Pichilemu

Pichilemu brings together surf beaches, fishing and historic sites with landscapes in the surrounding area. The following destinations offer practical pointers for planning your stay.

Getting there and planning your trip

From Santiago, you can reach Pichilemu via Ruta 5 Sur and then Ruta 90. The 210-kilometre drive takes three to four hours; traffic can affect travel time. This information can help you plan your journey in broad terms. It is also worth considering whether you mainly want to visit places in Pichilemu or include destinations in the surrounding area.

Beaches and surfing

Playa Principal, also known as Las Terrazas, offers good surfing conditions. Surf schools, including La Ola Perfecta and Lobos del Pacifico, are located at Playa La Puntilla. Punta de Lobos, a coastal area designated as a World Surfing Reserve, lies near Pichilemu. Surf schools there offer beginner lessons in surfing, bodyboarding and windsurfing.

The surf options have different features: surfing conditions are a key feature of Playa Principal, while La Puntilla is noted for its local schools. At Punta de Lobos, beginner lessons cover three water sports. If you are considering different activities, these distinctions can help you choose what to focus on during your trip.

Salt production and fishing

The Ruta de la Sal begins in Pichilemu and takes visitors to areas where salt is produced. The sectors mentioned include Cáhuil, Barrancas, La Villa, El Bronce, La Palmilla and La Plaza. At the nearby Salinas de Cáhuil, visitors can learn about the traditional salt-making process. This gives you the option of visiting several salt-producing areas along the route, as well as learning about a specific traditional craft.

The Caleta de Pichilemu offers another glimpse of local life. The fishing settlement in the main seaside resort is run by artisanal fishers, who sell their seafood directly there. For travellers interested in fishing and direct sales, the caleta adds another local focus to excursions related to salt production.

Architecture and history

Parque Ross, also known as Parque Agustín Ross, is a national monument on Avenida Agustín Ross and a pleasant place for a walk. European-influenced architecture and its designation as a Zona Típica shape the character of Barrio Ross. The two places offer different ways to explore local history: at Parque Ross, the monument is part of a walk, while Barrio Ross is known primarily for its historic architecture.

The Centro Cultural Agustín Ross is housed in the former Casino Antiguo de Pichilemu. The building was constructed between 1906 and 1909 and declared a national monument in February 1988. The former Pichilemu railway station building also has historic monument status: it was declared one in 1993. These buildings add further stops in local history to a visit to Parque Ross and Barrio Ross.

Coastal landscape and wetland

Infiernillo lies on the southern edge of the city, where rock formations define the landscape and the surf breaks. The Humedal Cáhuil, near the village of Cáhuil about 13 kilometres from Pichilemu, offers a different landscape. The wetland formed at the mouth of the Estero Nilahue and is home to around 40 different species. This gives you a choice between a rocky coastline on the edge of the city and a wetland in the surrounding area as different nature experiences.

Facilities at Playa Principal

Playa Principal has two access points with ramps and reserved parking spaces. Facilities include all-terrain wheelchairs with ergonomic designs and an amphibious wheelchair for access to the sea. If these facilities are important for your plans, check their current status before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Marchihue, Navidad, El Manzano, Paredones.

See the regional travel overview: Cardenal Caro Province.