Come and discover the most beautiful vineyards in Chile, taste the best Chilean wines and traditional pisco and go with the oenology flow for a delicious holiday. Between Casablanca, the famous Santa Cruz Valley and Pisco Elqui, intoxicate yourself with Chile’s amazing savors and most beautiful colors.
Suggested duration: 12 days
Theme: Food & wine
Difficulty : For all public
Visited countries: Chile
Santiago de Chile
Casablanca, Valparaíso, Chile
Casas del Bosque Wineyard
Valparaiso
Santa Cruz, O'Higgins, Chile
Santa Cruz
Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
La Serena, Coquimbo, Chile
Pisco Elqui, Paiguano, Coquimbo, Chile
On arrival at Santiago International Airport, collect your hire car and drive to your accommodation.
You have the use of a compact hire car, category C, (Hyundai Accent or similar) with unlimited mileage for the duration of your stay. Toll fees around Santiago and CDW insurance are included.
Night in the hotel Eco Carmenere ***, Superior room.
After breakfast, you check out of the hotel and drive to Casablanca Valley, the gourmet star of Chilean wine. En route we recommend you to make some stop-over in some of the vineyards for wine tasting or lunch:
Bodega Ré
You can get a guided visit from this small familial bodega. The wine tasting includes 3 different types of wines , served with cheese and olive oil. You can also visit the liquors room and balsamic room.
Loma Larga
Deep into the Casablanca Valley is the Fundo Loma Larga, where the Diaz-Santelices family produces high standard wine since 2004. During your visit you will explore the vilification method and conservation caves.
The head sommelier will serve you 5 different wines from the vineyard: Chardonnay / Malbec / Cabernet Franc / Rapsodia / Mousseau Cabernet Franc.
The tour will last for 1h30.
Later in the day, you drive to your hotel located in the Matetic Vineyard. Dinner will be included with a bottle of their wine.
Night in the hotel La Casona Viña Matetic ****
Today is another day in the legendary Casablanca Valley. Our highlights are Emiliana Vineyard, for its classic charm and biologic wines, Bodega Re (if you haven’t done it yet) for its innovative practices and Attilo & Mochi for their famous Pinot Noir.
After some more explorations you drive to Valparaiso.
Night in the hotel Fauna ***, standard room.
For your day in Vaparaiso, we suggest that you take the time to explore its old quarters, listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO.
With its many hills crowned with picturesque houses and warehouses, its steep narrow streets, its cable cars and street artists, the city has a particular identity and a very special atmosphere. Seize the opportunity to have lunch in a typical seafood restaurant. Visit of La Sebastiana, one of Pablo Neruda’s houses.
La Sebastiana is closed on Mondays.
Night in the hotel Fauna ***, standard room.
After breakfast, drive south to explore Isla Negra , the most beautiful house of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Nobel Price 1971, now a museum.
You then go further South across the green wine valleys between the mountains and the ocean. Private tour and tasting at the Casa Marin vineyard.
This area, San Antonio Valley, is distinguished by its unique location near the ocean and the fact that its founder María Luz Marin became the first woman of the South American continent to be and oenologist and vineyard owner in 2000. Despite the early difficulties due to the proximity of the coast, the estate has been awarded many times since its creation. The Casa Marin still keeps its family atmosphere and you will be warmly welcomed.
Wine tasting includes Casa Marin range, scoring 90 points from Robert Parker 2008 & 2009, Sauvignon Blanc Laurel 2009, voted best wine wine from Chile, and Pinot Noir Lo Abarca Hills 2004, gold medal at the Mondial du Pinot Noir 2007.
You continue to Santa Cruz where you will stay for two nights.
Night at the hotel Terra Viña ***.
To make the most of your day in Santa Cruz, here is our recommendation of vineyards to explore in the Colchagua Valley, specialised in red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere Malbec and Syrah. On the way you can also visit the Colchagua Museum.
Viu Manent
Learn about the history of the vines and wine estate, voted best oenological tourism centre in the world in 2018. The visit of the bodega will show you thewine-making process and includes wine tasting from four different wines with the sommelier sharing each characteristics.
Clos Lapostolle
This vineyard was created by the Marnier Lapostolle Family from France and is renown for producing spirits and liquors, especially Cognac, since the 1980’s. This modern domaine is home to a great variety of wines, from Colchagua Valley.
Night at the hotel Terra Viña ***.
Today you may want to visit the Colchagua Museum before your drive. The museum is home to one of the most important private collections of Chile.
Then, make your way north to Santiago.
Night in the hotel Eco Carmenere ***, Superior room.
This morning you drive to the airport and drop off your hire car before to catch your domestic flight to La Serena (1h).
As you land in La Serena Airport, collect your hire car and drive to La Serena, before heading to Elqui Valley.
You have the use of a hire car, category G, (Toyota Rav4 or similar) with unlimited mileage for the duration of your stay. Toll fees around Santiago and CDW insurance are included.
We recommend you to visit La Serena, a pretty little town with traditional colonial architecture. Check out the Plaza de Armas and Cathedral, have a taste of the papaya with cream from the local market La Recova, learn from native cultures at the archaeological museum and enjoy the ocean from the iconic lighthouse.
You then drive along the Andes into Elqui Valley enjoying the contrast from the green vineyards to the dry mountains. You can make a short break at Vicuña before arriving to the village of Pisco Elqui.
Night in the hotel Elqui Domos ***
Pisco Elqui is located at 1,280 metres high, it is a traditional village with its narrow streets, main square and local art and crafts. We suggest that you explore the valley around Horcon, with scenic views.
You can stop along the way at nearby Pisco distilleries, such as ABA, located near Vicuña, Mistral in Pisco or Los Nichos deep into the valley near Horcon. If you fancy more wine tasting then you can visit the vineyard Cavas del Vallee (between Paihuano and Pisco Elqui).
Night in the hotel Elqui Domos ***
Today is another exploration day in the Elqui Valley. Pisco Elqui is a great location for astronomy with a clear sky almost all year around, so you will have the opportunity in the evening to go stargazing with an expert. You can also book locally to check the local observatories.
Night in the hotel Elqui Domos ***
This morning you drive towards the Pacific Ocean to La Serena, along the way you may opt to stop at Vicuña and check their solar observatory unique in Chile.
In La Serena you drive to the airport and drop off your car before to board your flight back to Santiago. (1h)
Night in the hotel Holiday Inn Santiago Airport ****.
On your departure day, you head back to the airport and check in for your international flight home. Time to say good bye to Chile and bring back wonderful memories.
