Iquique

Iquique is a city of 191,000 people (2017) in the Northern Chile. The city is home to the Zofri duty-free zone, and a growing number of high-rise resort hotels along its beaches. Slightly more expensive and polluted than neighboring population centers, such as Arica, but a convenient place to stock up on duty-free perfumes and laptop computers.

Understand
The city developed during the heyday of the saltpetre mining in the Atacama Desert in the 19th century. Once a Peruvian city with a large Chilean population, it was conquered by Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879–1883). Today it is one of only two free ports of Chile, the other one being Punta Arenas, in the country's far south. Copper mining is also an important industry in Iquique.
 * Visit Iquique website

By bus
Buses pull in on different locations.

Several daily arrivals from Arica, Antofagasta, Calama and Santiago (25 hr). Also buses from La Paz, Oruro and Cochabamba in Bolivia.

The last bus to Calama runs at 21:30 and arrives at 04:00 with bus company Fronte de Norte.

By plane


Many flights connect daily with Santiago and other main cities in the country. International flights are offered from Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.

Get around
Micros run along the major streets in the center and takes you from the center to the Zofri in no time. Walking is the most convenient mode of transport for getting to and from the beaches.

You can share a taxi for 500 pesos and or get a private one for 2000 pesos. Faster than taking the bus.

See

 * Historic sites – They can be found along the city and nearby the coast and desert, most of them related to the Pacific War against the coalition of Perú and Bolivia during the 19th century and with the massacre by the government against miner workforce demanding social and economical rights, known as "the Santa Maria School massacre".
 * 19th-century architecture – Mainly downtown and its origins are linked with the mining activities during that century, when European entrepreneurs became rich with the extraction of saltpetre and established their homes in the city. Many of them constructed big houses in different styles that predominated during the period and grouped in colonies with their respective buildings, with special stylistic, material and constructive adaptations to the climate of Iquique. Important examples are the Spanish Casino, the Croatian Casino, the Chinese Club and the Municipal Theatre, one of the most important nationwide.
 * 19th-century architecture – Mainly downtown and its origins are linked with the mining activities during that century, when European entrepreneurs became rich with the extraction of saltpetre and established their homes in the city. Many of them constructed big houses in different styles that predominated during the period and grouped in colonies with their respective buildings, with special stylistic, material and constructive adaptations to the climate of Iquique. Important examples are the Spanish Casino, the Croatian Casino, the Chinese Club and the Municipal Theatre, one of the most important nationwide.

Do

 * Beaches – This is a must. Iquique is known for its good weather and beaches (playas) with "Playa Cavancha" being the largest. Some of them are not suitable for swimming: submarine tides are dangerous in some places, as for example "Playa Brava" or "Playa Huayquique".
 * Surfing – Right in town

Buy


In the center of the city you can find many shops for buy clothes, toys and every kind of stuff.

Eat
Iquique's Chinese immigrants that arrived during the 19th century as slaves to work in saltpetre extraction, have had a distinct influence on the local food. The area around the Mercado is Iquique's Chinatown. You will find a large number of Peruvian influenced "Chifa" restaurants here, all pretty expensive. The smaller restaurants between them are cheaper, and serve sandwiches and burgers for 800 pesos and up. McDonald's, Domino's, KFC, and other fast food chains can be found in malls.

For dessert you can try the chumbeque invented by Chinese descendants. It's prepared with layers of fried thin dough filled with different fruity caramels. Nearby towns in Iquique specially Pica and Matilla offer a variety of fruits and desserts made with them, the best known are the alfajores.

Drink
Pisco Sour prepared with lemons from "Pica" is the local speciality.

Go next

 * Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works – A UNESCO site and ghost town 48 km east in the Atacama Desert
 * Arica – Next main city north
 * Putre – North, gateway into Bolivia