Antofagasta

Antofagasta is a long and narrow city located south of the Tropic of Capricorn and north of Cerro Coloso, 1377 km north of Santiago. Antofagasta is part of the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places in the world. According to the Chilean Geologic Journal, the amount of annual rainfall is lower than 4mm and there has been a 40-year period with no rain at all.

The city has an irregular geomorphology, to the east there are steep slopes (400-500m) that are part of the Coastal Mountain Range. To the west, there is the Pacific Ocean. The sea shore has volcanic sediments, in contrast to the fine sand in the eastern hills. The Portada de Antofagasta , a famous natural formation that, is one of the touristic attractions of the city.

Other important locations are Mejillones, Hornitos, Tocopilla, Calama and La Negra. Mejillones is a port located 65 km north of Antofagasta. Hornitos, is a touristic beach located 90 km north of Antofagasta. La Negra is an industrial complex located 10km south-west of Antofagasta. Calama, the second biggest city in the region is 213 km north-west of Antofagasta. Tocopilla is a city located 188 km north of Antofagasta.

By air: There are regular flights from Santiago to Antofagasta. Cerro Moreno Airport is 25 km. north of the city. There are buses, mini-buses and taxis that travel regularly to and from the city in about 30 minutes.

By land: There are buses with direct connections from Arica, Iquique, Calama, Copiapó, La Serena and Santiago. Cardenal Carlos Oviedo Cavada Bus Terminal is in the northern part of the city, in the intersection of Pedro Aguirre Cerda Avenue and Paihuano Street.

• Plaza Colón and the Clock Tower : Plaza Colón is the arms square of the city, where there is an antique clock donated by the English Colony in 1910. Its bells are a replica of London's Big Ben and its ceramic enclosure tiles were directly brought from England.
• Huanchaca Ruins : Currently a National Monument, these are the ruins of an old silver foundry, inaugurated on 1892. Since 1993 it has been used as a stage for Antofagasta's Christmas Concert and fireworks every year. It is located next to the Antofagasta Campus of the Universidad Católica del Norte, in the intersection of Antofagasta Street and Agentina Avenue. It is possible to get there using the TransAntofagasta buses 109, 110, 111, 112, and 114, or by car, through an unpaved road next to the Campus.
• La Portada National Monument *: It is a natural arc that was formed from sea abrasion and it is next to long coastal cliffs north of Antofagasta. To get there one must follow route CH-1 Iquique-Antofagasta-Taltal, and on the 14th kilometer, take the left road to the monument.