Essential Chilean Wine

Day 1 Fri: Santiago

Welcome by the local guide at Santiago airport and transfer to Hotel Galerias. In the afternoon you will get to know the Chilean capital by a city tour. The tour includes visits to the city's civic center with the neoclassical La Moneda Palace, the Plaza de Armas, the exuberantly landscaped Santa Lucia Hill and a visit to the traditional handicraft market Pueblito Los Dominicos. Overnight at Hotel Galerias.

Day 2 Sat: Santiago - Tren del Vino - Santa Cruz Winery

After breakfast you will be taken to San Fernando - 140 km / 87 mi south of Santiago. Where the wine train called “Tren del Vino” will be your time machine to carry you back to the time when the train was the primary way of transportation. It was built in the last century, an old steam engine which was one of the last models constructed in Chile in 1913. The Wine Train will be traveling through the vineyards of Colchagua Valley. On board the train you will enjoy a wine tasting with great colchaguino appetizers, accompanied by Chilean folklore, with popular songs. After 1½ hours you arrive at the railway station in Santa Cruz. From here you will visit the Santa Cruz vineyard located 25 km / 15 mi south of Santa Cruz, on the road to Lolol. The tour consists of a visit to the vineyards, the winery, and a tasting of wines in the winery gift shop. A cable car will take you up to the Indigenous village where you will be able to observe dwelling reproductions of the Mapuche, Rapa Nui and Aymara tribes. Lunch will be served at the vineyards restaurant. Overnight in beautiful colonial-style Hotel Plaza Santa Cruz. (B,L)

Day 3 Sun: The Colchagua Wine Valley

After breakfast you will visit the Museo de Colchagua located next to the hotel. It is in an old colonial building and one of South Americas biggest private museums. The exposition shows largely a pre-Columbian art collection of Chile, Peru and Colombia as well as archaeological collections. Then you will visit 2 different and unique vineyards. The fertile soils make it possible to produce red wine varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chile’s emblematic Carmenère. Lunch will be served at an enjoyable restaurant in the valley. Overnight in Hotel Plaza Santa Cruz. (B,L)

Day 4 Mon: Santa Cruz - Talca

Transfer from Santa Cruz to Talca in the Maule Wine Valley, the wine growing region with the largest extension of vineyards totaling over 46,000 ha / 113.670 a under cultivation. Most vineyards here produce red wines like Carménère, Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. You will spend the night in the small and exclusive boutique-style Vineyard Hotel Casa Donoso, near the city of Talca. Enjoy the winery, its excellent wines and food. (B)

Day 5 Tue: Wine Route in Valle Maule

You will explore the wine route and visit two distinguished vineyards. All vineyards are experts in the art of producing finest wine and have a long wine-making tradition dating back to the times of the Spanish colonization. Lunch will be served at the Villa Cultural Huiquilemo, at 10 km / 6 mi from Talca. Its building dates back to 1850 and was declared a National Monument in 1986. In this museum you can see paintings and objects of religious art and typical regional handcrafts. The beautiful building is exemplary for the colonial style of architecture. Overnight at Casa Donoso. (B,L)

Day 6 Wed: Talca - Santiago

A transfer will take you from your hotel to Santiago Airport or the city center. (B)