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Meridiela.

Horcon

A fishing cove that became an artists' and hippie colony in the 1960s and never quite left it behind.

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WhereValparaiso Region
Nearest cityConcon about 20 km; Vina del Mar about 35 km
Best seasonDecember to March
Time to allowHalf a day
Getting thereCoast road north of Concon; parking above the cove
EntryFree

Horcon is a small cove on the coast north of Concon where the fishing boats are pulled up on the sand and the catch is sold at the top of the beach. From the 1960s it attracted artists, writers and a counterculture population from Santiago and Valparaiso, and the village kept that character - craft stalls, painted houses on the slope, cheap fish restaurants - long after similar places on this coast were built over with apartment blocks. Playa Luna nearby is one of the few nudist beaches in Chile. The industrial complex at Ventanas is a few kilometres south, and its emissions have been a long-running public health issue for this stretch of coast.

What you actually see

  • Boats pulled up on the sand - the fishing cove still working.
  • An artists' colony from the 1960s - which shaped the village.
  • Craft stalls and painted houses - on the slope above the beach.
  • Ventanas nearby - the industrial complex and its air quality problem.

When to go

December to March. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The Ventanas industrial zone is close and there have been repeated pollution episodes affecting this coast. The village is crowded in summer and parking is difficult. The water is cold and the currents at the open beaches are strong.

Nearby

Maitencillo is north; Concon and Vina del Mar are south.

What to pack for Horcon

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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