Experience the best of La Serena

Founded in 1544, La Serena is one of the oldest cities in Chile. Its centre has stone churches, a cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and many buildings in a neo-colonial style, added in the 20th century to give the place a unified look. To the west a broad avenue runs to a long line of beaches, with a monumental lighthouse, and a Japanese garden sits in the Parque Pedro de Valdivia.

Inland, the Elqui Valley climbs into the Andes, a green strip of vineyards, papaya orchards and small villages, with Vicuña and Pisco Elqui the best known. The clear dry air makes the valley one of Chile's best places for stargazing, with several observatories open to visitors. North of the city, the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve, reached by boat from Punta de Choros, protects penguins, dolphins and sea lions on its islands.

Papayas grown nearby are made into sweet preserves, and the Elqui Valley is the home of Chilean pisco, so a pisco sour is the usual start to a meal. Fresh fish and shellfish come from the coast. The climate is a mild desert one, with little rain, cool sea mists in the mornings and sunny afternoons nearly all year.