Santiago

On foot; that's the best way to get a real feel for this diverse and ever-changing metropolis.

In downtown El Centro and the surrounding Vitacura, Providencia and Las Condes districts you'll find museums, pedestrian malls, shops and restaurants of all descriptions and prices, as well as a pulsating nightlife.

Elsewhere, several impressive green spaces offer pockets of peaceful respite while traipsing about. Parque Metropolitano,  also known as Cerro San Cristóbal, is the largest and most impressive. You can't miss it. Nor should you.

Another 'don’t miss' attraction is a visit to the nearby
Maipo Valley, Chile's original wine producing region. Roots here date back to the Conquistador era.  Add in Viña del Mar and the UNESCO World Heritage port of Valparaiso - with its colourful maze of coastal homes set on very steep streets - and you have the makings of a great day trip from the capital.

Further afield, there's the Isla Negra beach house of poet Pablo Neruda, as well as ski resorts in the nearby Andean foothills like Cajón del Maipo.

No matter the season, your tastes or personal interests, Santiago won't disappoint on any level.

If getting off the beaten track is your intention (and you don't want to risk wet weather), northern Chile's Atacama Desert might be worth considering? Most parts of this vast arid lunar-like landscape - wedged between the Andes and the Pacific - have not seen rain since records began.

White salt flats, rust-coloured valleys and snow-capped volcanoes dominate the vista, making for extraordinary changes in light. Sunrise is golden; midday is blinding white; while sunset oozes from red to pink.

Clear, clean skies also make this part of the planet perfect for star gazing. This explains why some of the world's major observatories are located here.

Rich mineral deposits (and adventurous tourists) support the few villages scattered throughout the region, where both Incan and Spanish influences can be seen. 

San Pedro de Atacama makes a great base for exploring. Apart from several archaeological sites and museums, just out of town you can sandboard down giant dunes then wash the desert dust off in Cejar Lagoon. 

But it's not all dust and desert. Near Copiapó, the camancha mist lingers over the land, nourishing natural reserves like the Fray Jorge and Pan de Azúcar National Parks.

It's just you and nature in Chilean Patagonia. Over 50 percent of the region (roughly the size of the UK) is a Protected Wilderness Area. Just choose your 'tools' and go: be that fishing rod, trekking boots, kayak or canoe; even a horse. 

There's the jagged mountain splendour of Torres del Paine, San Valentín and Cerro Castilla. There's the vast glacial expanse of the Ice Field plus the eerie beauty of General Carrera and O’Higgins Lakes. And along the coast, snow-fed lakes and rivers merge in a network of canals and fjords, which dolphins and whales call home.

If you’re interested in skiing South America’s best slopes, head to the Andes. Some of the most famous ski resorts quickly come into view as you leave the city and all of them have hotels, restaurants, equipment rental and ski slopes for everyone from beginners to experts who might even prefer off-piste skiing.