Rarely does a town's name describe its ambiance more perfectly than La Serena, Chile. La Serena ("The Serene") is a town where everything feels slowed down. You have two choices upon arrival. You can spend the entire day on the beach and be perfectly content. Or, you can choose to sightsee and learn about a city whose history dates back centuries. Juan Bohon founded the city in the mid-16th Century. Soon after, silver was discovered in the area, fueling an economic boom that attracted people from all over South America. Today, the city is home to about 130,000 people. It lies right along the Pacific Coast, about three hundred miles north of Santiago, Chile's capital.

Plaza del Armas stands as the city's center, both literally and figuratively. Surrounding the plaza are old churches, small shops, and municipal buildings. La Serena is a city in touch with its past, as the archaeological museum and religious art museum highlight. It's also a town that takes advantage of its proximity to the sea, with a row of gorgeous white sand beaches butting up against one another.

Your ship will actually dock in the adjacent town of Coquimbo, but outside of some gorgeous beaches, the town pales in comparison to its neighbor. Get ready to enjoy the natural beauty and serenity of La Serena.