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Top 5 Popular Cities in Chile

By Bonnie Hamre, About.com

These popular cities showcase Chile's varied geography from the sere Atacama Desert in the north, through the lush central zone to the lakes and fjords of the far south, with a sidetrip to an isolated island in the Pacific.

1. Santiago

Santiago is a cosmopolitan city, with ample restaurants, bars, hotels, shopping from tiny boutique and craft fair to giant shopping mall. There are cultural attractions such as art galleries, museums, theaters, opera and ballet, lively nightlife, plus parks, tree-lined streets and distinct neighborhoods.

2. Vina del Mar

Chile's premiere resort on the Chilean "Riviera" attracts Chileans and international visitors to the beaches, the casino, the elegant hotels and restaurants, the museums and spritely nightlife.

3. Easter Island

Explore Rapa Nui, the mystery of the moais, the BirdMan petroglyphs and Easter Island, past and present.

4. Arica

Called the City of Eternal spring, Arica is Chile's northernmost city, a duty-free oasis and the gateway to archaeological and natural wonders in Lauca National Park, the geoglyphs at Putre, and the high altitude lake Chungara.

5. Osorno and the Lake District

Chile's Osorno volcano has been called the Fujimaya of South America. The Lake District has been likened to Switzerland, but Chile's spectacular arrangement of lakes, volcanos, rivers and waterfalls stand completely on its own as a major travel destination.

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