Chile

October 23, 2011 | Filed under: Chile | Posted by: Dreamer

Anyone, who has ever stepped on the land of Chile, will call it a real paradise! This is the country, one wants to come back over and over again. You seem to plunge into a sweet daydream, admiring the majestic scenery of this country, feeling the breath of the powerful Andes and listening to the lullaby of the gentle lifetime that is far from hurrying anywhere. Everything is clear and accurate here with the best European traditions, and without the crazy rush of muddy and smoky big cities.
Chile is the longest and the narrowest country in the world. The unusual large extent of the country allows it to have almost all existing sorts of world climatic zones. Journey through Chile will let you travel through three continents at the same time: South America, Oceania and Antarctica. No country in the world has such a unique geographical position, as this wonderland.

North of Chile is a real contrast of plateau (Altiplano) and desert (Desierto de Atacama). We can say that it greatly combines lifeless sands with beauty, rich flora and fauna of the oases and the serene beaches of the coastal zone. The picturesque plateau with its unique lakes, salt marshes, geysers, bogs tells the tourists a long history of ancient settlements of Indians that existed in the area. Make sure to stop by the amazing Lauca National Park, declared to be a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Now the main tourist centers of northern Chile are Arica, Iquique, Calama, San Pedro de Atacama and Antofagasta. Almost all of them, except for Calama and San Pedro de Atacama, are located in the coastal zone and have beautiful beaches. Calama and San Pedro de Atacama are considered to be beautiful oasis spots in the middle of the desert.
Cities of Copiapo and La Serena are best known for being the homeland for the national Chilean drink “pisco”, as well as for the sky is the bluest and the brightest in the entire southern hemisphere.

The capital of Chile, Santiago is a very green city with numerous parks, gardens, cozy streets and boulevards. It is one of the most amazing cities in the world. First, it is fully surrounded by mountains, which are incredibly beautiful. Secondly, about 50 km away from the city, you relax at a beautiful ski resort in the snows of the mountains, and at the same time, about 100 km far from the city to the other side you can have a sunbath on the wonderful beaches of Del Mar Vigny or Valparaiso. So playing snowballs, and swimming in the ocean can be done on the same day.
Once in Santiago, make sure to stroll through Passeo del Puente or Parque Forestal, where there are a number of old buildings preserved in all their splendor, such as the Cathedral, the Post Office, which is more like a manor house thanks to its Baroque facade, the Municipal Theatre keeping the mood of a true magical holiday. Walk a little away from the center and you’ll witness a real economic miracle in the regions of Las Condes and Lo Barnechea. These areas look like a dreamy fairy tale with their small houses buried in the greenery of gardens, with flowers everywhere, close-cropped lawns, and a giant decoration – the Andes in the background.
The South of Chile offers a lot of forms of adventure to tourist, such as boating, rafting, and sightseeing, exotic tours, and finally eco-tourism. It all depends on how much time you can spend on discovering this part of the land.
The journey to the southern part of South America begins in Puerto Montt, which is called to be the gateway to the Lake District. The highest mountains, swift rivers, volcanoes, blue lakes, waterfalls, many national parks with unique flora and fauna, ski resorts and hot springs all can be found in Lake District.

In the town of O’Higgins you will come across the planet’s greatest continental glaciers. In some places, glaciers force their way to the sea and here we can directly observe the process of “iceberg formation”, when blocks of ice are breaking away from the glacier and fall into the water. The most popular place, where you can be a witness of this beauty is San Rafael Lagoon. This place and the surrounding area enjoy popularity with both tourists and locals.
So all of you, who are waiting for a rich holiday experience, but are not willing to devote a vacation to hot and muggy countries, are welcome to visit the wonderful land of Chile!