The beach in Arica, ChileThe beach in Arica, Chile
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arica001.jpg
Author: Alexson Scheppa Peisino
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Arica is a town on the northern part of Chile, just 18 km from the border with Peru. The city is on the Pacific coast. It is a city with a good number of elegant 19th century buildings, including some designed by Gustave Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame.

Catedral de San Marcos, AricaCatedral de San Marcos, Arica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AricaIglesiaSanMarcos.jpg
Author: Heretiq
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Arica was founded in 1541 by Spanish captain Lucas Martinez de Begazo. It was originally called La Muy Ilustre y Real Ciudad San Marcos de Arica (The Very Illustrious and Royal City of Saint Mark of Arica). At that time the Atacama Desert, particularly the town of Potosí in Bolivia, was a major producer of silver, so much of the silver ore was being exported via Arica.

The wealth of silver flowing out of Arica also attracted pirates and buccaneers for a share of the loot. At that time, pirating by non-Spanish ship captains often receive the approval of their government, and people like Francis Drake and Thomas Cavendish also had a hand in grabbing a share of the silver.

Ex-Aduana (Former Customs House) in Arica, ChileEx-Aduana (Former Customs House) in Arica, Chile
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arica_Aduana_2.jpg
Author: Till Niermann
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Today the days of silver mining is long gone, but Arica has successfully reinvented itself as a tourist destination in northern Chile. It has 20 km of excellent beaches, and the city itself has a number of attractions. The city also acts as the base for visiting tourist destinations in this part of the country.

Arica experiences a mild desert climate. It is in a region has receives almost no rain. The whole year may go through without a single rainy day. The warmest month is February, when the average high temperature reaches 26.7°C (80°F). The coldest months are June to August, when the average low temperature drops to 6.1°C (43°F).

Visiting Arica

Being on the far north, Arica is nearer to La Paz and Cochabamba in Bolivia. You can reach it from these two cities by bus. You can also cross the border from Tacna in Peru.

Monument of the War of the Pacific at the top of Morro de AricaMonument of the War of the Pacific at the top of Morro de Arica
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AricaMorroWarMonument.jpg
Author: Heretiq
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Places of Interest in Arica

  1. Catedral de San Marcos
    Neo-Gothic cathedral designed by Gustav Eiffel, prefabricated in France and assembled in Arica in 1876.

  2. Ex-Aduana
    The Old Customs House, also designed by Gustav Eiffel, was also prefabricated in France and assembled in Arica in 1874.

  3. Geoglyph Cerro Sagrado
    The pre-Hispanic mosaic work on the hillside of Cerro Sagrado are created during the 15th century.

  4. Morro de Arica
    This is the 110-meter (360-ft) cliff that towers over Arica. This was where Chilean troops defeated the Peruvians and claimed the city of Arica in the War of the Pacific.

  5. Museo Arqueológico San Miguel de Azapa
    Arica's archaeology museum has an outstanding collection of artifacts, including some of the world's oldest mummies.

  6. Museo Ferrocarriles
    Railway museum housed in Arica's century-old railway station which once linked the city with La Paz, Bolizia.

  7. Museo Histórico y de Armas
    Museum at the top of Morro de Arica. It houses artifacts and displays relating to the war between Chile and Peru. There is also a monument to that effect.

  8. Poblado Artesenal
    This is the local crafts village. It's a good place to view the local handicrafts and perhaps pick up a souvenir or two.

  9. Terminal Pesquero
    Arica's Fishermen's Wharf is a place to view the fishing boats and families of sea lion.

Beaches of Arica

The four main beaches in Arica are Playa El Laucho, Playa La Lisera, Playa Chinchorro and Playa Las Machas. The first two are reasonably calm and are suitable for swimming. Playa Chinchorro has big waves. It has an amusement park as an alternative attraction. Playa Las Machas also has big waves and is popular with surfers.

Tourist Destination around Arica

  1. Chungará Lake
    Located at a height of 4,517 meters, this is the 10th highest lake in South America.

  2. Pucará de Copaquilla
    Pre-Hispanic site of stone walls located about 3,000 meters above sea level.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

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