Iquique - Antofagasta 09.02.2023

400 km of road along the coast on the N1 or 500 km on the Pan-American Highway inland? We choose the coastal road, which is very well maintained and beautiful. 6 hours later we arrive at Antofagasta at the Terrano Suites hotel, magnificent, by the sea with a terrace. Antofagasta was an insignificant city in the 18th century until we discovered saltpeter in the region. Conflict between Bolivia and Chile to determine who owns this region. At the end of the saltpeter war, Antofagasta became Chilean. The city is not beautiful, it is industrial, copper, steel, with about 400,000 inhabitants.

400 km along the coast or 500 km on the Pan-American Highway? We choose the excellently developed coastal road, which offers beautiful views. After 6 hours we reach Antofagasta and our beautiful hotel with terrace and sea view. Until the 18th century, Antofagasta was a city of little importance until massive saltpeter deposits were found in the desert. This led to a conflict between Bolivia and Chile, as each of these countries claimed Antofagasta for itself. After the end of the saltpeter war, this question was settled in favor of Chile. Antofagasta is not a beautiful city, it is industrial (copper, steel) with about 400,000 inhabitants.