A Visit to the Wine Capital of Chile

The country's "wine capital," as its residents call it, is located 22 km south of Santiago. You can visit Pirque any time of year to see how wine makes this little valley come to life and take in its rural heritage, which dates back to the Colonial period.

The first days of April bring the Harvest Celebration (Fiesta de la Venidimia), which attracts hundreds of wine lovers. Highlights include the Concha y Toro winery (built in the mid-19th century), Lo Arocaya (a manor house whose chapel was declared a National Monument), the Castillo de Las Majadas (an enormous French Renaissance manor house), and Parque Mackenna (with magnificent landscapes and a Colonial manor house).

Pirque is part of the Maipo Valley, the oldest and best-known wine-producing area in the country. During your visit, you can take in its myriad Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards (the most numerous in the area) and visit its six wineries. Then visit its artisan community in Vicente Huidobro Park and enjoy cueca music, the smell of fresh kneaded bread and traditional empanadas.

Pirque also offers access to Río Clarillo National Reserve, which is located 14 km from the downtown area. With 13,000 protected hectares, it's one of the biggest conservation areas for schlerophyll forests in central Chile. There are picnic areas and educational trails as well as access to the river itself, where a refreshing dip is the best way to beat the summer heat.

 

Featured Destinations

Cajón del Maipo		Pirque
Pomaire		Rancagua
Santa Cruz

Touristic Services

Accommodation		Tourism Agencies

Tours you can do

Andes		El Morado
World Heritage - Sewell		San Francisco de los Andes

 

Geting There By Car From downtown Santiago, take Av. Vicuña Mackenna southeast until it becomes Av. Concha y Toro (in the municipality of Puente Alto). Once you reach Plaza de Puente Alto, continue south on Av. Concha y Toro to Puente Concha y Toro, a bridge that crosses the Maipo River. Just a few meters past the bridge, you'll come across Plaza de Pirque (on the corner of Concha y Toro and Virgina Subercaseuax / Ramón Subercaseaux).