| Rarely does a town's name describe its ambiance more
perfectly than La Serena, Chile. La Serena, or The Serene, is a town where
everything feels slowed down. You have two choices upon arrival. You can
spend the entire day on the beach and be perfectly content. Or, you can
choose to sightsee, and learn about a city whose history dates back
centuries. Juan Bohon founded the city in the mid-16th Century. Soon after,
silver was discovered in the area, fueling an economic boom that attracted
people from all over South America. Today, the city is home to about 130,000
people. It lies right along the Pacific Coast, about three hundred miles
north of Santiago, Chile's capital. Plaza del Armas stands as the city's
center, both literally and figuratively. Surrounding the plaza are old
churches, small shops, and municipal buildings. La Serena is a city in touch
with its past, as the archeological museum and religious art museum
highlight. It's also a town that takes advantage of its proximity to the
sea, with a row of gorgeous white sand beaches butting up against one
another.
Your ship will actually dock in the adjacent town of Coquimbo, but
outside of some gorgeous beaches, the town pales in comparison to its
neighbor. Get ready to enjoy the natural beauty and serenity of La Serena.
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