Horcon

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'll find

• 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.

What to expect

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.

Key facts