Your BlueGreen Adventures representative will meet you at Santiago International Airport and transfer you to your accommodation in the city (see hotel options below).

In the afternoon, we will pick you up from your hotel to visit the most important historical sites of Santiago including the downtown area surrounding the Plaza de Armas and the Presidential Palace. We will also pass by the Mercado Central, one of Chile's largest fresh seafood markets and take a stroll through the many bustling stalls to see the tremendous variety available from Chile's bountiful sea.

We will visit some of the lesser know barrios of Santiago including, Republica and Concha y Toro. Initially constituting the outskirts of the city, the capital's constant growth transformed the area into a privileged neighborhood and home to Santiago's high society. There will be time to walk around and take photos of the many styles of architecture dating back to the 19th and early 20th century. Continuing through the cobble stoned Lastarria neighborhood, we will walk through the Parque Forestal passing by the Bellas Artes Museum.

For a scenic 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 Santiago's many famed museums such as: The Cousino Mansion, the former home to one of Chile's wealthiest 19th century families; or, the La Chascona Museum, the former home of Pablo Neruda, Chile's most famous poet and Nobel laureate; or, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, containing one of the richest collection of Pre-Columbian culture of Latin America.

Meals: Not included
Night in 3* hotel on twin share basis with minimum of superior rooms. 
Hotel options: Hotel del Patio (www.hoteldelpatio.cl), Hotel Orly (www.orlyhotel.com) or Hotel Meridianosur Petit Hotel (www.meridianosur.cl).
Hotel upgrades possible at extra cost.

In the morning your guide will meet you at your Santiago hotel to drive approximately 90 minutes to the San Antonio Wine Valley. Situated only 2.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean it is Chile's most coastal wine region.

Our first stop will be at Casa Marin Winery. Founded in 2000 by Chile's first female vineyard owner, Maria Luz Marin. Casa Marin has been described as one of the most daring and innovative vineyards in Chile.

Its outstanding wines have received many awards including Best Sauvignon Blanc in the World (2010) and Winery of the year (2010) by industry association wines of Chile. Most recently, it was named among the Top 100 Wineries in the World (2012) by Wine and Spirits Magazine. Two of its top wines; Miramar Vineyard Syrah 2010 and Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011 were named the 'best in Chile' by the country's most prestigious wine publication 'Descorchados'. At  Casa Marin Winery there will be a private tour and a tasting of their premium wines.

Next we will head the short distance to the Matetic Winery. A state-of-the-art wine making facility, Matetic is designed to complement its beautiful natural surroundings. The winery incorporates organic and biodynamic agricultural practices and an architecture which optimizes vinification. Grapes are handpicked and carefully examined to ensure only those of highest quality are used in the wine making process. Wine and Spirits magazine has selected Matetic among its top 100 Top Wineries in the World on more than one occasion, and the winery has been called a 'great ambassador' for Chilean wine on the world stage. There will be a tour and tasting of all their distinctive wines followed by lunch in their chic 'Equilibrio' restaurant.

Meals: Lunch.
Hotel night as above based on twin share.

Today we can offer you a choice of activities as follows:

Casablanca Bike & Wine Full Day Tour (Option A)
Your bilingual guide will meet you in the lobby of your Santiago accommodations at 0900 hours to begin your cycling winery tour* in the Casablanca Valley. Famed for its Chardonnay and renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc, the valley's cool coastal breeze makes the climate ideal for growing white varietals and for comfortable cycling.

After a one hour drive from Santiago we will begin our guided tour on foot at the award-winning Veramonte Winery. Each wine is a reflection of the unique combination of soil, geography and climate, the result is wine of outstanding quality, such as the Primus Cabernet/Merlot/Carmenere blend and Ritual Pinot Noir. We will enjoy a tasting at Veramonte and begin our biking adventure, pedaling to Loma Larga Vineyards along beautiful back country roads.

Loma Larga Vineyards was named 'Winery of the Year 2011' by Wine and Spirits Magazine and continues to represent the best of the Casablanca Valley, setting the bar for quality cold-climate red wines. We will have a tour through the winery and a tasting followed by a picnic lunch before heading back to Santiago for the night.

*This excursion involves moderate biking conditions.

Meals: Picnic Lunch

Cachagua & Zapallar Coast (Option B)
Departing at 0800 hours we will head toward the central region's northern coastal resorts for some of the best natural scenery of the region. First, we will visit the La Campana National Park and walk through a native Chilean palm forest near the quaint, rural town of Ocoa.

Continuing to the coast, our first stop is the beach and local seafood market in Maitencillo we then continue to the neighbouring town of Cachagua for a visit to a unique national penguin reserve. Finally, the breathtaking, rocky coast and crystal clear waters of the Pacific Ocean make for a great invitation to the coastal town of Zapallar.

After a stroll on the walkway nestled between the crashing waves and the forested landscape, we will have a delicious Chilean seafood lunch at a local restaurant on a picturesque bay. After lunch, we will have some time to relax on the beach or to stroll the lushly landscaped cliff walk.

Meals: Lunch

Night as above in hotel.
Breakfast and lunch included.

This morning your guide will lead you on a short walking tour through the bohemian Barrio Lastarria. In its history, Lastarria has been home to famous politicians as well as writers, intellectuals, artists, architects, and liberal thinkers such as José Victorino Lastarria, from whom the neighborhood takes its name.

At the end of the century, the barrio underwent a rebirth as old buildings were renovated, facades restored, and a diverse array of eclectic cafes, restaurants, bars, bookstores, design boutiques, art galleries, and cultural centers emerged throughout Lastarria's winding streets.
 
You will end your walking tour at Bocanáriz. With an ample selection of Chilean wines, Bocanáriz brings the increasingly popular 'chic wine bar' concept to a neighborhood considered more accessible by those who live outside the 'Barrio Alto'. You will enjoy a special flight of five distinctive Chilean wines paired with a variety of light tapas specially chosen to accompany each wine.

After this wonderful visit we will drop you off at your accommodation and pick you up again later to transfer you to Santiago Airport or we can go straight to the airport after the tour in time to connect with your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast, wine & tapas.