Vicuña

Where to stay

Budget beds cluster tightly around the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding blocks of Calle San Martín, where the Immaculate Conception Church and Bauer Tower sit. Staying here keeps you within easy walking distance of the tourist information center, the main bus stops for La Serena, and the street vendors selling fresh fruit and pisco sour ingredients.

Getting around

• The town is entirely walkable, so you do not need a car to reach the main sights or the bus terminal. For stargazing, you must leave the town center due to significant light pollution; book a tour to the Mamalluca Observatory or drive further north into the valley for dark skies.
• Pisco is the local industry, and the Ruta del Pisco runs just outside town, connecting several distilleries. Independent visits to these factories are often cheaper than packaged tours, and you can sample the spirit directly at the source.
• Most transport to and from Vicuña runs through La Serena. Colectivos and buses leave frequently from the provincial bus station northwest of the Japanese Garden, but the last services back to La Serena end around 21:15, so plan your return carefully.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest during the winter months of June through August, when cooler temperatures and occasional rain reduce tourist numbers. Prices spike during the summer holiday stretch from December through March, when clear skies attract stargazers and domestic travelers to the Elqui Valley.