THEAUBREY, SANTIAGOThe first luxury boutique hotel in Santiago, theAubrey is situated at the foot of the San CristóbalHill within the Parque Metropolitano, one of thesix largest urban parks in the world. Three yearsof careful restoration and renovation havetransformed a historic house into a modernluxury boutique hotel with 15 rooms, all withtheir own character, and most with balconies orterraces. The outdoor patio terraces overlookexotic landscaped gardens, and there is a heatedoutdoor swimming pool.Santiago Snow-covered Andean peaks provide Santiago'sspectacular backdrop, but today they compete for dominance on the skyline with sparklingskyscrapers. The capital of Chile is a modernmetropolis, but a charming one with manylandscaped parks and peaceful hilltop sanctuariesoffering calm amid the chaos. Wander the historic,civic heart of the downtown area and you'll comeacross fine museums and churches, the impressive18th century government palace and the beautifulbaroque cathedral. The modern and fast-pacedcommercial centre of Providencia is where you'llfind most of Santiago's glitzy shops, restaurantsand hotels. There is also the arty Bellavista district,from where the cable car ascends to the summitof San Cristóbal Hill, affording fantastic views over the city to the Andes.ACCOMMODATIONINSANTIAGOUnlike its neighbour's capital city of Buenos Aires,the concept of boutique hotels has not fullycaught on in Santiago. Good value yet characterfulproperties are not in abundance, instead whatSantiago has to offer is a large number of highstandard international chain hotels. For thoseseeking something more personal at a reasonableprice we recommend the Hotel Orly, theMeridiano Sur and La Rêve, all of which aresituated in the residential and commercial district of Providencia.102SantiagoSkiing During our summer months of June toSeptember, the ski resorts nestling in theAndes (but handily within easy reach ofSantiago) offer the largest number ofruns in the southern hemisphere, ValleNevado and Portillo being the mostrenowned. The spectacular views andsuperb standard of snow make Chile anincreasingly popular destination for skiafficionados seeking action out of thenorthern hemisphere season. We canarrange stays in the resort hotels for anyduration, complete with equipment hire(skis or snowboards) and lessons ifrequired. It is also possible to have a day trip to the slopes from Santiago iftime is short. Meridiano Sur, SantiagoVirgin Mary on San Cristóbal Hill

Valparaíso, Viña del Mar and ZapallarWhen you have explored the city of Santiago,you could head to the coast for a day, travellingthrough orchards and olive plantations to thefascinating seaside town of Valparaíso and itsfancier neighbour of Viña del Mar. Tumbling precariously down dozens of hills to theport, Valparaíso is a maze of colourful buildings,boulevards and viewpoints, best explored using its ancient funicular railways and 'elevators'. Hereyou can visit one of the homes of Chilean Nobelprize-winning poet Pablo Neruda, who wasinspired by the town's melting-pot charm andeccentricity. If you wish to stay overnight thereare a couple of characterful properties, CasaHigueras and Hotel Zero. Viña del Mar, bycontrast, is a genteel and fashionable resort thathas been the weekend retreat of rich Santiagofolk for generations. About two hours further north is the attractiveand chic resort town of Zapallar. Set on a curvedsandy bay and backed by lush forests this is aperfect place for a couple of relaxing nights. La Serena and the Elqui ValleyLa Serena is a cheerful place, a mix of chicseafront and artistic old town, surrounded by amystical and remote area of stunning scenery thatclimbs east into the Andes. Famed for having theclearest skies in the southern hemisphere, thisblissfully tranquil area houses a large number ofobservatories, and attracts spiritualists as well asastronomers due to its reputedly unusualmagnetic quality. Observatory visits can bearranged for those with an interest in the nightskies. Tiny and impossibly picturesque villages -Montegrande, Vicuña, Pisco Elqui - dot thevalley's cultivated slopes and it is in these thatNobel prize winner Gabriela Mistral lived andtaught. This is also the heart of pisco grapegrowing country and a trip here wouldn't becomplete without a distillery visit and tasting.www.audleytravel.com/chile ?01993 838 640 ?Chile103Star gazing The north of Chile is renowned for itsexceptionally clear night skies, and these atmospheric conditions, along with a lack of light pollution and highaltitude, mean that the country is aworld leader in astronomy. The scientificobservation of the universe isundertaken in several internationally-funded observatories around La Serenaand further north in the AtacamaDesert. There is currently furtherinvestment scheduled including thearrival of the world's largest telescope,and the biggest ground-basedastronomical project in the world,ALMA (Atacama Large MillimeterArray), which will be open to visitors. The starry skies in Chile can be explored by professionals and amateursalike, as several of the observatories are open for tours. Typically over 300nights a year are suitable for stargazingand sky photography, so visitors toobservatories such as La Silla, El Tololo,El Pangue and Cerro Mamalluca shouldbe able to enjoy unlocking the secrets of the universe!ZapallarElqui ValleyValparaísoLa Serena