JourneyEtc

Chile is a narrow, extremely long South American country and this gives it a widely
diverse landscape, from arid desert wastelands in the north to icy glacial regions in
the south, with the magnificent Andes mountain range running along the eastern
border and the powerful Pacific  Ocean on the west coast. This is a fascinating
country to visit, not only for its stunning natural scenery, but also for its many vibrant
towns and cities, which are full of lively bars, restaurants, shops and nightclubs, and
also its excellent range of outdoor activity facilities, including skiing, horse riding,
hiking and white water rafting.

The Andes by Santiago de Chile offer an amazing view

Chile is one of the more stable South American countries, and has a successful past
in terms of trade and commerce, although the profitable minerals trade (the main
drive to the economy), has slowed down in recent years. Chile is also famous for its
excellent wines, and this export trade has provided a boost to the country’s economy
over the years.

La Playa de la constitucion in Santiago de Chile is is a symbol for the local identity.

The capital of Chile is Santiago, and this is a vast city, with all of the usual problems
that massive urbanization brings such as pollution and poverty, but it also has many
of the benefits as well, including efficient modern transport systems (including an
underground metro), shopping malls, big business centres and excellent museums
and attractions. It is also an excellent base from which to explore the mountains, as
it is situated in the Santiago Basin, between the great Andes and the Chilean Coastal
Range, and there are several excellent ski lodges only an hour’s drive from the city.

A rich sea plate in a Santiago restaurant

Chile has a simple but very tasty cuisine, which focuses on meat, poultry and fish
ingredients, and vegetarians may find the choices very limiting outside of the bigger
towns and cities. Popular Chilean dishes include empanada, which are pastries
stuffed meat (or chicken or fish) and eggs, raisins, onions and olives, and also the
delicious Bife a lo pobre (which western visitors will find reassuringly familiar), which
is steak served with chips, onions and eggs. Of course there are some excellent
local Chilean wines to go with the food, particularly those made from the Carmenère
grape, which was once a French favorite, and was saved by its isolation in Chile
from the blight that killed off all of the original species that grew in France. You
should also try some of the Pisco, which is a strong brandy that is often used in a
number of tasty cocktails throughout Chile (and Peru). The legal drinking age in
Chile is 18 years old, and it is customary for larger restaurants to add the usual 10%
tip to your bill. Nightclubs are also popular in larger towns and cities across Chile,
and Santiago has a number of busy and energetic clubs, perfect for late drinks with
friends or practicing your samba and salsa steps.

The genuine nature and wild life within Tores del Paine National Reserve is a must do for any Chile visitor.

There are so many things to see and do in Chile visitors will be spoilt for choice, but
some of the best and most impressive sights are in Chile’s national parks, such as
Parque Nacional Lauca (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) in the north, and also
The Torres del Paine National Park in the south, which include many of the areas
most beautiful mountains, glaciers and lakes. If you have time you could also try and
fit in a visit to the famous Easter Island, (a Polynesian island within Chile’s territory),
which is one of the top world heritage sites and features the amazing large stone
statues (moai) created by the Rapanui people from as far back as 400 AD.