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The
Chilean Patagonia. |
Visiting
Chile is like touring a dozen different countries at once. Due to its topography
and immense length from north to south, Chile has a great variety of climates.
Desert climate in the area between Arica and La Serena, Mediterranean in the central
Valley and Coast, temperate and rainy from Concepcion to Punta Arenas and cold
on the polar ice of Antarctica.
It's
in the center of the country where you can expect to find the larger cities and
the cultural nucleus. All of Chile's largest industries are located there, as
are most of its universities and vineyards, finest agricultural lands, colonial
and early republican architecture. In fact, central Chile is something of a microcosm
of the country, balanced between deserts to the north and forests to the south,
with the capital poised between the highest peaks in the Americas and a host of
premier beach resorts. When
you're in Santiago, you can drive 45 minutes to a ski resort, or you can drive
to the coastal cities of Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, and San Antonio. Like
Santiago, the central coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with short, mild winters
and a sunny summer season lasting over eight months. Here a chain of white-sand
beaches and coastal resorts offers something for every taste, from luxury hotels
to secluded cabañas, picnics on the beach to fresh seafood in an open-air
restaurant. |
