IQUIQUE: AN IRRESISITIBLE DESTINATION

By Rose Marie Kuschel R.

Iquique, capital of the first region, is one of the most visited cities in the north of Chile and one of the most important tourist attractions all over the country. It is located in the extreme northern part of Chile and it is considered the starting point for all the excursions to visit the “Chilean Altiplano” and the saltpeter offices such as “Humberstone” or “Santa Laura”.
Iquique has a strategic location with a warm climate that allows tourism during the entire year. During the last decade Iquique has had a continuous economical growth. That has helped the city to be known as an irresistible destination for tourists all over the world.
This city is very well known for its wonderful beaches, its beautiful desert, and also because of Zofri or “Zona Fanca”, which is a huge commercial center (240 hectars) that allows people to buy whatever they may find (specially perfumes and electrical devices) without paying taxes.
Many people say that Iquique has a special “cosmopolitan taste” because it is full of people from different countries. In fact, there is a huge Chinese population, an Indian population and many Muslims (among others). Thanks to this diversity of cultures and due to the great commercial development, the gastronomic area has grown very quickly, allowing people to enjoy restaurants that offer typical Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Peruvian and Brazilian dishes. You may also find many Chilean restaurants offering seafood and a wide variety of fish from the area.
During the day tourists may walk along Baquedano Street which is full of beautiful houses and wooden mansions built during the mining periods. People may also visit the Regional Museum which dates from 1892 and that contains important photographs, mummies from ancient cultures and certain objects from ancient indigenous people. If someone is interested in music, the Municipal Theater may be a great option. It was inaugurated as an opera house in 1890 and it was declared a National Monument in 1977. During summer people usually spend the day at the beach where you can practice canoeing or kayaking. Iquique is also a good place for paragliding. It starts from a hill located in the upper part of the city and it ends at the beach. If you are afraid of heights, but you don’t want to miss this experience, you may go with a special trainer who will help you all the way.
At night people have a large variety of pubs, bars and restaurants to visit. On Costanera Avenue you will find very good places where you may eat delicious dishes and listen to good music. You can also visit the Casino that has a great variety of games and a big bar. If you are young and would like to go dancing, you may go with some friends to “Kamikaze” or to “Sala Murano”, the two main discos in the city.
So, if you are thinking where to go for winter vacation on during summer, don’t forget that Iquique is the perfect place to enjoy with your family and friends.