Countless metamorphic movements and earthquakes which have razed the lands of the Nuble Province on many an occasion; yet the city of Chillan stands firm and defiant! Unsurprisingly, it also means that this regional capital has a distinctly modern feel, with shopping malls and straight-laced boulevards abutting the fresh fruit marketplaces, spice stalls, local museums and craft sellers that are ubiquitous throughout Latin American backcountry towns. While seismic activity took care of the usual colonial relics, a striking contemporary cathedral stands on the Plaza de Armas, next to a giant cross that pays homage to the people killed in 1939.

Ask your Chillan tour guide for the local feel, you will be treated to the popular sport of Rodeo and a meal comprising famous Chillan sausages. However, this town’s real draw lies between the serrated Andean peaks that loom on the horizon. There, ski fields abound, hiking trails await waxed walking boots, and Cabernet Sauvignon blooms aplenty in the vineyards.