Iquique is a coastal city in northern Chile. It’s a port nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the edge of the Atacama Desert — one of the driest places on Earth. In fact, there are many years when Iquique doesn’t receive any rainfall at all — not even a millimeter. Its temperatures are mild and pleasant for much of the year (summertime highs averaging 24 C, average annual temperature of 18 C), so it has a pleasant climate to recommend it. People have been living in the area for thousands of years, and the current population is about 200,000.
“Iquique” is derived” from the Aymara language, meaning “place of dreams “. The city has a natural harbor, making it an important shipping port for more than a century. Iquique is located on a rocky peninsula which is protected from the open sea by the low offshore island of Serrano, which is connected to the mainland by a stone causeway. Our visit was via cruiseship, so our first introduction to Iquique was through its port….
Iquique boomed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries thanks to the nitrate (saltpeter) mining industry in the Atacama Desert which fueled global fertilizer and explosives demand. The city was originally under Peruvian then Bolivian control. but it became part of Chile after the War of the Pacific (1879–1883), Today, remnants of that nitrate era — like the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Humberstone Saltpeter Works (ghost-town-like former mining offices) — are major draws for visitors. We visited Humberstone, which was a very interesting stop. And the ride there took us from the Pacific ocean into the Atacama Desert, so we got a nice overview of the city’s layout.
This saltpeter era left behind elegant wooden architecture in the historic district, some of which you can still visit to this day. There are actually a number of interesting old buildings and pretty spots to visit in town.
Iquique sits on a narrow coastal strip backed by dramatic desert cliffs and dunes. The largest of these dunes has been nicknamed “The Dragon”, and it is a popular place for youngsters who want to “sandboard” several thousand feet down its surface. The dunes are a launching point for paragliders as well
Iquique is one of two communities in Chile that a Free Trade Zone, making it a great place to shop for tax-free items. Its port and fisheries are among the busiest in Chile. Copper mining is import in the country and a lot of copper is found near here.
Much of the city is quite poor, but people are friendly and get by….
Lastly, a few examples of street art I encoutered….
