Two Weeks in Chile (in October)

We had a great time in Chile spending two weeks in the Atacama desert, Santiago and Valparaiso, wine regions near Santiago and the coastal town of Zapallar.

We started in the Atacama desert. Wow what an experience like being on the moon. Incredible stars at night, the geography is unreal. After three nights we moved to Santiago and enjoyed the city for three more days. Museums, cafes, restaurants...do they call it the Paris of South America (or did I make that up)? If you go, the pork sandwich at Antigua Fuente is a must have.

There are many vineyards and wine regions within a short drive of Santiago, so that's what we did. Our AirBnB was on a ridge and the clouds filled the valley in the night while we slept. Then Valparaiso for a few nights, enjoying the eclecticism and good food and art and culture and cafes.

We drove along the coast to Zapallar, a well-off coastal community for Santiago residents with resources. We stayed in a lovely hotel overlooking the ocean, visited small towns nearby, and ate a couple meals at the fantastic seafood restaurant that's practically in the harbor.

We had a car both in Atacama and then we rented one in Santiago and drove everywhere. I suppose you can do the desert through tour groups, but I always prefer having my own transport. There's no way you could do all the other places without one. I'm ready to return and visit the Lake District in the summer.