La Serena, Chile is a historic city located some 460 kilometers north of Santiago in Chile.
The city was founded in the XVIth century by the Spanish Conqueror, Francisco de Aguirre. Today, La Serena, Chile is one of the most important cities in the north of Chile.
To a tourist, the city of La Serena, Chile has a lot to offer. The sun, beaches and white sand are a few of its major attractions. The city has year-round climate, fresh air, great scenery and superb seafood. La Serena is the second oldest city of Chile. Pedro de Valivia who founded Santiago in 1541 went on to establish La Serena in 1543. He built it to serve as the sea link between Santiago and Lima. The city was fortified against pirates in the 18th century and enjoyed an economic boom in the early 20th century.
When Gabriel Gonzalez Videla, a native of La Serena, became the President, the city of La Serena got benefits from the much touted La Serena Plan. It was an urban renewal project which developed in the prevalent architectural style called Colonial Renaissance. A lot of the colonial architecture is found around the Plaza de Armas.
The city is widely known for its beaches. If you take a two-week vacation you can visit and enjoy a different beach every day. However some beaches are less suited for swimming due to strong currents.
Because of its location between the arid northern desert of the Atacama and the pleasant Mediterranean climate of the central coast the city enjoys a transitional climate. Most of the days have clear skies and temperatures. The average daily temperature is between 15° Celsius and 20° Celsius. July is the coldest winter month and February in mid-summer is the warmest. As the region is rain free for up to 9 months of the year, it is one of the few all-season destinations in South America.
The Municipal Market in La Recova is well known for its handicrafts, jewelry, ceramics with Diaguita motifs, alpaca textiles from Bolivia and Peru along with a variety of local products. After shopping you can enjoy a meal in one of the reasonable restaurants on the second floor.
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