Travel information

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  • The japnese style (indeed, laid out by a Tokyo landscape architect) garden Jardin del Corazon is just west of the center. It celebrates the 450th anniversary of La Serena, its ties with its Japanese friend Tenri and the export of Chilean ore to Japan. Plenty of ducks and geese in the pond, some fish and the odd turtle. Entry $600.
  • Beaches - La Serena has some of the country's longest stretches of beach. You can take a whole day walking from one end to another.
  • Observatory tours. The Elqui Valley outside La Serena has some of the best conditions for observing the sky, hence the many observatories, some open to the public doing tours from La Serena city at night.
  • There is a cinema[2] at the Mall Plaza, by the bus terminal
  • In the Archeologigal Museum there is the only rapa nui moai head to have toured Europe. Entry CLP$600.
  • The nearby observatory is also open to the public.
  • If you are around in early Spring you might be lucky enough to see the desert in bloom. It happens in occasional years and is stunning.

By bus

Buses leave several times every hour from Santiago de Chile to La Serena. The trip takes 7 - 8 hours. Companies include Pullman Bus, TurBus and Flota Barrios. Available are regular buses, semi-cama and the first class salon-cama. Prices vary greatly. You can see TurBus booking and timetables here

By air

LAN [1] flies three times daily from Santiago de Chile to La Serena at 10:50, 14:00 and 19:00. Flight duration is 1 hour and costs $168 US one way, $305 return.

  • Papaya Juice - Sold all over the city but especially at markets, the papaya is grown locally here
  • Pisco - The national drink of Chile is brewed in the nearby Elqui Valley and is a must-try for every traveller, enjoyed either as a Pisco Sour (Pisco with lime juice) or Piscola (Pisco with Coke)
  • Handicraft - Nice handicraft markets are held every summer

The densest cluster of restaurants and fast food joints is around the intersection of O`Higgins and Eduardo de la Barra.

  • Daniella II, Av. Francisco de Aguirre. Set lunch for $1500.  edit

Loads of bars near the intersection of O`Higgins and Eduardo de la Barra. At least a couple of them will be busy even on a Monday night thanks to the town`s students.