Food, Wine and more in Chile

Luz has been sharing wonderful information with us about Chile. For the last segment, he shares some special things to do while in Chile, plus top picks for hotels - and not to mention food and wine vacations!

Food and Wine Vacations

"In our geographically long country you can find different food and cooking styles varying from aboriginal to classic, including the cultural influences that came with the colonization of our nation. Our weather allows a great variety of fruits and vegetables to grow and the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean provide a wide variety of sea food of great quality."

"14 wine regions offer an extensive list of more than 100 different wineries, but not all of them offer accommodation. One great option is to stay at one winery and plan a route to visit others. This way you can experience a variety of perfect food and wine pairings."

Special Interests

"These are some of the spots to keep in mind for special interest vacations:

• Beaches - Our extensive coastline allows us to offer a wide variety of beaches and surf spots. Every year, Arica and Pichilemu organize international and national surf competitions. Waves up to 10 meters can be found on normal days.
• Philanthropic Journeys - We do offer activities to help the community, children and older people and we can arrange educational programs.
• Shopping - A great variety of wines are available at very good prices, we recommend Carmenere wine, which is an excellent option for being a unique grape grown in Chile. In our country you can buy a semiprecious stone called Lapiz Lazuli that can only be found in Chile and Afghanistan and arts and crafts made from horsehair, tinted and braided into beautiful designs.
• Culture - In Santiago you can find plenty of cultural activities, for example The Teatro Municipal de Santiago well known for its opera, ballet and classical concerts and The Teatro Municipal de Las Condes for its variety of spectacles. Puerto Varas which yearly hosts an important music festival recently opened its own beautiful theatre known as "Teatro del Lago". Museums and local towns dedicated to artisan craftmanship are another option to visit."
• Adventure - In Patagonia you can go whale watching, observe penguins and easily spot a great variety of birds and animals. Seals and sea lions have their own private islands. Adventure is everywhere from canopy (zip line) to kayaking, river rafting, heli-skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, sky diving, hiking, paragliding and much more."

Hotel Recommendations

• Boutique hotels - We have a great variety of boutique hotels awarded for their luxury design, style and service by international experts.
• Northern Chile - Awasi, Alto Atacama and Explora in San Pedro are a new experience in Hotel service.
• The greater Santiago area - 5 star hotel properties such as the Ritz Carlton and the Grand Hyatt.
• The wine valleys - Casa Lapostolle
• Lake region - We recommend a stay at Cumbres Patagonicas, Casa Molino and the Cliffs Preserve. These are just some of the great options.
• Patagonia region - The outstanding Explora hotel and Lakutaia in Tierra del Fuego.
• Easter Island - Explora Hotel and Hotel Altiplanico are very good options on Easter Island.

Chile certainly has much to offer visitors. Thanks to Luz for providing this valuable information to assist in planning your fabulous vacation in this country with so many fascinating regions.