Deserts near Arica

Answer: During the day, you can cover key objects: the Cathedral of San Marcos (1876) in the neo-Gothic style, the ruins of Fort Arica (XVI century) - a Spanish citadel on the Pacific coast, and the Museum of History and Weapons with a collection of artifacts of the Pacific War. The lighthouse Morro de Arica (1874) is a symbol of the city 45 meters high with a panoramic view.

Answer: The architectural ensemble of Arica includes a railway station (1913) in the style of British Art Nouveau, designed by Gustavo Eiffel (nephew of the creator of the Eiffel Tower). The church of San Miguel de Asapa (XVII century) demonstrates a mixture of colonial baroque and Andean motifs. Unique houses in the style of "Pacific" - wooden buildings of the XIX century with verandas, adapted to seismic.

Answer: Children will be interested in the Dinosaur Park with 20 full-size figures of prehistoric lizards, including Tyrannosaurus. In the Ecological Reserve of La Chinchorra you can see sea lions and pelicans. Interactive expositions of the Museum of the Sea with models of ships and aquariums are especially popular among schoolchildren.

Answer: The best shots will be on the observation deck of Cerro la Cruz with views of the city and the ocean, especially at sunset. Colorful photo shoots are possible at the bright blue houses of fishermen in the Caleta Colorado area. A unique perspective is the Arch of the Desert Hand (1992) by sculptor Mario Irarrasabal, “growing” from the sands of the Atacama.

Answer: Locals believe that under the lighthouse Morro de Arica hidden tunnel to the Inca gold, hidden from the conquistadors. According to legend, the church of San Miguel survived the earthquake of 1868 due to the intercession of the archangel. Fishermen talk about the 'ghost of guano' - a ghost ship appearing in the fog off the coast of Caleta Colorado.

Answer: Connoisseurs look for petroglyphs in the Quebrad de Asapa gorge (1000-1500 AD) with images of lamas and shamans. Rare tourists visit the geoglyphs of Cerro Soma, an 85-meter-high figure of a man of the Chinchorro era. In the private collection of Casa Piedra, mummies of the pre-Columbian era are kept in a unique state of preservation.