Latin American Living

The capital of the region and the second oldest city in the country. La Serena is a local and international tourist destination due both to its beaches and attractions in the nearby mountains.

Climate in La Serena

Quite pleasant year-round. The water temperature at the beaches can get a bit chilly, especially during the winter.

Hotels in La Serena

There are a lot of hotel rooms in La Serena, and although it might be hard to believe if you were to visit in the low season, they all fill up during the peak vacation months of January and February. Reserve ahead during this period. To check availability of accommodation in La Serena visit one of the hotel search engines sites below.
Priceline
The expedia network
Decolar.com (em portugués)

Hostels in La Serena

To check availability of hostels in La Serena click here: Hostels in La Serena

Flights to La Serena

The La Florida Airport airport (LSC) is located 5 kms from the center See on map. Daily flights to and from Santiago, Copiapó and Antofagasta

To check on flights to La Serena, fill out the form below.

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More search options on Travelocity: Seniors (65+), Minors (2-17), First Class, One-Way

By Bus

The clean comfortable Terminal de Buses is located on Av. Amunategui #107. Buses to just about anywhere in the north of the country leave several times daily. Several buses daily to Pisco Elqui (2 hours) with the company Via Elqui.

There are official information booths in the bus terminal, on Avenida del Mar, in the Recova market and on Av. Matta 461. The official internet site of La Serena has a wealth of information on lodging and attractions in the area (in Spanish)

Bank machines in La Serena

Many ATMs located around Plaza de Armas.

The Iglesia de San Francisco church, a national monument, with its massively thick walls, is a national monument. The museum inside it currently closed for repairs.

La Recova market is a good place to shop for crafts or drink a sit and sip a fruit juice.

If your looking to take a stroll, try the Avenida del Mar which runs along the beach. There are many hotels, restaurants and even a casino in this area, which is best visited in the afternoon. You won’t miss the lighthouse when you get there. Its a bit dirty and poorly maintained, but climb the stairs to the top for a good view of the beach.

The clear skies of the Atacama desert make it one of the best places on earth to look at the stars. It’s no surprise that many of the world’s best observatories can be found here, including the Cerro Toldo observatory. Visits are possible, but must be requested at least a month in advance. The visits take place on Saturday, and include a free three hour tour.

Elqui Valley

The dry weather of the area also favors wine production and just outside of town many wineries produce varieties of Muscat and Torontel. And if you are not a fan of wine, Pisco is also produced nearby. Pisco del Elqui is the most popular town in this region and has decent infrastructure.

Visit the tomb of Nobel Prize for literature winner Gabriela Mistral in the village of Montegrande. Gabriela was a feminist poet who is still well respected in Chile.