Stargaze-and Ski-in Chile

摘要

With the recent opening of the largest telescopic astronomy project in the world-the Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array, or ALMA-the more desolate regions of the skinny South American country have become popular among astronomy geeks. And because the seasons are flipped in the Southern Hemisphere, you can spend the days skiing while it's sweltering at home. Some of the best trails can be found less than an hour outside Santiago, where you should base yourself, as the city's easy to explore by foot, bike, or cable car. Continue on to Casablanca Valley for wine tasting: Pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay grapes all grow abundantly. From there, head to Valparaiso, with its sheer-cliff coastline dotted with Victorian architecture and boho bars (try Hotel Fauna's rooftop spot). Or travel to Patagonia to see the glaciers and granite towers of the rugged Torres del Paine National Park. If you get there at dawn, you'll see the horns of the mountain peaks turn purple, then red. If you want to marvel at some stars, catch a two-hour flight from Santiago north to the Atacama Desert, the world's driest, which offers incredible views of the constellations and terrain that will make you feel as if you're walking on the moon.