Central Zone

The fabled Central Zone is a place where the visitor can find the “huaso,” the most typical Chilean character.

The towns and cities in this part of the country (mainly an agricultural zone where vineyards predominate) maintain the traditions that provide identity to our land. It is a lifestyle deeply connected to nature and the soil. It’s a land where craftwork pleases the eye and hand with its simplicity and beauty, as seen in the numerous mantles, ponchos, colorful blankets, straw hats, spurs, lassos, saddles and reins; the pottery, chiefly of functional objects; the delicate work in horsehair, unique to South America; and the carvings in wood and coal. These things are all part of the day-to-day activities and spirit of the Central Zone and its people.
Each of these cities has been rebuilt countless times. First, it was the Mapuches, who with their constant attacks forced the inhabitants to relocate and build time and again; then, the violent earthquakes that toppled the spacious adobe houses so typical of the Chilean countryside. Thus the current period of construction is less than 50 years old. The anti-seismic structures have changed the appearance of the Central Zone, transforming its cities into modern urban centers.

Araucanía and the Lake Area

Araucanía is the land of the Mapuches, one of the populations that caused the most headaches for the Spanish Empire. In fact, while the Conquistadors may have subdued the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas, they bumped into these indomitable natives that had imposed their own boundaries for nearly three centuries without any conquerors, creoles or national armies being able to trespass.

Crossbreeding was the only weapon that, toward the end of the seventeenth century, was finally able to build bridges over the Bio Bio River and ultimately integrate these beautiful lands into the Chilean territory.

Seemingly, all the world’s volcanoes are located in this area, rising above lakes whose waters display vivid reflections from the early hours of the morning. Thus it is a geography of melting ice and lava, rivers and hot springs; a place where« forests are centuries old and roads seem to disappear into the forests of Chile’s awesome southern region.