Santiago is a pleasurable blend of old European influences and an ultramodern, Bohemian life. While in the history it has not attracted as numerous excursionists as other South American centrals, Santiago is snappily rising as a little-given jewel. It's a megacity where Belle Époque armature shares pavements with glass towers and premises full of win trees. While over 40 of the population of Chile live in Santiago, the megacity maintains a relaxed pace, with its moping lunches at out-of-door caf
chile (8)
Visitors to part of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru (where it's the national animal and is even on the country's coat of arms) may come across this quintessential South American mammal, a camelid related to guanacos, llamas, and alpacas (which are descended from vicuñas) The smallest of the camelids, vicuñas stand about three feet tall at the shoulder; weigh between 70 and 150 pounds; and have long necks and legs as well as relatively small heads with long pointed ears.
Basicall
Chile’s signature grape varietal arrived just before phylloxera hit Europe in the mid 19th century. With the country's new wine region just getting established, a few Carménère cuttings were imported and planted in the valleys of Santiago among Merlot vines. Despite the sparse rainfall and hot days, they immediately flourished in their new climate.
Carménère was at first confused for “Chilean Merlot” until a 1994 DNA analysis revealed its true identity. Further complicating things, Carménère wa
Chile offers a broad spectrum of varietals produced in eight regions across 600 miles of 
vastly diverse terroir, running the gamut from coastal highlands to craggy Andean plateaus 13,000 feet or more above sea level.
The concept of grapes and wine making was little known in Chile before Spanish conquistadors invaded during the 1500s, planting Pais vines, which are now considered Chiles national grape. At the time, Pais, also known as “mission grapes” fed a growing need for sacramental wine used
Pablo Rogat
by Miguel Martínez Rabanal
Unfamiliar compared to many than other Latin American cuisines such as Mexican, Peruvian, and Cuban, Chilean cuisine has always been considered one of those that best blend the traditions of the Spaniards and the pre-Columbian people of the Americas, and drawing from the bounty of fertile agricultural lands, highlands, and thousands of kilometres of coastline. Here they call it sazón chilena (Chilean seasoning), and it imbues all of this country's most belo
by Miguel Martínez Rabanal
Chile is a very special country, full of very special sights and experiences. But the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui is not only special, but dramatically unique in all the world. What makes it worth the time (a five-hour flight from Santiago), effort, and expense to make your way out to this wee chunk of rock in the middle of the southeastern Pacific Ocean – one of the world’s most remoted inhabited islands?
Named Isla de Pascua because it was found by Europeans (th
by Felice Hardy
Happily, powderhounds in withdrawal don’t have to hang on till December to hit the ski resorts. The Southern Hemisphere is happy to oblige us with some superb skiing on amazing terrain throughout the southern Andes, where the reversal of seasons means of course it’s winter there right now.
The South America skiing season in Argentina and Chile runs from June through October, with skiing for all levels, modern lifts, some great off-piste skiing, quirky resorts and e
If you find should yourself spending New Year’s Eve in a Spanish-speaking country, you may notice that the locals have an interesting tradition of their own for this special night. As the big moment nears, participants will suspend clusters of grapes over their mouths (or have a loose handful of them) and eat one with each clock strike of midnight. These are “las doce uvas de la suerte” (the twelve grapes of fortune), which of course is what everyone wishes themselves and others f
