La Serena Favorites

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Favorite thing: Vicuña es la ciudad principal del Valle de Elqui y está situada a 62 kms. de La Serena. Tiene una población de 22.000 habitantes y es una ciudad pintoresca con casas de adobe con una plaza central dedicada a su ciudadana más famosa, Gabriela Mistral, la poetisa que fue galardonada con el Premio Nobel de Literatura en 1945 y Premio Nacional de Literatura en 1951. Ella nació en Vicuña donde se encuentra un Museo con la vida y obra de esta poetiza. Su tumba se encuentra en Montegrande a 29 kms. de Vicuña en el Valle del Río Claro. En el mismo lugar se encuentra la casa, convertida ahora en Museo, donde ella vivió de los 2 - 11 años de edad. A un costado de la Plaza de Armas se encuentra la Torre Baüer, símbolo de la ciudad, traída desde la ciudad de Ulm Alemania

Fondest memory: La planta pisquera Capel está situada justo a la salida de la ciudad y está abierto al público para tours con degustación.(Ver: Vino y Pisco )

Favorite thing: A 14 kms de Paihuano está Montegrande. Entrando, a mano izquierda está La Galería de Arte Zen, de origen budista, donde existen pinturas, talleres de relajación y meditación. A su lado, un pequeño stand en el que se pueden comprar perfumes naturales de limón, naranjas o hierbas. Más arriba, el Mausoleo de Gabriela Mistral, donde en su lápida están grabadas estas palabras: "Es mi voluntad que mi cuerpo sea enterrado en mi amado pueblo de Monte Grande del Valle de Elqui". Ya se empieza a respirar un aire diferente. Es impactante el contraste entre los cerros secos, con tonos de café, gris y púrpura, y la riqueza de vegetación de los parronales. Un cielo impecable, de un azul que no se ve en la ciudad.

Favorite thing: Pisco Elqui es un pequeño poblado asentado en un morro y cuyo nombre original era Unión, nombre que fue reemplazado en 1939 por el actual. El pueblo conserva su antigua arquitectura en las viejas casonas y en su Capilla de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, cuya torre es visible desde muy lejos. Cercana al pueblo se encuentra el Solar de Pisco Elqui, la destilería más antigua de la zona, que puede ser visitada en tours programados.

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Favorite thing: It's located 90kms south-west of La Serena. Its clear skies make "valle de elqui" a wonderful place if you like watching the sky at night. Many important observatories are place here (i.e. Tololo, Mamalluca, etc). Visiting the valley it's magical and energizing. In Montegrande, one of the little towns, you can visit Gabriela Mistral's (a Chilean NObel award of literature) place where she lived.Also, take a look at the Capel Pisco factory (Pisco is the Chilean national (alcoholic) drink)

Favorite thing: For a traveler without a car or other source of ready transportation, the beach area seems a bit seperate from the city of La Serena. The beach is a very long stretch of sand that has a fair supply of beachfront restaurants and many hotels/apart hotels. There is nothing much to see or do except for the sand and surf if you stay in that area. A taxi into the town runs 2500-3000 pesos from the beach area furthest south of town. You need to decide early on whether you want the beach experience or to locate in town. However, if you can find a room close to the El Faro/lighthouse, you should be able to walk into El Centro pretty easily. Perhaps this is the best of both worlds for both city and beach.
From what I was told, the beach area is a real mess of traffic and people in the summer months of January/February. Luckily, we were there in November and there was virtually no traffic on Av del Mar, very few people on the sand and the hotels were close to empty. It was dead quiet at night except for the sounds of the surf. On the downside, most of the beachfront restaurants were closed except for the summer months. We found only one open restaurant within walking distance of our apartment (luckily it was excellent).
Another benefit of being on the beach during the off season, was the price of our cabana. It had a kitchen, bathroom, seperate bedroom with small balcony, cable TV and it was just across the street from the beach. Cost for 2 persons in low season was 18000 pesos. In January/February the same place was 45000 pesos. Breakfast was included.

Fondest memory: Walking along the beautiful beach, almost deserted in the off-season. At night look across the bay and see the lights of Coquimbo on the hills.

Favorite thing: I think that one of the best ways to get to know better a place is by talking with local people, they know a lot about the city, traditions etc.

Fondest memory: I love to talk with local elderly people.....they know so much about this city!, most of the ones I've talked to so far, have lived all their life here, can you imagine all the stories they have to tell???.

They are like alive monuments! :o)

Favorite thing: One of my favourite things about La Serena, are the Fruits & Veggies Local Markets.
There are 2 or maybe 3 of them, but I like specially this, because it's plenty of space and the smell that you get when you came in is just amazing....hmmm! wonderful!.
It's incredibly cheap and good.

This Market is open on Tuesday, Thurday and Sunday, from 9am to 2pm.
It's located in the "Plaza de Abastos" (Abastos Public Square).

Fondest memory: I like to go to this Market, not only to buy fresh fruits and veggies, but to get that particular smell....it makes me feel so good! :o)
I also like to delight myself with colors, that only Nature can give.....watching local people is also something that I like to do.

Not many tourists know about this Market, because it's not in the touristic guide....so....