Places to Visit in Coquimbo, Chile, America

Places to Visit in Coquimbo, Chile, America

Coquimbo is a port city as well as the capital of Elqui Province in the region of Coquimbo in Chile, sited on the Pan-American Highway covering an area of 1,429.3 sq. km. Coquimbo is home to Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso which is a multipurpose stadium with a gallery capacity of 17,750 seats.

Geography of Coquimbo:

Coquimbo is situated about 465 km north of Santiago, the capital of Chile, between 29°57′11″ S latitude and 71°20′36″ W longitude at an elevation of 15 meters. It enjoys an average temperature of 14 °C (57 °F).

History of Coquimbo:

A Spanish conquistador, Pedro de Valdivia conquered the natural harbor of Coquimbo in 1550. Coquimbo was renowned during the 1840s for its gold and copper industry and it became independent from Spanish along with the rest of the Chilean regions on September 18, 1810. Coquimbo was founded as a town in 1867.

How to reach Coquimbo?

Coquimbo is catered by La Florida Airport which is located in La Serena, around 18 km away from the heart of the city of Coquimbo with scheduled flights to Antofagasta, Calama, Copiapó, Santiago de Chile. The airlines that serve La Florida Airport include Sky Airline and LAN Express which cost $168 US one way and $305 return from Santiago to La Serena.

There are regular buses plying between Santiago de Chile and La Serena, taking around 8 hours. Price depends on seat, day and season and the major bus companies include TurBus, Flota Barrios and Pullman Bus. From La Serena, tourists can take a local bus or taxi to reach Coquimbo.

Food and Shopping in Coquimbo:

Coquimbo has a renowned casino frequented by youth from the different regions of the province and also houses many decent shops all around the city.

List of major food corners in Coquimbo:

Restaurant Molokai
Tio Coco
Tololo Beef
La Bahia – Tongoy
La Marraqueta

Things to do in Coquimbo:

Casino
Museum
Surrounding beaches

Places of interest in Coquimbo:

Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso:

Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso was initially opened on July 1, 1970 and renovated stadium inaugurated on November 19, 2008. It is a multiuse stadium highly used for football matches, holding 7,750 people. Nice construction and surrounding environment.

Archeologigal Museum:

There is an archeological museum situated in La Serena, around 12 km away from Coquimbo. Entrance fee is CLP$600.

Parque Nacional Fray Jorge:

With an area of 100 km², Parque Nacional Fray Jorge is a national park situated in Limarí Province. This UNESCO Biosphere reserve was established in 1941 which is home to typical indigenous and exotic plants including Lithraea venenosa, Peruvian pepper, Porlieria chilensis and animals like Degu and Chinchilla. Admission fee is $1.600 (adults) and $600 (children) and park is located around 100 km from Coquimbo.

Other places of interest near Coquimbo include:

Elqui Valley
Observatory in La Serena
Isla Damas
Museo del Meteorito
Playa La Herradura
Third Millenium Cross Monument
Coquimbo Casino
Guanaqueros
Tongoy

Best time to visit Coquimbo:

The ideal time to visit Coquimbo is between late October and November while many regional festivals are celebrated grandly.

Accommodation options in Coquimbo:

Coquimbo hosts many reputed hotels and service apartments and also tourists can visit the hotels of neighboring La Serena. The prominent hotels in Coquimbo and La Serena are listed below: