Norte Chico (Little North)

Norte Chico is the land of clear skies; a place of irregular landscapes where the Andes and the Coastal Range merge and are amalgamated. The dry but fertile soil blooms here, thanks to artificial irrigation and where the morning camanchaca (sea mist) feeds the thick woods, including Fray Jorge’s, Talinay’s and Punta del Viento. These are woods similar to the ones found in southern Chile, but without the nearly endless rains of those latitudes.

The hills of the Norte Chico region are home to the world’s most important astronomical observatories: «La Silla and El Tololo. The remarkable statistic of more than 300 completely clear days makes it possible for nearly anyone to catch a falling star amid the silence of the desert night.

The area is also home to La Serena, Chile’s second-oldest city. Along its streets there are at least 29 churches, offering true testimony of the Spanish missionary work. The rugged foothill landscapes are also ideal for spiritual retreats and meditation. The Elqui Valley is synonymous with grapevines, pisco and energizing powers.

Amid this crazy geography, in the town of Vicuña and next to the Elqui River, was born Gabriela Mistral, who, in 1951, was the first female (and first Latin American) to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. In her native land, Lucila Godoy Alcayaga (her real name) had been nourished and amazed by nature, so that it was natural for her to praise the elements of the universe. .