Coquimbo, Chile cruises

Welcome to up-and-coming Coquimbo. Halfway down the long strip that is Chile, this working port city on the Pan American Highway is making a name for itself, especially when it comes to the nightlife.

The elegant 19th-century English Quarter is beautiful by day, whereas the Aldunate area is where to be at night, full of bars and nightclubs where you can watch or partake in South American dancing.

Stroll the fish market along Coquimbo bay or the fishing jetty for some delicious fresh seafood with a glass of piscola, the hand-distilled piscos spirit made from the muscatel grapes of the Elqui Valley, mixed with cola.

The Cruz del Tercer Milenio religious landmark museum is a place of prayer which has become a tourist attraction thanks to its amazing view over Coquimbo from over 300 feet up. Look out across the bay to the north at the capital, La Serena, where the people of Chile take their holidays in January and February. Trekking, sport fishing, surfing and parasailing are the popular activities to try. There’s also a great choice of world-class wine, which comes from the fertile valleys between the mountains.