Overview:

Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet and Nobel Prize winner renowned as one of the best poets of the 20th century. His house in Santiago is now a museum dedicated to his life and works. Valparaíso is the port city near Santiago that was Neruda's home later in life. His house there has been turned into the Pablo Neruda Cultural Center and his office is a library dedicated to his works. Isla Negra is another of Neruda's homes located on the Pacific Ocean coast. In 1972, it was turned into a foundation honoring the poet's life and works. It is now a tourist attraction and favorite destination for visiting Neruda fans. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Chile
Prominent Features:

• Santiago House: Located on a quiet street in the upscale suburb of the city, this house has a classical Chilean white and yellow exterior with a rooftop terrace and a large garden with hundred-year-old trees. • Valparaiso House: Located in Cerro Concepcion, this is a large house from the 19th century decorated with elaborate floors and patios. It features a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean and the city skyline. • Isla Negra House: On the Costa Serena, this house is the most famous of Neruda's homes. Built with wood and shaped like a boat, here you can find a square dedicated to his memory with colorful mail boxes. It also showcases a large collection of objects Neruda collected during his travels around the world. This national monument of Chile portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

Pablo Neruda, one of Chile’s most beloved and celebrated poets, has three main homes in the country: Santiago, Valparaiso, and Isla Negra. Neruda's first home in Santiago was a simple flat located in the city’s Bellavista neighborhood. He purchased it in 1945, and it was the place where he famously composed his iconic book “Canto General” in 1950. In 1953, Neruda moved to Valparaiso, a city on the Pacific Ocean’s coast just southwest of Santiago. He purchased a large two-story house, which was affectionately called “La Chascona,” meaning “the tousled-haired one,” after the poet’s wild locks. It was in this home that Neruda declared his anti-establishment stance during the turbulent times of Chile’s Allende administration (1970-1973). In 1961, Neruda purchased a stunning, romantic beach house on the coast in Isla Negra. It’s one of his most famous homes. It was the last place he and his wife, Matilde Urrutia, lived together before his death in 1973. There, Neruda composed some of his most celebrated works, including “The Captain’s Verses” and “Isla Negra”. Today, the homes in Santiago, Valparaiso, and Isla Negra are some of the most important tourist attractions in Chile. They house some of Neruda’s many artifacts and serve as living memorials to the poet’s inspiring life and work. You must visit one of these historical places in Chile on your Chile tour

Interesting facts:

1. Pablo Neruda’s home in Santiago de Chile, called La Chascona, was a secret refuge for Neruda and his lover Matilde Urrutia at the time when having a secret relationship was considered immoral. 2. The home in Valparaíso, La Sebastiana, gave Neruda his first inspiration to start his Nobel Prize winning poetry. 3. Isla Negra, Neruda’s home on the Pacific coast of Chile, is where he wrote the majority of his works and is known for its unique collection of items the poet collected which reflect his passions including ship replicas, shells, railway ties, and books. 4. The poet’s generosity was well known among locals as Neruda and Matilde often hosted parties and events at all of their homes and once even sent a box of food to the workers constructing the nearby glass factory! 5. Each of Neruda's homes are now open to the public - La Chascona was declared a museum and historical site in 1993, La Sebastiana in 2005, and Isla Negra in 2011. All homes are filled with Neruda’s own personal belongings and all reflect his unique style of living. Visit one of the famous monuments of Chile with your friends and family.