Chile and Easter Island: The Definitive Guide for Seniors

Chile is an extraordinary country, covered every inch by scenic landscapes, incredible wildlife, and long-standing culture. The tumultuous history undertaken since the time of Spanish colonisation and on the road to a sustainable democracy has made a lasting mark on its culture and people and is evidenced in its cities scattered across the country. This article will provide a brief snapshot of Chile, including its history, top cities and landmarks, for travellers looking for adventure in this beautiful South American country.

Quick Facts

Map of Chile

Capital: Santiago

Population: 18.34 million

Size: 756,950 km²

Official language: Spanish

Traditional Dishes: Cazuela, Humitas, Pasteles de Choclo

Popular Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere

Top Exports: Copper, Fish, Wine

Currency: Peso (CLP)

Chilean History

Pre-colonial Period

The oldest evidence of people in Chile comes from the Monte Verde archaeological site in the south, where a vast number of artefacts verify early human settlement; its well-established layer dates to about 14,500 years ago, and a disputed older layer may be some 33,000 years old. In the 1980s, a small footprint was discovered and dated to 12,500 years ago. This discovery evidences inhabitance in South America older than previously thought, challenging the ‘Clovis first’ theory, which held that the Clovis people of North America, around 13,000 years ago, were the first humans in the Americas. Among the peoples living in Chile when the Spanish arrived were the Araucanians, who were later subcategorized into three groups by the Spanish: the Picunche in the north, the Mapuche in the middle valleys, and the Huilliche in the south. The Inca extended their rule into northern and central Chile in the late 15th century, but the Mapuche further south resisted them, as they would later resist the Spanish. They were primarily farmers of maize, beans and other crops as well as fishing communities.

Spanish Colonisation

Without concern for the people already living in the area, Spain and Portugal divided the lands of the New World between them in the Treaty of Tordesillas, on 7 June 1494, and set out to conquer their respective territories. In 1520, Ferdinand Magellan became the first European (a Portuguese-born Spanish captain) to enter the territory of now-Chile. Ferdinand traversed what was later dubbed the Magellan Strait, in the southern Chilean islands, before continuing his journey to become the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean. In 1535, Conquistador Diego de Almagro entered Chile to settle it in the name of Spain. Their nearly 11,000-strong entourage dwindled in the freezing conditions travelling over the Andes (Lonely Planet Guide to Chile and Easter Island 2015). After their difficult journey, they were ultimately unsuccessful in overcoming the Araucanian resistance. Five years later, in another attempt to claim the land for Spain, Pedro de Valdivia along with 150 compatriots founded Santiago. The Araucanian people fought back in the same year and completely uprooted the settlement. But the colony survived and continued to grow in population. The colonies brought in a distinctly European style to new buildings and ways of life. They also introduced wine vineyards to the region in 1548. All the while the resistance from the Araucanian people, and especially the Mapuche people, continued in a long conflict known as the Arauco War, and the Mapuche were finally subdued only in the 1880s.

Fort Niebla, in Valdivia Chile

The Revolution for Independence

The 1800s saw independence movements sweep across almost all of South America. Not only were regions pulling away from the Spanish empire, but some of them, for example Venezuela and Argentina, sent armies into neighbouring regions. From Argentina, José de San Martín led an army over the Andes in 1817 to help Chile win its freedom. On September 18, 1810, Chile set up its first governing junta, in response to Napoleon’s overthrow of the Spanish king. This first period of self-rule lasted only four years before Spain reconquered Chile in 1814. However, the Chileans fought on for permanent independence from Spain, which they won in 1818. Despite the brief relapse to a Spanish colony, September 18th remains a public holiday to celebrate Chile’s independence.

Early Days as a Republic

Despite widespread independence across the continent, there was a lack of defined boundaries between the territories. As a result, disputes over territory led to the War of the Pacific (1879–1884). Despite some push from Argentina, the Andes remained a pretty stable border with Chile. Rather, the War of the Pacific primarily affected Chile at its northern borders with Peru and especially Bolivia. After major disputes over mineral-rich areas, including the Atacama Desert, Chile and Bolivia settled their boundary by treaty in 1874 and created a pact for lower trade taxes and mutual assurance of territories. This did not last, however, as Bolivia raised a tax on Chilean nitrate companies in 1878, and the war followed. The question of Bolivia’s access to the sea remained in dispute until October 2018, when the UN International Court of Justice ruled that Chile is not obliged to negotiate with Bolivia over sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean. For the time being it appears as though the Chilean borders will remain as they are.

Not long after the War of the Pacific, in 1891, Chile fought a civil war, partly as a result of the wide disparity of wealth between the highest and lowest class citizens. In 1886, José Manuel Balmaceda was elected president and was the first to highlight the disproportionate wealth distribution in his electoral platform. In his first few years in power, he made a number of reforms and improvements to infrastructure, including to schools and hospitals. However, Congress was opposed to his work benefiting the poor. Congress declared him deposed, creating widespread anger from the people and the national army who supported him. Balmaceda supporters clashed with the navy that supported Jorge Montt, who was the presidential replacement introduced by Congress. This clash led to a congressional victory and the deaths of over 10,000 people.

Vintage engraving from the Illustrated London News, 1891, of an exchange between shore batteries at Valparaíso and the navy during the Chilean civil war

Modern Chile

In 1970, Salvador Allende was elected as the world’s first Marxist president to be voted in democratically. His election sparked numerous social reforms to improve the lives of Chileans and create greater nationalism. Allende increased government spending in an attempt to boost the economy in a time of recession and again redistribute wealth among citizens. But, in 1973 Augusto Pinochet led a military coup which ended in a dictatorship that lasted 17 years. Under Pinochet’s forceful new rule, congress and most political parties were dismantled, leaving his word to be the all-powerful decree. Military force was a key tenet of his leadership, leading to nearly 35,000 people being tortured and 3,000 killed or “disappeared”, many of whom were political opponents, according to Lonely Planet’s Chile and Easter Island guide (2015). Following the crumble of his harsh regime, democracy returned to Chile and Pinochet was deemed unfit to stand trial for the numerous murders carried out during his reign.

21st-century Chile has been replete with more leftist governments and remains a relatively stable democracy. Several social reforms were made to eliminate former conservative traditions, including rights to divorce and abolishing the death penalty (Lonely Planet 2015). In 2006, Chile elected its first female president, Michelle Bachelet, who further pursued social reforms over two terms (2006–2010 and 2014–2018), alternating in office with Sebastián Piñera.

Travelling to Chile

Chile is an ideal destination for any traveller. The long, narrow country is home to a wide variety of climates, from the dry heat in the north, to the damp cold in the south. As a result, it is host to a diverse range of flora and fauna, which Charles Darwin studied during the Beagle’s five-year voyage in the 1830s (Lonely Planet 2015). Additionally, its vibrant cities showcase a mix of colonial and modern architecture and locals are friendly and welcoming.

Cable car above San Cristobal Hill, looking out to Santiago

North to South

The northern regions of Chile are a natural oasis. In beach cities such as Arica, the weather is bright and warm year round. Nearby Lauca National Park is revered for its bird life, hot springs and volcanoes. Northern Chile is also a large source for mineral resources and home to UNESCO-listed Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works. It is here that the remnants of nearly 200 saltpeter works reside as it was the largest deposit found in the world.

The world’s driest desert: Atacama

The Atacama desert is one of the driest on Earth. Some parts of the desert have not recorded any rainfall over the last 500 years, while on average only 15mm of rain touches Atacama sand in a year. However, in 2015 and again in 2017, two unexpected thunderstorms exploded across the desert and dropped fourteen years worth of rain in a single event. In these rare instances, nearly 200 species of wildflower, some of whose seeds lay hundreds of years in waiting, paint the once barren desert with beautiful hues. The Atacama also holds the Salar de Atacama, a salt flat of some 3,000 km², where the Laguna Chaxa is home to Andean, Chilean and James’s flamingos.

Sunset over Moon Valley, Atacama Desert, Chile

NASA frequents this area to conduct tests and trainings, dubbing the area ‘Mars on Earth’.

Some of the most incredible stargazing can be done from the Atacama desert as clouds rarely form in the area protected by two mountain ranges, the Andes and the Chilean Coastal Range, thereby creating a dual rain shadow. More importantly, the vast majority of the region is clear of any light pollution, allowing for the full brilliance of the stars’ light to shine.

Valparaiso

Valparaiso was historically a fishing town, converted to a seaport for Spanish ships carrying vast riches of gold and natural resources to set sail from. It was a bustling trade town and center for banking for much of Chile’s history, until a large earthquake hit in 1906, leveling the majority of the town’s buildings. The people rebuilt the town with a rainbow of colours, and while its importance as a trade hub notably sunk with the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, it remains the cultural capital of Chile (Lonely Planet Guide 2015). Its historic quarter was also distinguished as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 for its long-standing history as an important hub. Valparaiso is the perfect town for a leisurely stroll in its numerous parks as well as for trips on the ascensores (funiculars) used for transportation up Valparaiso’s steep hillsides.

Ascensor Baron, Valparaiso

Santiago

As one of Chile’s oldest sites, and its capital, Santiago is a sight to behold. As the first major establishment of Pedro de Valdivia’s journey, the city withstood the test of time, natural elements and Araucanian pressure, to grow into the metropolitan city it is today. While most of the country can be found rugged and uninhabited, Santiago is a bustling city, home to nearly 40% of Chilean citizens (Lonely Planet 2015). Some of its top sites include:

• La Moneda Palace acts as the centre for government. The building itself was completed as the colonial mint in 1805, and in 1845 it became the seat of the presidency. In 1973, it was here that Augusto Pinochet staged his coup. The army attacked la Moneda, resulting in then-president Salvador Allende’s death.
• Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino invites visitors to learn about indigenous art, including Mapuche totems, Andean textiles, Chancay pottery and so much more.
• Cerro San Cristobal, also known as the metropolitan park, allows for one of the best panorama views of Santiago, and it is the first stop on our 25-day South America route. This 722-hectare park also encompasses a number of different sites including the Chilean National Zoo, and Japanese and Botanical Gardens, among others.
• Centro Gabriela Mistral is a performing arts centre named after Gabriela Mistral, Nobel Prize winning poet. Here you can watch a play or dance performance, admire its modern architecture, and wander through its art exhibits. For another interesting site connected with Nobel Prize winners for literature, you can visit La Chascona. This historic, marine-themed house was built by Pablo Neruda for Matilde Urrutia, then his lover and later his wife.
• Costanera Centre is a complex to which the tallest building and the largest mall in Latin America belong. The Sky Costanera observation deck is 300 metres tall, providing stunning 360º vistas of Santiago.

View of Palacio de la Moneda in Santiago de Chile

All around Valparaiso, Santiago, and the valleys south to Concepción are where the renowned Chilean vineyards are located. Chile is one of the top wine producers in the world given the fact that its climate is temperate and there are few pests to affect vine health. In 1548, Francisco de Carabantes was a catholic priest who brought the first recorded wine vines to the region. From that point on, the expanse and variety of Chilean wine grew. In the late 1800s French varieties were introduced after a crash in the French wine market caused by a phylloxera outbreak. Along with the import of vines, French winemakers, with their experience and skill, flocked to Chile. By 1877, wine became the country’s most lucrative agricultural business. This has only continued to skyrocket as a result of increased quality and variety, and wine now represents a $1.7 billion industry for Chile. Some the country’s specialties are cabernet sauvignon and carmenere for red, and sauvignon blanc and chardonnay for white (Lonely Planet 2015).

A road between vineyards, with hills behind

The beautiful Andes Mountain Range

The Andes mountain range is the longest in the world, and second tallest to the Greater Himalayas. They began forming some 30 million years ago through the collision of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. Amid the tall peaks lie upwards of 2,000 volcanoes, both active and inactive. The Ojos del Salado volcano on the Chilean-Argentinian border is the highest active volcano in the world.

March, early morning view of the Chilean Andes with Lake Pehoe in the foreground at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

2,000m above the Andes base and 150km from Santiago is a small town of Sewell, which was inducted to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2006. It is the site of the world’s largest underground copper mine, Chile’s top export. The all-but abandoned mining town was built upon the mountain face, and used its incline to benefit the industrial applications.

Additionally, the Andes are the location of another UNESCO site, Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System, which stretches 6,000 km across six countries from Chile to Colombia. The large network of roads for communication, trade and defense, date back to the time of the Incas.

The Churches of Chiloé

Yet another one of Chile’s top cultural sites are the churches on Chiloé Island. Recognised by UNESCO for their unique ‘wooden ecclesiastical architecture’. Approximately 70 churches remain on the main island and its surrounding islands, which are a testament to the Jesuit missionaries who came to the area in the 17th century. Each church is unlike the others in shape, size, and colour.

The Church of San Francisco, Castro, Chile

Glaciers

Approximately 80% of South America’s glaciers can be found in Chile. In fact, glaciers make up 2.7% of the country’s land cover. Some of the most extensive glaciers can be found in the Bernardo O’Higgins, Laguna San Rafael, and Torres del Paine National Parks.

Grey Glacier, in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Easter Island

Dutch explorers named the island ‘Easter Island’ as it was Easter Day when they reached it in 1722. To its earliest inhabitants though, it remained Rapa Nui. The peoples who first lived on Rapa Nui were of Polynesian descent. They were once thought to have arrived around 300 to 400 AD; more recent research suggests about 1200 AD. Today’s population is nearly 8,000. Tourism to the island took off after an airport was opened there in the 1960s.

There are over 600 stone figures, called Moai, for which the island is world famous and UNESCO heritage-listed. The island has attracted several archaeologists to study the Moai. These studies have evidenced that there are three distinct cultural periods on the island, and it was in the early (700-850 AD) and middle (1050-1680 AD) that the Moai were erected. In fact, it seems that prototypes were made in the early period for the middle period busts, that can still be seen today. Most of the Moai are between 10 and 20 feet tall. What you may not know is that many of the heads at Rano Raraku have bodies attached, buried beneath the ground. The bodies were likely to have been above ground at the time of their creation, but over time, mounds of dirt shifted to bury them up to their shoulders.

Easter Island Moai Statues at Rano Raraku under sunny summer sky. Rano Raraku, Rapa Nui National Park, Hanga Roa, Easter Island, Chile.

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