Arica, Chile

I decided not to do a tour today because I had done a extensive tour here in 2009 and never got to see the town itself - so I walked around the town instead.

Map of Arica, Chile:

The main points of reference are:

- El Morro, it is a big hill (130 m height) beside downtown where the city originally was built.

-Plaza de Armas, beside el Morro, it has less importance than in other Chilean cities. Its main attraction is Iglesia San Marcos built in Eiffel Works in France, in the XIX century.

-Calle 21 de Mayo, is the main street in Arica, a boulevard of several squares for peasants only where people walk, drink coffee or beer and meet.

-Costanera Sur, It is the main beach zone of the city with the main beaches El Laucho and La Lisera. More to the south (several km) there are Corazones and Liserilla beaches, on the edge of big cliffs

-Costanera Norte, there are the longest beaches Chinchorro and Las Machas usually favourites for aquatic sports. Along this costanera in the direction of the hills there is the industrial zone and the población 11 de Septiembre (now renamed to Raúl Silva)

-Entrada desde el sur, to east of the city, along the San José river there are the neighborhoods of Villa Magisterio, Saucache (wealthy families), to the entrance of Valle de Azapa and south access of Arica.

·  Shopping Tips

·  As a duty-free port, Arica offers shoppers a number of bargains.

·  The main shopping street is 21 de Mayo.

·  Handicrafts markets at Feria Sangra and the Sunday open-air market on the Costanera also have goods from Peruvian and Bolivian vendors.

·  The Pueblo Artesanal of Azapa Valley, offers ceramics, knitted garments, pottery, stone carvings and other handicrafts in a replica of Paricanota. 

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Food and Drink

·  Chile's long seacoast offers exceptional seafood. Arica is no exception. Try Terminal Pesquero for great fresh seafood, and a view of fishing boats and birds.

·  Local fruits and vegetables include olives add freshness to your meal.

·  Chilean wine, of course!

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The city of Arica in northern Chile is only 18 km from the border with Peru, to which it originally belonged until the end of the Pacific war. It was then annexed to Chile as part of the treaty of Ancon. But the history of the area where Arica was built goes back at least ten thousand years.

Arica city was founded by the Spaniards in 1541 and its port used for exporting Bolivian silver. The 1855-built, 53 km long Arica-Tacna railroad is still in use.

An 8 to 9 Richter scale point earthquake in 1868 devastated Arica and its geological position means another earthquake of similar magnitude may strike at any time. Nevertheless, Arica’s highly populated today, not least due to the generous tax concessions that have permitted several car manufacturers to build large plants since 1958.

Today, Arica’s port and attached rail network are mainly used for the transport of Chilean ore. However, Arica’s very pretty location, the warm and dry climate and the great beaches also attract many tourists. An International airport and easy rail communication to La Paz in Bolivia and the city of Tacna in Peru, also make travel popular for locals, not least for the provision of cheaper services across the border.

In the city, you can visit the Morro de Arica, a 139m tall steep hill, which served as the last line of defence for Peruvian soldiers until it was captured by Chilean troops during the 1880 War of the Pacific. Azapa Valley, also by Arica, is a pretty, verdant and productive oasis used for supplying the city with vegetables.
Other tourist attractions include the Cathedral de San Marcos, the lively and colourful Plaza Colón in downtown Arica and the opulent Casino. The railway station (Arica-La Paz) is pretty characterful and the Archaeological and Anthropological Museums are very interesting.

Over 20 km of pristine beaches, such as  Chinchorro, Las Machas and La Lisera, and some others with world-class surfing, plus the huge Chungará Lake within the Lauca National Park will provide hours of entertainment. Don’t miss the heated underground waters with medicinal properties at Termas de Jurasi near Putre.

A cherub in her mothers arms