My Experience in Antofagasta, Chile - by Cami

What's it like living in Antofagasta? Would you recommend it?

First off, Antofagasta isn't a city which stunned me with its beauty, and to be honest, it doesn't usually give a good first impression on the whole since there are many areas which aren't well-maintained or newly refurbished.

Despite this, as time goes on, you'll discover its charms - and what charms it has! Antofagasta's geography makes it a special and very strange city, and it's marvellous being able to be the same distance from the beach as from the driest desert in the world. At the same time, it's interesting to consider how the urban organisation is determined by this geography, like the streets which cross the city and start up in the hills, at the river mouth or at the sea.

I've seen the most beautiful sunsets in Chile in this city. Antofagasta usually gifts its inhabitants amazingly colourful sunsets, beautiful in their faultlessness. They're really inspiring.

A big plus point is the lifestyle here. It's quite a chilled and comfortable city, and nowhere is too far away. The standard of living is very high there, you don't have to have a manic lifestyle like you would in some big cities.

What's the student life like in Antofagasta?

I should point out that Antofagasta can't really be described as a university city. There's no 'student area' like in Santiago and Concepción.

Most of the universities here are attended by local students or those from the surrounding towns, such as Calama, María Elena, Mejillones and Tocopilla. Many of these students have family in the city, which makes university life much more family-based and cosy.

How expensive is living in Antofagasta?

Antofagasta is one of the most expensive cities in Chile, and I'd even go as far as saying that the items in the supermarket etc. aren't worth their prices, but this is made up for by the standard of living in the city.

Is it hard to find somewhere to live in Antofagasta? Do you have any flat-hunting tips?

It's not that easy to find somewhere nice but cheap. I think it's important to bear the following in mind:

• Rent usually varies by sector: the southern sector is more expensive than the northern.
• The central sector has become quite dangerous in the last few years, so I don't recommend walking through there late at night.
• There's a residential area in front of the Catholic University where there are several hostels or houses which offer rooms - it's not a very attractive place, but it's a great place to live since it's in a good spot for getting to the train station, the beach, supermarkets, parks and restaurants.
• In my personal opinion, I'd recommend the central-southern sector...from Avenida Brasil north, since it's quiet, secure, there are plenty of amenities around it and you can reach the train station quickly.

What's the food like in Chile? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is excellent! In general, it's fused with foreign food, but it's still got the Chilean touch.

The most important thing is trusting yourself to give it a try, and even if you've tried a particular dish in one city, you should still try it in another: often the ingredients change according to the place it's made in, and its seasoning.

What are the best places to visit in Antofagasta?

• Ruins of Huanchaca Museum: interesting to visit, since you can see the exhibitions and appreciate the 'Casino Enjoy' project, which is faintly linked to the ancient ruins of Huanchaca.
• El Ancla Hill: climb it! Good for a relatively cloudy morning without wind in the air, with a large group of friends. Make sure you wear decent shoes, take water with you, sun cream, and binoculars.
• Old Town: a picturesque part of the city, and quite small. The old train station is here, and you can take photos of artistic murals before you take a walk along the 'paseo del mar'.
• La rinconada: offers great panoramic views on both sunny and cloudy days. You'll need a car to access it, a group of friends, a hoodie, a ball, and a good picnic.
• Regional Library: the recently inaugurated Angofagasta Library is the largest library in the country and is located in a building with beautiful architecture, the former Chilean post office.
• The sand dunes: you can spend an amazing day on the dunes sandboarding. The scenery is spectacular and very relaxing.
• The stars: the desert is the best place for stargazing. Go with your friends one evening.
• The ring road: in the high northern part of the city, you can appreciate some of the best views here by night and by day. I recommend going there in the car, with someone who knows the area, and that you don't spend more than five minutes there.
• Hidden Beach: for a sunny day! Get up early and go and enjoy a day on an exclusive and peaceful beach. It's set back from the city, so it's not very busy, which is very much a good thing.
• The desert hand (La mano del desierto): similar to the gateway, it's a natural sculpture and an iconic one for the region. You can visit it on the way to San Pedro de Atacama.
• Catamarán: a small boat which makes a trip along the city. You can spend an hour on it and get to know the city from a totally different perspective. Highly recommended!

What about eating out in Antofagasta? What are your favourite places?

In general, I prefer going to places in the southern zone. There are a few places with tasty food and a good atmosphere...

Within this area, if you're looking for lunch or dinner, try 'Ambar Restaurant', 'Arrecife' or the 'Puerto Caliche'. All of these have different styles, but each is cool in its own way, with good service and nice food. It's not cheap to eat here, but it's worth it to enjoy the comfortable atmosphere.

If you're looking for somewhere to eat in the evening with friends, I recommend going to the Avenida Brasil area where there are a few coffee shops which have a chilled atmosphere; you can sit in these, chat and chill out - Café Musetti (good location, good prices) and Chocolat Pastelería (which has the best cakes in the city). I prefer going to this area in the evening, but there are also some good places to have lunch here, such as Happy Taco, La Estación and Sushi Green (good food to take away).

What are the best places for partying in Antofagasta?

For clubbing...

Ovo

• Pros: Excellent music - cool location - safe - free entrance for women - no smoking areas.
• Cons: Prices - normally frequented by much older people - no smoking areas.

• Pros: Two parts - really good open air music - cheap bar - entrance deals
• Cons: Not very spacious and they often let lots of people in - few toilets

Sala Murano

• Pros: You can pre drink in Spell, which is nearby - located in the city centre.
• Cons: I don't know if it's because of the kind of people who go there, but every time I went, there was a fight of some sort.

Pubs:

The two areas where you can find most of the pubs in Antofagasta are Avenida Brasil and Balneario.

If we're talking about quality and good atmosphere, I can recommend places in both: in the former, there's 'Clandestino', which plays psychedelic rock music, and the latter, 'Studio 226', which has two rooms - one better for chilling and drinking in, and the other for partying, with karaoke.

Other good places are Spell, Sala Fusa, Lemon, Zybar, Ciragán, and Casino Enjoy.

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Antofagasta?

I recommend you enjoy this quiet city, submerge yourself in the provincial lifestyle, since you can't visit the northern sector without seeing San Pedro de Atacama, the nitrate fields, Paranal and the Moon Valley.

Antofagasta has a different kind of beauty, and this is its essence: its hills, ocean and horizon all prove this to be true.