TOURISM
La Serena, Chile
¿Why La Serena?
La Serena is the second oldest city in Chile, after Santiago. Founded in 1544 by Captain Juan Bohón and refounded in 1549 by Captain Francisco de Aguirre, in a territory of varied native peoples, including Diaguita, Inca and valuable local cultures.
It is the capital of the Coquimbo Region, a center of services and with a relevant urban development. Its beaches on Avenida del Mar, La Recova shopping center, the Japanese Garden, the churches of the historic center, El Pino hill and its extensive rural sector stand out.
Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Chile, La Serena is recognized for its elegant architectural patrimony that knows how to combine very well the history of its streets with the development of its modern infrastructure that makes its valued Historic Center one of its most valued attractions that give it its identity.
Located only a few hours away from the capital of Chile, La Serena, it has a generous network of tourist services for the development of meeting tourism, expeditious air and road connectivity. Its strategic location allows you to travel in a few minutes from the mountains to the sea, from the mystical Elqui Valley to the charms of the picturesque port of Coquimbo.
It stands out as one of the cities with the best quality of life in the country, it offers visitors a pleasant climate that allows the development of outdoor activities, an exquisite gastronomy with varied menus made with gourmet products, accompanied by the outstanding wine and piscos produced by the generous vineyards of our valleys, will make your work stay a pleasant and unforgettable experience.
The Coquimbo Region has a high level of urban development and technical support that guarantee the best conditions for holding congresses, conventions, meetings, or other professional activities with all the demands that these activities require. It has first class gastronomy and recreational services, with an offer of tourist services in consolidated areas that will make your event or business meeting an unforgettable activity.
This region facilitates the efficient development of quality tourism regarding events, congresses, and conventions; as it has excellent and adequate facilities, including hotel and gastronomic tourist facilities, service infrastructure and a highly qualified supply of human resources.
All of this with a privileged climate and conditions that favor the harmonious development of the meetings, limited rainfall, and ambient temperature without major changes throughout the year.
Why La Serena?
La Serena is the second oldest city in Chile, after Santiago. Founded in 1544 by Captain Juan Bohón and refounded in 1549 by Captain Francisco de Aguirre, in a territory of varied native peoples, including Diaguita, Inca and valuable local cultures.
It is the capital of the Coquimbo Region, a center of services and with a relevant urban development. Its beaches on Avenida del Mar, La Recova shopping center, the Japanese Garden, the churches of the historic center, El Pino hill and its extensive rural sector stand out
Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Chile, La Serena is recognized for its elegant architectural patrimony that knows how to combine very well the history of its streets with the development of its modern infrastructure that makes its valued Historic Center one of its most valued attractions that give it its identity.
Located only a few hours away from the capital of Chile, La Serena, it has a generous network of tourist services for the development of meeting tourism, expeditious air and road connectivity. Its strategic location allows you to travel in a few minutes from the mountains to the sea, from the mystical Elqui Valley to the charms of the picturesque port of Coquimbo.
It stands out as one of the cities with the best quality of life in the country, it offers visitors a pleasant climate that allows the development of outdoor activities, an exquisite gastronomy with varied menus made with gourmet products, accompanied by the outstanding wine and piscos produced by the generous vineyards of our valleys, will make your work stay a pleasant and unforgettable experience.
The Coquimbo Region has a high level of urban development and technical support that guarantee the best conditions for holding congresses, conventions, meetings, or other professional activities with all the demands that these activities require. It has first class gastronomy and recreational services, with an offer of tourist services in consolidated areas that will make your event or business meeting an unforgettable activity. This region facilitates the efficient development of quality tourism regarding events, congresses, and conventions; as it has excellent and adequate facilities, including hotel and gastronomic tourist facilities, service infrastructure and a highly qualified supply of human resources. All of this with a privileged climate and conditions that favor the harmonious development of the meetings, limited rainfall, and ambient temperature without major changes throughout the year. Work and rest are perfectly complemented through the great development of technological and communication services, a wide range of tourist attractions offered by the area and tours that facilitate interest in visiting them. In addition, comfort and safety is provided by the means of land and air transportation, allowing the adequate travel to the Coquimbo Region.
Work and rest are perfectly complemented through the great development of technological and communication services, a wide range of tourist attractions offered by the area and tours that facilitate interest in visiting them. In addition, comfort and safety is provided by the means of land and air transportation, allowing the adequate travel to the Coquimbo Region.
Astronomy
For scientists, the sky in the región is the best for astronomical observation in the world and, where “astro tourists “satisfy their need of getting enchanted with the cosmos.
Since the 60s, the region has been a recognized international investigation centre, with important scientific and tourist observatories, all this due to its wide and diverse night tours of 15 observatories and astro tourist places, day tours to 5 scientific observatories. And since 1998, has been developing astro-tourism, currently consolidating more than 50% of the astro-tourism offer in the entire country.
Given the extraordinary quality of its transparent, stable skies with little cloud cover, Chile has become a natural laboratory for astronomy, concentrating today 40% of the world’s astronomical observation, thanks to more than a dozen astronomical facilities, including optical observatories and radio observatories.
The Coquimbo Region plays a leading role in the area, through the scientific observatories La Silla, located in the commune of La Higuera; Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO); belonging to the AURA/NOAO consortium (Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy/National Optical Astronomy Observatories), Gemini Sur (international consortium) and SOAR (Southern Astrophysical Research) located in the commune of Vicuña; and Las Campanas (Carnegie Institution of Washington in association with Harvard University and MIT), where the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) will operate.
This broad offer involves more than 60 tourist services related to the astro-tourism industry, including night visits to the thirteen tourist observatories in the Region, which make up the largest astro-tourism circuit in the world; daytime visits to scientific observatories; trekking and horseback riding activities at night with observation of the cosmos; themed lodging; nighttime dinners; or astrophotography services.
Astronomy
For scientists, the sky in the región is the best for astronomical observation in the world and, where “astro tourists “satisfy their need of getting enchanted with the cosmos.
Since the 60s, the region has been a recognized international investigation centre, with important scientific and tourist observatories, all this due to its wide and diverse night tours of 15 observatories and astro tourist places, day tours to 5 scientific observatories. And since 1998, has been developing astro-tourism, currently consolidating more than 50% of the astro-tourism offer in the entire country.
Given the extraordinary quality of its transparent, stable skies with little cloud cover, Chile has become a natural laboratory for astronomy, concentrating today 40% of the world’s astronomical observation, thanks to more than a dozen astronomical facilities, including optical observatories and radio observatories.
The Coquimbo Region plays a leading role in the area, through the scientific observatories La Silla, located in the commune of La Higuera; Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO); belonging to the AURA/NOAO consortium (Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy/National Optical Astronomy Observatories), Gemini Sur (international consortium) and SOAR (Southern Astrophysical Research) located in the commune of Vicuña; and Las Campanas (Carnegie Institution of Washington in association with Harvard University and MIT), where the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) will operate.
This broad offer involves more than 60 tourist services related to the astro-tourism industry, including night visits to the thirteen tourist observatories in the Region, which make up the largest astro-tourism circuit in the world; daytime visits to scientific observatories; trekking and horseback riding activities at night with observation of the cosmos; themed lodging; nighttime dinners; or astrophotography services.
Other milestones in the Coquimbo Region linked to the quality of its sky and astronomical observation, and which further support its potential for the development of astro-tourism, are the declaration of the Fray Jorge National Park as a Starlight Reserve (Starlight Foundation), the first in South America and fourth in the world; and the declaration in the Elqui Valley of the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary (International Astronomical Union and the International Dark Sky Association), the ‘Gabriela Mistral’.
Costal Shore
Avenida del Mar. Coastal strip that joins La Serena and Coquimbo, It is one of the most attractive walks for the visitor. In El Faro begins a beautiful tour along 6 kilometers of extensive beaches with lifeguards. There are hotel and gastronomic services, with dishes based mainly on fish and seafood, and typical products of the region. A bicycle path connects the sections El Faro-Playa La Barca and Los Corsarios-Coquimbo, ideal for biking and rollerblading.
Costal Shore
Avenida del Mar. Coastal strip that joins La Serena and Coquimbo, It is one of the most attractive walks for the visitor. In El Faro begins a beautiful tour along 6 kilometers of extensive beaches with lifeguards. There are hotel and gastronomic services, with dishes based mainly on fish and seafood, and typical products of the region. A bicycle path connects the sections El Faro-Playa La Barca and Los Corsarios-Coquimbo, ideal for biking and rollerblading.
