Chile

Chile was not at all what I expected when I was given the opportunity to travel there with my family. The long plane ride was a struggle, as it had been the longest I’d done yet.

ONE: Santiago

we flew into the city of Santiago, which is a big city with lots of people. For my family, we love to explore and do activities together in these new foreign places. One of the best views in Santiago is from the top of the San Cristobal Hill.

The top of the hill provided a view of the city of Santiago and the surrounding mountains. Due to the time of year, it was covered in cloud, but beautiful nonetheless. If you like to have a drink or two, I highly recommend trying South America’s specialty drink the Pisco Sour!

TWO: Valparaiso

Think Italy in Chile, this beautiful piece of coastline features some amazing houses that sit on top of each other, reminding me of Europes famous coastlines such as Riomaggiore in Italy. Although not as picturesque, It is the perfect day trip away from the city, and provides great scenery and gorgeous cafes to enjoy.

THREE: Farellones

The snow mountains just outside Santiago provide a rough trip, as the roads are icy and long, but upon arrival it is well worth it. With the ski mountains La Parva and Valle Nevado right next door, Farellones is a beautiful middle ground in between. With amazing views and friendly people, this town was definitely a highlight of the trip. Especially when most nights finished looking like this.

The snow mountains nearby provided the perfect outing opportunity, if you’re an avid skier like I am. During June, the snow is still not fully covering the mountain, but it meant that there weren’t many people around and we could go up and down the runs as much as we liked and had a joyous time.

FOUR: Zapallar

Although we obviously visited this stunning coastal town the wrong time of year, the town of Zapallar had beautiful ocean view walks along the coast, and picturesque beaches

The walk was designed into the beautiful rocks surrounding the coast, which made it feel like it was apart of nature as you enjoyed the ocean as well as the beautiful houses of Zapallar.

FIVE: Winery Tours

Chile has some fun activities, but one that I found extra special was their winery tours. There are a fair few up for grabs, but our chosen one was In Situ, Laguna del Inca. I grew up horse riding, and we were lucky to view the winery on horseback.

After finishing the ride, we went inside and had a wine tasting with our guide, who then convinced us each to buy a bottle to take home!