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Copiapó

Copiapó is an underappreciated destination whose high desert backcountry offers some of Chile's wildest scenery. It is jumping off point to the 6900 meter Ojos del Salado, the tallest mountain in Chile and the highest in South America. Copiapó-city

Also, only an hour to the west, the Pacific coast offers some of the country's best beaches. While the city dates from colonial times, its distinctive architecture is a legacy of the 19th-century mining booms in the area. It is not the most beautiful town in the country, but it offers some welcome shade and greenery amidst the dry and often harsh surrounding desert. The Plaza de Armas in the center of town is a particularly nice place to have a drink under the shade of the massive pepper trees and escape the sun.

Hotels


		Hotel Diego de Almeida

	General Info A luxury hotel.

	Accomodation Service Conference room, pool, restaurant, bar, cafe, laundry, parking.

	Prices Single Standar US$59, Double Standar US$69, Triple US$87, Single Superior US$68, Double Superior US$76 Rates valid until 28 February 2006


		Hotel San Francisco de la Selva

	General Info A good location in the city.

	Accomodation Service Bar, cafe, laundry, conference room, parking.

	Prices Single US$50, Double US$59, Triple US$69 Rates valid until February 28, 2005.


		Hotel La Casona

	General Info Classy hotel with beautiful gardens. It's located four blocks from the Plaza de Armas.

	Accomodation Service Cafe, bar, restaurant, TV cable, internet and fax services, laundry, parking.

	Prices Single: Tourist US$40, Classic: US$44, Executive US$47, Double: Tourist US$48, Classic: US$53, Executive US$56, Triple: Tourist:US$53, Classice US$59, Executive US$62 Rates valid until December 2005


		Hotel Montecatini I

	General Info It's a very fine hotel in the city.

	Accomodation Service Cafe, fax service, laundry, parking.

	Prices Single US$25, Double US$35


		Hotel Montecatini II

	General Info It's a very fine hotel in the city.

	Accomodation Service Bar, cafe, fax service, laundry, parking.

	Prices Single US$30, Double US$39, Triple US$49, Quadruple US$58


		Hotel Rocas de Bahia (Caldera)

	General Info It is an excellent choice in Caldera very attractive rooms around a delightful patio.

	Accomodation Service Cafe, laundry, parking.

	Prices Single US$87, Double US$101, Triple US$114, Quadruple US$128, Suite US$117, Suite Bahia Royale US$128 Rates valid until March 15 2005


		Camping

	General Info Campgrounds at Playa Piques and Calmat Pan de Azucar. US$10 per site.


		Cabañas

	General Info 6-bed cabañas with kitchen facilities - US$75 per night. Bring all supplies from Chañaral.

Activities


		Museum, Culture

	Museo Mineralógico: (Colipí at Rodruiguez. Open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 pm and 3:30 to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) University display acknowledging the mining industry's role in the regional economy. Displays a glistening exhibition of more than 2,000 types of minerals. Museo Regional: (Atacama 98. Irregular opening hours; admission US$1) Regional museum sited on notable historical property. Museo Ferrocarriles: (Juan Martinez 244. Open most evenings. Admission free.) Railroad buffs enjoy the station built for South America's first railroad, dating from 1851, which led to the port of Caldera.


		Historical Sightseeing

	Take a walking tour of the historic sites in Copiapo, starting in the lovely Plaza Prat. Considered one of the most picturesque plazas in the north, it contains eighty-four tall pepper trees dating from 1880. Visit the Iglesia Catedral (1851), and the the stunning Palacete de la Vina del Cristo, among other architectural sites.


		Tour

	Pan de Azucar National Park: (Open daily 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 2 to 6 p.m. Park admission US$4 for foreigners, US$1 for children) You can ask at Sernatur for a list of guides and tours. Just north of the city of Chañaral, the coastal desert of Pan de Azucar National Park is a popular stopover for travelers and locals alike. Its main attractions are its beaches and many seabirds, including nesting penguins on offshore islands, and the varied cacti that survive on moisture from the coastal fog.


		Excursion

	About 60 km south of Copiapó, via a spur off the Panamericana, is the silver mine ghost town of Chañarcillo, once a thriving settlement with a rail link to Copiapó and the coast. In the mountains northeast of Copiapó, along the Argentine border, Nevado Tres Cruces National Park includes the 6893-meter peak of Ojos del Salado, a popular goal for climbers; more easily accessible are the gigantic salt lakes known as Laguna del Negro Francisco, Laguna Santa Rosa, and the Salar de Maricunga, all of which feature impressive bird life, especially flamingos. There is no public transportation to these areas, but rental cars can reach them and local travel agencies can locate guides.