Day 3: The Quest for Perfection
Today you will have a unique opportunity to visit one of the most important wine projects in the world. With major foreign investment and innovative vineyard techniques, the VIK Winery is attempting nothing short of making Chile’s first 100-point wine. On a plot of 4,300 hectares - where modernity and the latest technology are fused with the oldest traditions of oenology – an elite team of winemakers is working diligently to produce Chile's top wine.
Following a tour of the vineyards and bodega, you will enjoy a barrel tasting of the first VIK wines. This wine represents four years of hard work building a new vineyard in Chile, and you will be one of the first to try this soon-to-be famous Chilean wine.
In the early afternoon, you’ll head back to Santiago, Chile’s vibrant and modern capital city. Enjoy a free afternoon and evening to explore the city from your “home base” at the elegant boutique Le Reve Hotel, located in the heart of the beautiful Providencia neighborhood.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 4: Santiago
Chosen by the New York Times as 2011’s #1 destination to visit, Santiago is a dynamic and contemporary metropolis located in the heart of Chile’s fertile central valley. Chile’s capital is a vibrant city full of character, with a thriving arts culture, trendy restaurant scene, and lively nightlife. Old-world colonial mansions and eclectic neighborhoods transition seamlessly to the skyscrapers and modern structures of the business district.
We will set out to visit Santiago’s most important historical and cultural sites, including the downtown area surrounding the Plaza de Armas and the La Moneda Presidential Palace. We will also pass by the Mercado Central, one of Chile’s largest fresh seafood markets and stroll by the many bustling stalls to see the tremendous variety available from Chile’s bountiful sea. We will visit some of the lesser known barrios of Santiago including República and Concha y Toro, which initially constituted the outskirts of the city, but with the capital's constant growth were transformed into privileged neighborhoods and home to Santiago's high society. There will be time to walk around and take photos of the varied styles of architecture dating back to the 19th and early 20th century. Continuing through the cobblestoned Lastarria neighborhood, we will walk through the Parque Forestal and pass by the Bellas Artes Museum. For a panoramic vista of the city, we will visit the top of Cerro San Cristobal Hill, 600 feet above the city.
During the tour, you will have the option to visit one of Santiago’s most famous museums, La Chascona, one of the former homes of Chile’s beloved poet, Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda.
At the conclusion of the tour, your driver and guide will transport you to Santiago’s international airport for your departing flight.
Meals Included: Breakfast
