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Concepción was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Bío-Bío River, at the site which is today known as Penco. At that time it was given the name Concepción del Nuevo Extremo.

More than once the city has been destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis. One in 1570, another on the 25 May 1751, at which point it was decided to move Concepción further from the sea to its present location in the Mocha Valley.

Today Concepción is the second largest city of the country. The Universidad de Concepción, founded in 1919, and with its main campus in the city became the first private university in Chile. The neighbouring harbour of Talcahuano holds the largest naval base in the country.

  • Universidad de Concepción, (Univeristy of Concepción). A beautiful university with big gardens.
  • Museo Hualpén, (Hualpén museum). A beautiful old house that was converted to a museum holding the pieces of Mr.Pedro del Rio Zañartu, a world traveller.
  • Old mining operations. 40 km south of Concepción is an old mining town or Lota that offers tours of an old coke mine.
  • Chivilingo. Near Lota is the Chile´s first electric plant, today a beautiful museum and picnic area.

By plane

You can fly via "Lan Chile", from Santiago

By car

The famous "Carretera Panamericana", also called "Ruta 5 Sur", there is a very good route from Santiago, meeting international standards for the most part. Drive south from Santiago to near Chillan city (approx 5 hours), then take the "Ruta del Itata" to west for about an hour.

By bus

You can take buses every half an hour from Santiago from 5000 pesos.

By train

From Santiago de Chile you can take a train (EFE), at about 10:00 pm and arrive at Concepción at 8AM, everyday, but there is only one train per day. Daytime trips are possible, but the train goes to Chillan City and then you take a bus (included) to Concepción. The trip begins in "Estacion Central", located in "Alameda street" (La Alameda) you can arrive by car, bus or metro (subway) in the "Estacion Central" station.

You can eat a lot of different types of sandwiches in "La Fuente Alemana", located in O´Higgins street near the cathedral, and other in Caupolican street in front of the central Market (Mercado Central).

  • Reggio, great pub located in Pedro de Valdivia- best night to go is on Thursdays.
  • lmendra, Rengo 1624, great bar, you cannot really notice it's a bar from outside, but once you'll get in you'll love it.