For centuries the Biobio river was the limit where the Mapuche stopped the advance of the Spanish conquerors. Today marks the beginning of southern Chile, where the central valleys give way to an increasingly bucolic landscape.

However, before it is worth stopping in the city of Chillan, land of the folklore of Violeta Parra and Victor Jara, and learn their traditional market. Going to Los Andes, in the foothills of the Nevados de Chillan, in winter you can enjoy 28 ski trails, nine lifts, hotels and spas overlooking the mountains. In summer you can ride, trekking and climbing. Here the sport and relaxation combine exceptionally.

On the opposite side, the coast shows various villages and coves as Dichato, Tome, Cocholgue and Coliumo with rich local cuisine in restaurants, where the specialty is seafood.

Concepcion, the regional capital located 500 km from Santiago, combines college neighborhoods, a bustling nightlife, historic buildings and all the comfort and sophistication of a modern city.

It is the second most populous city in Chile. Founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550, was besieged by the Mapuches, attacked by pirates and destroyed by powerful earthquakes.

To enjoy nature, the National Park Nahuelbuta with Ralco and Alto Biobio National Reserves is an excellent alternative.

How to get there

By plane. Daily flights depart from Santiago to Concepcion generally takes an hour. At the airport there are transfer and taxi services to Concepcion and Talcahuano.

In Bus. All buses depart daily from various companies from Santiago to Chillan (4 hours) and Concepcion (6 hours). Local buses connect with other villages in the area. Also arriving buses from Puerto Montt, Valdivia, Temuco, Osorno and other cities.

By Car. From Santiago, on Route 5 sur to Chillan (404 km), then you should take the westbound Route 152 to reach Concepcion (500 km from Santiago).

Activities

One of the attractions of Concepcion is the University District, where is the House of Art to see "La Presencia de America", a huge mural of the Mexican Jorge Gonzalez celebrates the independence of Latin America. In addition there is the Gallery of the University of Concepcion, with its engravings of Guayasamin.

The tour continues with the municipal market, which offers traditional crafts and cuisine and then unwind in the Ecuador Park, the lung of Concepcion.

If what you want is to live the night of Concepcion, then the best alternatives are the Plaza España, Arturo Prat and Pedro de Valdivia Avenue that concentrate a wide variety of restaurants and pubs.

Chillan and its surroundings are home to great people in Chile. Bernardo O'Higgins, father of the nation, was born in this city. Meanwhile, Arturo Prat, captain of the ship "Esmeralda" was born in Ninhue (46 km). In the world of Art, Claudio Arrau, world-renowned pianist has its own museum in Chillan. The singer-songwriter and artist Violeta Parra and his brother, the poet Nicanor Parra, are San Carlos (27 km), where the birthplace is still intact. Another Chilean singer Victor Jara, a native of San Ignacio (30 miles).

In Mexico School of Chillan, you can see the murals that Mexican artists David Alfaro Siqueiros and Xavier Guerrero painted as a gift to the city after an earthquake.

From Chillan 80 km to the east will reach the Las Trancas valley and the ski center Termas de Chillan located on the slopes of Chillan volcano. Here are hotels, spa, thermal pools, tennis courts and experiencing beautiful forests. You can enjoy a variety of tracks with various difficulties, such as Las Tres Marias (13 km), the longest runway in South America, including the longest chairlift. There are also multiple options like snowpark (snow slide), snowmobile tours, heliski and backcountry terrain. You can finish the day in indoor or outdoor thermal water pools  or a mineral mud massage.

In summer, the ideal is the Las Trancas valley, a small Andean village with inns and cottages. From here you can go trekking, mountainbiking, climbing and horseback riding, among waterfalls, cliffs and forests coigües, beech and oak. During the winter, there is accommodation in Las Trancas minutes from the ski slopes.

Ralco National Reserve there are several hiking trails and circuits. One is the path Quillaicahue to salto de Loncotahue, which takes six hours slrededor following the course of the Ralco river to a waterfall, through lush forests. Ralco River is a great place for fly fishing.

Another trail that runs from the Quillaicahue to the volcano Callaqui, in eight hours can enjoy ancient forests of beech and pine, and numerous home Pehuenche families.

Further south is the National Reserve Alto Biobio, 40 thousand hectares in the heart of Araucania, home pudúes, foxes, pumas, guanacos, condors, hawks, eagles, snakes and toads from four eyes.

Nahuelbuta Park ("big tiger" in the Mapuche language) is one of the few parks in the Cordillera de la Costa. It is a true sanctuary of araucarias, with trees of two thousand years, which grow at higher altitudes almost alone. Here you can find coigües, ñirres, oak, beech, orchids, carnivorous plants, birds like the black carpenter and mammals like the puma, the fox and the pudu Darwin, a small Chilean deer.

The park has 30 trails and 15 paths that can be traveled by car or foot. The most popular route is a walk of just over 4 miles to Piedra del Aguila hill.