Los Andes: History, Wine and Outdoor Adventure Just a Stone's Throw From Santiago

Originally founded as Villa Santa Rosa de Los Andes by Ambrosio O'Higgins in 1791, the city of Los Andes offers a series of attractions that will transport you back to the area's historic roots.

Take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage to Casa de Gabriela Mistral in the district of Coquimbito, where the poet lived for several years, and Museo Histórico y Arqueológico de Los Andes (Av. Santa Teresa 398), which has a collection of artefacts that belonged to the indigenous communities that inhabited the Aconcagua Valley. Be sure to make time for a visit to Parque Ambrosio O´Higgins, named in honor of the city's founder, and the Gobernación de los Andes, a neoclassical building built in 1891.

The city also boasts religious sites such as the Gruta de la Virgen de Lourdes del Monasterio, from the first Carmelite convent in Chile, where Saint Teresa de los Andes prayed and received the divine announcement that she would become a saint. Other local attractions include Monasterio del Espíritu Santo (1925), the last place Saint Teresa lived, and the Espíritu Santo Church, where you can visit the choir section where the nuns attended Mass hidden behind a grate. The convent's Museo Histórico Religioso is home to a collection that includes photographs of Saint Teresa and some of her personal effects. The area also offers a chance to visit the century-old Iglesia de los Reverendos Padres Pasionistas and Iglesia Santa Rosa, the city's main church, which stands at the Plaza de Armas.

Continue your journey east from Los Andes along a highway that winds up into the mountains, passing through the quiet villages of Río Blanco and Río Colorado. Stop off at Reserva Nacional Río Blanco and Salto del Soldado before arriving at Laguna del Inca and Portillo Ski Resort.

If you are interested in hot springs, visit Termas del Corazón just 7 km from Los Andes. The complex has 30º C pools, a spa and a restaurant. Or take a trip to Serranía del Ciprés, where you can enjoy hiking, mountain biking and a picnic. Do not forget that you are in the Aconcagua Valley, a region of renowned wineries that welcome visitors. Some winery tours include horseback rides and visits to nearby petroglyphs.

 

Featured Destinations

Cajón del Maipo		Pirque
Pomaire		Rancagua
Santa Cruz

 

Tours you can do

Andes		El Morado
World Heritage - Sewell		San Francisco de los Andes

 

Getting There By Car From Santiago, take Route 57 north to Los Andes (78 km).