1552 Travel Guide

The Elqui Valley is a narrow oasis in northern Chile, famed for crystal-clear night skies, pisco vineyards and the Vicuña town beloved by poet Pablo Neruda. With almost no light pollution, it is among the world's top stargazing destinations, and several observatories open for night views of the Milky Way and nebulae. By day you wander vineyards, taste pisco brandy and explore craft and astronomy-themed villages. The dry, warm valley cradled by Andean foothills is a healing escape to look up at the stars.Late at night the Milky Way hangs clear enough to nearly touch.

Parque Nacional Fray Jorge, about 100 km south of La Serena, is famous for its relict fog forest — on hilltops above the arid northern coast, Pacific mist sustains a lush temperate rainforest, a striking contrast with the surrounding desert.

The Museo Arqueológico de La Serena is one of northern Chile's most important archaeology museums, holding Diaguita and Molle culture pottery, stone tools and metalwork from the Elqui valley and coast — essential for the region's ancient civilisations.