July is here, and with it the winter, cold and vacations of this holiday period, when we receive tourists who are well aware that in Chile there are both indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy, without worrying about the low temperatures. Whether on an extreme adventure in the mountains or sitting in front of a screen, Chile has something to surprise everyone.
Ski in the Andes Mountains
Spanning more than 4,000 km from north to south, the Chilean Andes are packed with world-class ski destinations. That is the reason why many tourists from all over the world travel to Chile to enjoy one of the best destinations for this winter sport. Choose one of these eight ski centers to enjoy the white sport at the end of the world:
El Colorado: 36 km from Santiago
With two snow parks and 112 ski slopes, El Colorado is Chile’s powder snow and freestyle center. You can enjoy an average of five meters of snow every year there.
More information here.
La Parva: 38 km from Santiago
This ski center offers you panoramic views of Chile’s capital city. It has 30 km of slopes, five restaurants and cabins to rent. La Parva is easy to access and has large off-piste areas with deep gorges and ledges for expert skiers.
More information here.
Valle Nevado: 60 km from Santiago
With 900 hectares on which to ski, Valle Nevado is South America’s largest ski center. It is located at 3,600 m altitude, one hour from Santiago. With skiing, snowboarding, heliskiing and a variety of hotels and restaurants, it is an international favorite.
More information here.
Portillo: 164 km from Santiago
If it is tradition and history that you are looking for, this is South America’s oldest ski center. It is the training area of many Olympic champions and a magical place to relax with family and friends.
More information here.
Nevados de Chillán: 483 km from Santiago
With natural hot springs after an intense day of skiing on slopes surrounded by native forests, Nevados de Chillán offers it all. It is a favorite of lovers of the white sport, because it offers traditional, Nordic and Randonnée skiing, and you can end your day with mud baths, thermal springs and aromatherapy.
More information here.
Corralco: 714 km from Santiago
Located in the Malalcahuello National Reserve, this ski center is an unmissable destination for skiers, with 25 km of slopes among ancient monkey puzzle trees at the top of the Lonquimay Volcano. Just imagine what it is like to ski in the middle of ancient forests…
More information here.
Pucón: 785 km from Santiago
Do you want to experience skiing on a volcano? Pucón Ski Resort is the place to do it. Located in southern Chile, enjoy half-pipes and slopes for all ski levels on the sides of the famous Villarrica Volcano.
More information here.
Antillanca: 1,027 km from Santiago
This is another volcano to ski on! On Casablanca Volcano, in the Puyehue National Park, you can find Antillanca, which means “Jewel of the Sun” in mapudungún, the Mapuche language. A ski center replete with nature and adventure in the middle of forests and mountains.
More information here.
Ice rinks: an unforgettable winter experience
In July, Santiago’s ice rinks are returning in all their glory after being closed for two years due to the pandemic. Here are four to enjoy during these cold months in Chile’s capital:
Parque Bustamante Ice Rink in Providencia
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 10 am.
More information here.
Parque Araucano Ice Rink in Las Condes
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm.
Cost of entry: 6,000 CLP per hour; weekends and holidays 7,500.
More information here.
Arauco Maipú Ice Rink
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 10 pm to 8 pm.
Cost of entry: 7,500 CLP per hour.
More information here.
Mall Plaza Vespucio Ice Rink
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 9:30 am to 8 pm.
Cost of entry: 7,500 CLP per hour.
More information here.
The Santiago Funicular returns for the winter holidays
This recently remodeled and restored heritage elevator offers an incredible 500-meter ride. It departs from the Pío Nono Station, going up the hillside to reach the summit of the San Cristóbal hill. At the top, you get a panoramic view of the city, can visit the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, and enjoy a Chilean dessert called mote con huesillo in the traditional stalls on the terrace. Half way up the route is the Zoológico Station, which drops you off at the doors to the Metropolitan Zoo.
The funicular was inaugurated in 1925 and declared a Historic Monument in 2000 for its great value to our heritage and its complex cable transport system. It is an unmissable experience to get to know this monument, which greets you with a medieval-style castle at the Pío Nono Station.
To find out about all the attraction and activities that Parquemet offers, such as the cable car, the ecological bus tour, the adventure park, the Japanese garden, and many more, click here.
“Meet Vincent Van Gogh”: The first time in Latin America
The “official exhibition” about the Dutch painter, created by experts from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, will debut in Chile and Latin America this July 1 in Vitacura’s Parque Bicentenario. It will run to August 15. In “Meet Vincent Van Gogh”, viewers will have a multisensory experience in which they will discover the secrets of his most famous paintings, gain an in-depth look at his life story, walk through six settings to interact with large-scale reproductions of his work, and hear the famous painter’s own thoughts. “Meet Vincent Van Gogh” is a cultural phenomenon and an award-winning international exhibition that has chosen Chile for its first landing in Latin America.
Tickets from 9,200 CLP; general public from $11,500. More information here.
“Avengers Station”: for adults and children
For Marvel fans, Avengers Station is an unmissable experience this holiday season. It is a multisensory experience that pays tribute to the films of the Avengers studio. There, you will have the experience of getting to know the different elements that appear in Marvel Studios productions.
Everyone is invited from July 1 at Espacio Riesco, Huechuraba. For more information, click here. Tickets from 14,000 CLP at PuntoTicket.cl
Paul Klee exhibition: the modern art trailblazer is in Chile
This is without doubt one of the shows of the year in Chile. This retrospective in La Moneda Cultural Center addresses the different aspects of the work of German-Swiss artist Paul Klee, once of the most important modern art trailblazers of the first half of the 20th Century.
More than 100 elements have arrived in Chile to help understand and get to know this artist. Among them are works, class notes, puppets, drawings, paintings, watercolors, photographs, documents and tools from his workshop, which have come from the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, Switzerland, the museum with the largest number of pieces by the artist. Here in Chile, you will see them displayed more or less chronologically and organized into categories such as Infancy, Nature, Abstraction, Theater, Bauhaus, 1933, Angels and Reduction.
Tickets from 1,000 CLP; and general public 3,000 CLP
More information here.
ExpoLego: South America’s biggest exhibition of sculptures built with LEGO bricks
Lego fascinates children and adults alike, and that is why the biggest exhibition of Lego sculptures in South America is coming to Chile. It will be an unmissable family experience this winter. 45 incredible figures made out of Lego will be displayed in more than a thousand square meters of space, some reaching more than four meters in length. The expo will take place in Mall Plaza Vespucio between July 7 and August 15, 2022. You will be able to see Lego super sculptures of iconic characters like those from Star Wars and Super Mario Bros. Even a scale model of the Titanic, the cruise liner that sunk in the North Atlantic, will be part of the show.
Tickets to the event can be purchased from 7,000 CLP via Ticketplus.cl.
More information here.
Series and documentaries about Chile to enjoy at home while it rains
This winter in Chile, we invite you to create a real home cinema. Get your popcorn ready, because here we offer you a list of four unmissable series and documentaries in which Chile is the protagonist.
Our Great National Parks
Only one country has an entire episode in the docuseries “Our Great National Parks” dedicated to its national parks, and that is Chile. The second episode of this series narrated by the former president of the United States, Barack Obama, called “Chilean Patagonia”, focuses on 24 of Chile’s national parks, among them Torres del Paine, Patagonia Park, Cerro Castillo and Conguillío. Our flora and fauna, such as guanacos, pumas, condors, pudú deer and güiña (kodkod), invite the whole world to come and explore Chile’s incredible national parks.
- Duration: 54 minutes (episode 2)
• Where to watch: Netflix
Ríos de Chile (Chile’s Rivers)
Another unmissable documentary series, if you want to enjoy the wonders of Chile during the winter, is Ríos de Chile, recently released on the web by Chile Travel. In the five episodes currently broadcast, kayakers Pedro Astorga and Aniol Serrasoles film their journey along the Baker, Futaleufú, Puelo, Cochamó and Curacalco rivers. If adventure and extreme sports are your thing, we strongly recommend this series.
- Duration: 32 minutes in total
• Where to watch: Youtube
Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World
Although it has not yet been released, the CNN international news network will broadcast “Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World” this July 10 at 9 pm in Chile. This documentary shows the landscapes and wildlife of Patagonia. Narrated by the famous Chilean actor now based in the United States, Pedro Pascal, adored for his performances in the Star Wars and Games of Thrones franchises, this series promises to show places never before seen on camera.
- Where to watch: CNN
The Cordillera of Dreams
The Cordillera of Dreams is a Chilean-French documentary directed by the talented and creative Chilean director Patricio Guzmán. It has won awards at the Cannes Festival as best documentary and the Goya Awards as best Iberoamerican film. Through Guzmán’s deep and slow narration, you will see the wonderful landscapes offered by the Andes Mountains, alongside the testimonies of Chilean artists who suffered at the hands of the military dictatorship.
- Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Where to watch: Ondamedia
