by an intermediate melodic section and a more prominent melody. In the mid-1960s native musical forms were revitalized by the Parra family with the Nueva Cancion Chilena, which was associated with political activists and reformers.

Chileans call their country Pais de Poetas which means land of poets. Chile’s most famous poet is Pablo Neruda, world-renowned for his extensive library of works on romance, nature, and politics.

Culture of Chile. Northern Chile was an important center of culture in the medieval and early modern Inca empire, while indigneous Mapuche and other Araucanian cultures developed in the Central and Southern regions. Culture was afterwards dominated by the Spanish during the Colonial and early Republican period. Other European influences, at first chiefly English and French, began in the 19th century and have continued until today, as in other Western societies.

Demographics of Chile

Unlike some of its South American neighbours, Chile is a relatively homogenous country. Around 95% of Chileans descend from early Spanish colonists, with the overwhelming part also possessing Native American ancestry in varying degrees - thus deeming the population majority as mestizo.

During the colonial period, Spain found it necessary to maintain a continual influx of soldiers to protect its distant American colonies. Spaniards arrived from all regions of Spain, including Andalucia, Extremadura, and the Basque country.

Many of these ended up settling in Chile. The combination of an economy based on temperate-zone agriculture, Amerindian resistance to Spanish occupation, and a continuous influx of Spaniards from the mid-sixteenth century to the end of the colonial period defined the main body of Chile’s mestizo majority population to one where the average Spanish input is greater than in neighbouring Andean mestizo populations. People of relatively unmixed Spanish ancestry are not uncommon. Those of unmixed European ancestry are estimated between five to ten percent.

People that self-identify solely as members of any of the country’s many indigenous groups number around 700,000 individuals, or 5% of the country’s total population. Of that 700,000, around 80% are Mapuche that reside mainly in the south-central area of the country. Aymara and Quechua-speaking populations live along the northern border with Peru and Bolivia. There are also around 5,000 polynesian people who are indigenous to the Chilean territory of Easter Island (Rapanui) in the Pacific.

Throughout much of Chile’s modern history there has been a slow but steady work related trans-Andean migration to Chile - primarily from Peru and Bolivia - due mostly to the economic situation of its neighbours. Peruvians have historically constituted the largest immigrant group of the country. However, Argentina’s eventual economic collapse in 2001 caused such an escalation in their migratory influx into Chile, that by 2005 Argentinians comprised the largest immigrant group, outnumbering Peruvians.

Chileans descended from non-Spanish European immigrants are not very numerous. They include a small but influential number of descendants of Irish immigrants which arrived in Chile during the Spanish colonial period and descendants of English immigrants, arrived during and after independence (mainly merchants and sailors).

A government-sponsored immigration from Germany began in 1848, and in time, changed the cultural makeup of the southern provinces of Valdivia, Llanquihue, and Osorno, which still show a strong German influence. Other historically significant immigrant groups include people of Italian ancestry (Valparaiso Region), Croatian (Antofagasta and Punta Arenas), French, and Polish backgrounds. There are also people from Middle Eastern and North African backgrounds, including the second largest Palestinian colony outside of the Middle East. In the last decade there has been an influx of Koreans who settled in small sections of Santiago.

Although all these immigrants never came to comprise a large segment of the population, they nevertheless contributed greatly to Chilean society and the development of the nation. Most retained their traditions, cultures and national affiliations by maintaining close-knit communities - although many also mixed into the majority - while at the same time co-existed peacefully with the host population.

About 85% of Chile’s population lives in urban areas, with 40% living in Greater Santiago.

Foreign relations of Chile

Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. Chile completed a 2-year non-permanent position on the UN Security Council in January 2005. Chile is an active member of the UN family of agencies and participates in UN peacekeeping activities.

Chile hosted the Defense Ministerial of the Americas in 2002 and the APEC summit and related meetings in 2004. Chile hosted the Community of Democracies ministerial in April 2005. An associate member of Mercosur and a full member of APEC, Chile and has been an important actor on international economic issues and hemispheric free trade.

The Chilean Government has diplomatic relations with most countries. It settled its territorial disputes with Argentina during the 1990s. Chile and Bolivia severed diplomatic ties in 1978 over Bolivia’s desire to reacquire territory it lost to Chile in 1879-83 War of the Pacific. The two countries maintain consular relations.