Chile

Stretching over 4000 km (2600 miles) along Latin America’s Pacific Ocean coastline, Chile is a peaceful country with a surprisingly high standard of living. It incorporates remote Andes mountains, classy Spanish-influenced cities, volcanoes, glaciers, sandy surfing beaches and the Atacama Desert on its way southwards to the rim of Antarctica. From the southern steppes of Patagonia where baqueno cowboys lead a hardy existence, to the smiling faces of market traders selling lapis lazuli and silver trinkets with a sleeping bambino strapped on their back, you’ll find a genuine warm welcome. National parks and vast undeveloped landscapes beg to be explored at a respectful and leisurely pace. Go winetasting in the cultivated vineyards of the Colchagua Valley; it produces world-class wines that pair beautifully with barbecued meats, salsas and stews. Linger in the Lake District in the Germanic enclave at Frutillar and sail through the fjords of Alberto de Agostini National Park in search of Magellan penguins, sea lions and albatross.