Globular
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Concepción: Venue & Activities
Conference Venue
The Conference venue is the Lecture Hall (Auditorio) of the Universidad
de Concepción. It is located in the Facultad de Humanidades y
Arte (number 4 in the University
map). The quickest way from Hotel Araucano, for example, is to walk
along O'Higgins and then Diagonal Pedro Aguirre Cerda to Plaza Peru
(compare map of
Concepción). It takes approximately 20 minutes. Another
possibility is to take one of the many "colectivos" (fixed-route taxis) going along Rengo
and Chacabuco to the University main entrance (number 3 in the University map).
See also map showing restaurants, internet cafes,
and cash machines.
Concepción and surroundings
Concepción is located about 500 km south of Santiago on the
Pacific coast and is the
second largest urban area in Chile. Its climate is
strongly influenced by the cold Humboldt current which results in
very pleasant summers and humid winters. The weather during
early March is typically sunny and moderately warm (exceptions
cannot be excluded). Although not a really touristic place,
Concepción and its environment offer charming and scenic sites
to
visit. The city is not plagued by traffic problems nor air pollution,
and
the city center and most hotels and restaurants are within walking
distance from the
landscaped University campus.
If you love seafood, you are in the right place.
For more information about Concepción (en español),
see here.
Chile is a country which
attracts tourists mainly for its natural beauty.
If you come to the conference, plan a few additional days for a hike in
the
Andes or for enjoying natural hot springs (2 hours drive). You can also
visit the lovely volcanoes-and-lakes region (5 hours) with araucaria
forests, and admire the unforgettable views of the Llaima and Villarica
volcanoes.
The recently formed astronomy group of
the Universidad de Concepción
is now the third-largest in Chile, with
more information to be found
here.
We suggest the following hotels
and restaurants during your stay in
Concepción. Please contact us if you'd like help with your hotel
reservations.
The weather in early March is normally pleasant, with rainfall rare.
Typical high temperatures are 20°C (68°F), and lows 11°C (51°F),
with 75% humidity and mostly sunny days.
Santiago can be very hot, and the far south can be cold and wet,
so come prepared if you plan to visit those regions.
For the latest forecasts, see here
or here.
Recreational/Tourist Activities
On the Wednesday afternoon during the conference, there will be an
recreational activity organised for all attendees who are interested.
This will be a visit to the Park & Museum
"Pedro del Río Zañartu" and
the "desembocadura" (where the Bío Bío River meets the Pacific Ocean),
with a full traditional Chilean "asado" (barbeque) accompanied by
local folk music and dancing.
We expect there to be extra options for horseback riding,
and hiking in a native forest (with possible sightings of thousand-year-old
trees, exotic flowers, tarzan vines, and tarantulas).
If you would like to engage in more activities or sightseeing, you may consider
private tourism agencies which can organise activities for small groups,
and which tend to be very cheap in Chile.
For more information, you can visit the office of
Sernatur
(Chile's national tourism agency) at Anibal Pinto 460, right across from the main plaza.
Below are some examples of activities that can be done from Concepción as a day-trip
(can be arranged with
Turismo Esquerré
- see their brochure) :
- White-water rafting on the upper Bío Bío River, with glimpses of volcanoes and communities of Pehuenches (indigenous people).
- Visit to "Salto del Laja" (a miniature Niagara Falls), and the Museum of Mapuche (indigenous people) in Los Angeles.
- Hovercraft trip along the Bío Bío River followed by "canopying" (sliding along cables through forest-tops and over lakes).
- Visit the awesome ancient araucaria forest of Nahuelbuta National Reserve,
with a view from Eagle's Rock from the ocean to the cordillera.
- "Wine trail" in the Maule valley, including tastings at vineyards and a visit to the colonial Huilquilemu Museum.
- Visit to the sea-side village of Lota and environs, including "Devil's Draught" coal mine stretching 850m under the ocean, a historical museum, a hydroelectic plant designed by Thomas Edison, and a landscaped shore-cliff park.
- Tours of local museums of Concepción and Talcahuano, including the
Huáscar,
a 19th-century ironclad warship.
- Prop flight to the island Isla Mocha, with jeep tour of the national reserve, and fly-fishing, wreck-diving, and hiking as options.
- Visit the remote beaches of Cobquecura with their sea lion colony,
and the craft markets of Chillán and Quinchamalí.
On more distant trips in the south of Chile, many more spectacular sights can be reached.
These include forests, lakes, hot springs, active volcanoes, glaciers, and penguin colonies.
There are myriad private cabañas (cabins) that can be rented
fairly cheaply: from basic to luxurious;
this is one of the most pleasant ways to enjoy the southern outdoors.
See here for one site with information
about "rural travels".
