Luxury Chile: Patagonia, Chiloe and Maipo valley vineyards

Steeped in rural traditions and unique island folklore,the island of Chiloé is one of the richest examples of Patagonian culture and a fascinating complement to the region’s more famous natural attractions. No fewer than 16 Unesco World Heritage wooden churches add vibrant splashes of brightly painted magic to the island's deep green landscapes. Although you can visit Chiloé on a long day trip from Puerto Varas or Puerto Montt, we recommend at least couple of nights' stay to enable this damp, misty island work its charms.

Most visitors reach the island by road and local ferry (although a new airport has also opened as modernity takes root). An unmissable stop is Chiloé’s capital, Castro, which has a long history and a photogenic waterfront lined with brightly painted palafito homes hovering over the lake on wooden stilts. Visit the town’s market and distinctive shale churches with their surprisingly Nordic aspect. Head through rugged mountainous terrain to the port of Dalcahue where there's a handicraft fair selling souvenirs and the thick woollen clothing you’ll see all over the island. Another village you may visit is Qemchi, where you cross by a rickety 500m footbridge to tiny Isla Aucar. Its small botanical garden is a sanctuary of native flora planted by the priest who managed the island's 19th century chapel.

The smooth, broad cone of Osorno looms like a beacon over the alpine environs of Puerto Varas, a tranquil landscape belying a turbulent geology. One of Chile’s most belligerent volcanoes, Osorno gives a hint of the seismic energy bubbling beneath the earth, and is the area’s most striking landmark.

As the road climbs towards Osorno, you’ll have the chance to stop and marvel at views of craters, lakes and a glistening turquoise river that ripples down a series of cascades in front of the volcano. You can also take a chair lift across the valley for maximum appreciation of the landscape.

Explore the main square and the cathedral, neatly juxtaposed with the glass frontages of skyscrapers and visit the government palace La Moneda.  Alongside its earlier history, you’ll become aware of the violent coup that emanated from here in 1973, installing the brutal military regime of General Pinochet.

The National Historic Museum is worth a look as are two of Santiago’s oldest and most stately neighbourhoods, Republica and Concha y Toro.

The sun-drenched vineyards of the Central Valley are a picture of rural serenity, yet lie within remarkably easy reach of the capital. On a relaxed daytrip from Santiago we can take you into the heartland of Chile’s wine-growing region to visit one or two of our favourite wineries: historic properties where grand estate houses overlook landscaped grounds and rolling hills.

But of course the main attraction is what’s in their cellars – Chile’s finest wines are produced here and you’ll have a chance to sample a few of them for yourself. A winery tour will also introduce you to the wine-making process and the viticultural heritage of this fertile valley. 

One of the best ways to see Torres del Paine National Park is by boat, and this justly popular journey to the awe-inspiring Grey Glacier shows why.

The boat will navigate a course through the vivid blue icebergs that crowd Lago Grey before taking you right up to the face of the enormous glacier. Reminiscent of Argentina's famous Perito Moreno, this is a monumental ice field extending almost as far as the eye can see and fronted by a cracking, calving wall of azure pinnacles.

Torres del Paine National Park is a trekkers' paradise, offering up an endless array of Patagonian scenery that will leave you speechless with wonder and awe. In just a single day, you can delve deep into its wild reaches and gaze upon some of the park's most beautiful and iconic natural landmarks.

One such trek is to the base of the Torres del Paine massif, with its crown of monumental spikes thrusting skyward. This is the centrepiece of the park and the close-up view you can gain on foot more than merits the steep climb.

For a more panoramic perspective, the trek to the French Valley skirts glassy lagoons with the Cuernos del Paine rising up over the horizon to arrive at an extraordinary amphitheatre of vertical peaks. You can also trek to the enormous Grey glacier within a day, passing glassy lagoons, sheltered glacial valleys and wild flower meadows.