What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit La Serena, Chile.
Photo: Rjcastillo / Wikimedia Commons
La Serena is a coastal city in Chile with 195,382 people. It combines a historic centre with a long beachfront. In the Centro Histórico you can walk between Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the Church of San Francisco, 2 museums and La Recova Market without a car. On the coast, Avenida del Mar runs past the beaches to the Faro Monumental lighthouse. The best months to visit are November, January, February and March.
Most sights in the city centre take 30 minutes to 2 hours each, and the area works well without a car. Add half a day for the beaches on Avenida del Mar and 1–2 hours for the Japanese Garden.
Avenida del Mar
A long seafront road runs beside a wide sandy beach that joins La Serena with neighbouring Coquimbo. People come here to walk, cycle, swim and eat at the restaurants along the strip. The Pacific water is usually cool, and mornings are often grey with coastal cloud.
Avenida del Mar
This white and red lighthouse stands at the start of Avenida del Mar and is the best-known symbol of the city. Many visitors stop here for photos and then walk along the beach. It looks especially good at sunset.
Parque Pedro de Valdivia
A formal Japanese garden with ponds, small bridges, stone paths and careful planting. It is a calm place for a slow walk away from the traffic of the centre.
City centre
The main square of La Serena is the natural starting point for a walk around the old town. Colonial-style buildings, the cathedral and government offices stand around it, and locals meet here in the shade.
City centre
The stone cathedral stands on the Plaza de Armas and is one of the main landmarks of the historic centre. La Serena is known for its many churches, and this is the most important of them.
City centre
A solid stone church with thick walls and a simple colonial look, a few blocks from the main square. It is one of the oldest churches in the city and worth a short stop on a walk through the centre.
City centre
The museum shows the cultures of northern Chile, with a strong collection of Diaguita pottery and its painted patterns. It also holds a moai statue brought from Easter Island, which many visitors come to see.
City centre
Set in the former home of a Chilean president who was born in La Serena, this museum covers regional history and his life. It sits next to the Plaza de Armas, so it is easy to combine with the cathedral.
City centre
A covered market selling local crafts, dried fruit and products made from papaya, a speciality of the region. It is a good place to look for souvenirs and try local sweets.
University of La Serena
A university museum with a large collection of minerals and rocks from Chile and other countries, including meteorites. It suits travellers interested in geology and the mining history of northern Chile.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 23°C / 16°C | 0 days (1 mm) | 13.1 h/day | 18°C | 10.0/10 |
| Best month: February | 24°C / 16°C | 0 days (1 mm) | 12.0 h/day | 19°C | 10.0/10 |
| Best month: March | 22°C / 15°C | 0 days (6 mm) | 11.5 h/day | 18°C | 9.9/10 |
| April | 20°C / 13°C | 0 days (3 mm) | 10.2 h/day | 16°C | 9.9/10 |
| May | 18°C / 12°C | 2 days (23 mm) | 9.2 h/day | 14°C | 9.6/10 |
| June | 17°C / 10°C | 3 days (33 mm) | 8.7 h/day | 14°C | 8.9/10 |
| July | 16°C / 9°C | 2 days (23 mm) | 9.1 h/day | 14°C | 8.8/10 |
| August | 17°C / 9°C | 3 days (15 mm) | 9.7 h/day | 14°C | 9.2/10 |
| September | 18°C / 10°C | 1 day (2 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 14°C | 9.9/10 |
| October | 19°C / 11°C | 1 day (7 mm) | 11.8 h/day | 15°C | 9.8/10 |
| Best month: November | 21°C / 13°C | 0 days (2 mm) | 12.5 h/day | 15°C | 10.0/10 |
| December | 22°C / 14°C | 0 days (2 mm) | 13.0 h/day | 17°C | 9.9/10 |
High of 23.1°C, 0.1 rain days and 13.1 sun hours a day. Sea at 17.8°C. Score 10, a best month.
Warmest month: high of 23.5°C and 0 rain days. Sea at 18.7°C, the warmest of the year. Score 10, a best month.
High of 22.3°C, 0.4 rain days and 11.5 sun hours. Sea still 17.5°C. Score 9.9, a best month.
Milder, with a high of 20.2°C and 0.3 rain days. Sea cools to 15.7°C. Score 9.9, a best month.
Cooler at 18.3°C, and rain picks up: 2.2 rain days and 23 mm. Score 9.6, still a best month.
Wettest month: 3.2 rain days and 33 mm. High of 17.1°C, low of 9.9°C. Score 8.9, still rated best.
Coolest month: high of 16.3°C, low of 8.9°C, 1.7 rain days. Sea at 13.8°C feels cold. Score 8.8, the lowest, but still best.
High of 17.4°C, low of 9.4°C and 2.5 rain days, so pack layers. Score 9.2, a best month.
Rain drops to 0.5 days and 2 mm. High of 18.3°C, but the sea is cold at 13.8°C. Score 9.9, a best month.
High of 19.3°C, 0.8 rain days and 11.8 sun hours. Score 9.8, a best month.
High of 20.8°C, 0.2 rain days and 12.5 sun hours. Sea at 15.3°C. Score 10, a best month.
High of 21.9°C, 0.4 rain days and 13 sun hours. Sea warms to 16.5°C. Score 9.9, a best month.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Chile →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, culture, no car
The old centre has colonial-style churches, the Plaza de Armas, museums, markets and plenty of places to eat, all within walking distance. Most buses and tours leave from here or nearby, so it makes a practical base. The beach is a bus or taxi ride away, and some streets feel empty in the evening once the shops close.
Good for families, longer stays, value
This mostly residential area sits between the centre and the beach, with supermarkets, local shops and short trips to both the sand and the old town. It suits travellers who want everyday services and a quieter, local feel. It has little character for sightseeing and you will often need a bus or taxi.
Good for quiet, students, views
A hillside residential area on the edge of the centre, close to the university, with calm streets and views over the city and the bay. It is a peaceful base if you mainly want to sleep well and explore by day. The slopes make walking tiring, and there is less to do in the evening.
Small, fragrant Chilean papayas grow in this region and are cooked in syrup, made into jam or turned into sweets. Locals buy them in jars at markets such as La Recova and eat them as dessert.
Pisco is a grape brandy made in the Elqui Valley, inland from La Serena. Mixed with lemon juice and sugar, it becomes the pisco sour, a common drink before dinner or with friends.
Razor clams baked in their shells with grated parmesan cheese and a little white wine. It is a standard starter in seafood restaurants along the coast and in nearby Coquimbo.
Scallops from the bays south of the city, around Tongoy, are eaten raw with lemon or baked with cheese. Look for them on seafood menus close to the sea.
Fresh goat cheese, queso de cabra, comes from small farms in the dry hills of the Coquimbo region. People eat it with bread or salad and buy it at markets and roadside stalls.
Fried pastries filled with shellfish, often with cheese, sold at beachfront stalls and small restaurants. They are a quick lunch or snack, especially on summer days by the sea.
January, February, November and March are the top months, but every month scores well. In January and February, highs reach about 23°C and lows stay around 16°C. Rain is close to zero, with about 1 mm in each of those months. You also get the most sun, with 13.1 hours a day in January. November is a little cooler, with highs of 20.8°C.
Yes, July still gets a good score of 8.8, but it is the coolest month. Highs are about 16°C and nights drop to around 9°C, so bring a warm layer. July has 23 mm of rain spread over about 2 rain days. You still get 9.1 hours of sun a day, which suits city walks and museum visits.
The sea is cool all year. It is warmest in February at 18.7°C, and in January it is 17.8°C. From June to September the water drops to around 14°C, which feels cold for most swimmers. If swimming matters to you, go in summer, when the beaches on Avenida del Mar are most comfortable.
No, La Serena is very dry for most of the year. From September to April, monthly rain stays between 0 and 7 mm. Most of the rain falls from May to August. June is the wettest month, with 33 mm over about 3 rain days. Even then, rain days are few, and June still averages 8.7 hours of sun a day.
Plan for a full day in the city centre and half a day for the beaches. The beaches and Avenida del Mar take about half a day. In the centre, the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Church of San Francisco each take 30 minutes to 1 hour. The Archaeological Museum takes 1–2 hours. Add 1–2 hours for the Japanese Garden if you want a quieter break.
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