Attractions around Arica

San Miguel de Azapa
San Miguel is located on the road that runs along the Quebrada de Azapa, 12 km from Arica. Here is located the Arqueological Museum Miguel de Azapa and the olive industry of the same name.
Arqueological Museum Miguel de Azapa
The museum is located in the town of San Miguel de Azapa, and more than 10,000 years of the archaeological and anthropological history of the pre-Hispanic cultures are kept here. The collection is looked after by the University of Tarapacá. During the winter the museum is open from Monday through Sunday from 10.00 to 18.00 hrs and during the summer visiting hours are extended to 09.00 to 22.00 hrs. Check out their website for more information (only in spanish).
Poconchile
This small town of pre-Inca origins, surrounded by alfalfa plantations, is located 35 km from Arica, in the Azapa Valley, on the international road to La Paz. Until the defeat of the Inca Empire there was an inn here, and then under the Spanish occupation the population contributed to the work on the railway to Bolivia. You can visit the Church of San Gerónimo, founded in 1605, which was the first parish of the Corregimiento of Arica.
Pukará of Copaquilla
This National Monument dates back to the 12th Century, and at one of its ends there is a double wall for defensive purposes. The interior is composed of some 400 rooms with circular walls and stone floors. The site overlooks the whole Lluta valley, right up to the valley head.
Lluta Valley
This valley lies 10 km from Arica on the international road to Bolivia. It is a beautiful spot, and there was a settlement of pre-Hispanic peoples on the site, thanks to its favorable climate and location. The most interesting features are the church and the geoglyphs.
