The Seaside City With Something for Everyone

Cruise to La Serena (Coquimbo), Chile

Cruises to La Serena (Coquimbo), Chile, bring you to Chile's second-oldest city and one of the country's most beloved beachfront destinations. Local and international visitors alike flock to the city's long, sandy shores every summer. While its beaches are its biggest draw, La Serena is also home to historic churches, museums, impressive neocolonial architecture and nearby national parks. If you want to get your adrenaline pumping, you can choose from thrilling experiences like hiking, windsurfing, sports fishing, surfing and paragliding. Meanwhile, Coquimbo is a port city that's part of the Greater La Serena area. It's known for the popular Playa Herradura, the vibrant nightlife of Barrio Inglés' (English Quarter's) and the enticing local casino. Venture to La Serena and Coquimbo to see why this area has one of Chile's fastest-growing populations. Outside the summer seaside hustle, there are plenty of ways people can spend their days in La Serena. Wander down tree-lined streets such as the never-ending Avenida del Mar, people-watch in picturesque Plaza de Armas or even head out of the city to encounter vineyards and one of the world's best stargazing destinations.

National Language Spanish

Currency Accepted Chilean Peso ($)

Things To Do in La Serena

Splendid View of La Serena Lighthouse, Chile

Explore El Faro

Playa El Faro is the city's central beach and is named in honor of its iconic lighthouse. Designed and built in the 1950s in a unique architectural style, it marks the end of La Serena's main thoroughfare. Visitors can climb to the top of the lighthouse for panoramic ocean views.

The two museums in Chile are well-worth the trip.

Meander Through a Museum

La Serena is home to two main museums. The Archaeological Museum of La Serena uses thousands of artifacts to tell a chronological account of the region from the prehistoric era to European arrival. Meanwhile, Museo Histórico Casa Gabriel González Videla is named after Chile's former president and La Serena resident. It houses Videla displays, historic artifacts and modern art.

There are so many beautiful churches to visit in Chile

Compare and Contrast Churches

One of the best things to do in La Serena (Coquimbo), Chile, is to visit one of its staggering 29 stone churches. Built in the early 17th century, Iglesia San Francisco is one of the city's oldest churches, with an ornate Baroque facade. Other highlights include Iglesia Santa Domingo's iconic bell tower and neoclassical Iglesia Cathedral, with its religious art museum.

LOCAL CUISINE

Don't miss experiencing Caleta San Pedro, an oceanfront lineup of 10 restaurants that specialize in seafood. Favorite dishes prepared with fresh-caught local seafood include crab pie, razor clams smothered in Parmesan cheese and seafood empanadas. Alternatively, for something different that gets you mingling with the locals, visit the food trucks at Boulevard Terraza La Serena.

SHOPPING

Visit Recova, the area's famous arts and crafts market. With 140 stalls, you can pick up artisan combarbalite (only found in Combarbalá) and lapis lazuli jewelry, along with traditional Andean wool clothing and accessories. Downtown, you'll find several local handicraft stalls along Cordovez.