Caldera

Caldera brings together beach destinations and a layered port and regional history. Playa Mansa, the Iglesia San Vicente de Paul, and historic buildings represent different sides of the town. The Ruta Histórica runs through the historic center and includes the port’s first houses, as well as landmarks that have shaped the history of the Región de Atacama and Chile. Caldera can therefore be explored through both its coastline and its history.

Beaches and Local History

Playa Mansa is the main beach in the municipality of Caldera, 800 meters from the Plaza de Caldera. It has lifeguards, public restrooms, and showers. The beach has no waves, making it especially suitable for families and children. If you are weighing up the location of a holiday apartment in Caldera, you can use the Plaza as a specific reference point for Playa Mansa. Playa Brava offers a different coastal setting: it lies along the coast of the historic center. From Playa Mansa, you can also explore historic houses that tell the story of the port.

Buildings and Places of Remembrance

Casa Tornini connects several chapters of the town’s history. Thomas Smith, the railway’s administrator at the time, built the house in 1875. Bernardo Tornini Capelli acquired it in 1907 and used it as a residence and as the office of the Italian consulate. Today, you can visit Casa Tornini by making a reservation in advance. On display are collections about the Guerra del Pacífico, the Revolución Constituyente of 1859, and the migration processes of the late 19th century. These topics give the house a broad historical context, from conflict and political upheaval to the migrations of that period.

The Gruta de Lourdes was established in 1934 as a shrine in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. It was built by parish priest Crisógono de Sierra y Velásquez, known as “Padre Negro,” with support from the local community. For this reason, the Gruta is also popularly known as “La Gruta del Padre Negro.” The Iglesia San Vicente de Paul is another historic and religious landmark in Caldera and an important place of worship in Chile’s Región de Atacama.

The former use of public buildings also tells a story of changing functions. The former Aduana de Caldera once housed, among other things, the first British consulate in northern Chile, a civil registry office, a radio station, and a nightclub. Today, it is home to the Universidad de Atacama’s Centro de Desarrollo Cultural. Estación Caldera was declared a national monument in 1964 and converted for use as a cultural center.

More Destinations Around Caldera

Those who want to explore beyond the town will find a variety of excursion destinations, each with its own focus. Mina San José is 30 kilometers from Caldera, in the Región de Atacama. It is associated with the event of August 5, 2010, when 33 miners were trapped more than 700 meters underground.

Zoológico de Piedras is 15 kilometers north of Caldera on Ruta 5. Its signposted trail can be explored on foot or by vehicle. The area is also a bouldering site that national climbers visit regularly. The paleontological site of Los Dedos offers a different kind of visit: This protected, publicly accessible open-air museum is 12 kilometers from Caldera on Ruta C-302 toward Morro and can also be reached by bicycle. A walking route leads to several stops featuring life-size representations of species that once lived in the region.

The Museo Paleontológico de Caldera showcases the paleontological and historical heritage of the municipality of Caldera and the Región de Atacama; it is currently closed for repairs. You can also include Copiapó and Tierra Amarilla in your travel plans as additional destinations.

For the overview of the wider region, see: Provincia Copiapó.