Every February 2, in San Pedro de Atacama we celebrate the ‘Candlemas Festival’. The origin of this festival dates back to 1778, the year in which the muleteer Mariano Caro Inca found the image of the Virgin of Candelaria in the mountain range, near the Maricunga salt flat. This discovery attracted the attention of the pilgrims, who with the help of the parish priest built a sanctuary in the year 1800. Over the years, the Festival of La Candelaria, patron saint of miners, has become a popular and religious reference for the Atacama region, where different activities and typical dances stand out. 
The festival lasts around 3 days, where several groups from the region dance the osada, the diablada, the morenada, the tinku and the tobas.
Each dance dazzles with its costumes, stories, staging and music, which excite the entire Atacama community, and the tourists who travel to absorb each cultural and symbolic experience that this destination offers. After going around the town several times, they end at the Church of San Pedro, just 10 meters from our hotel. It was an honor to see them pass by from our home in Terrantai and we thank them for keeping Atacama traditions alive.
San Pedro de Atacama is a privileged place for observing stars and constellations, thanks to its clear skies for much of the year. This allows the Atacama Desert to become one of the most iconic places for astrotourism, “stargazing” or astronomical tourism, by providing the ideal elements for nighttime observation.
Three kilometers north of San Pedro de Atacama (Chile), there is the pucara of Quitor, an archaeological monument of the area. What is considered a monument today was built in the 11th century AD
San Pedro de Atacama, a picturesque corner in the heart of the driest desert in the world, is much more than just a small town. This beautiful oasis is located north of the Salar de Atacama, under the majestic shadow of the Licancabur volcano, part of the imposing Andes Mountain range,
San Pedro de Atacama is considered an oasis within the driest desert in the world: the Atacama Desert in Chile. Its territory is believed to have been inhabited by hunter-gatherers since 9,000 BC and its first settlements around 1,200 BC (L. Nuñez, Vida y cultura en el oasis de San Pedro de Atacama, 1991).
August in San Pedro de Atacama welcomes one of the most significant Andean belief ceremonies: the offerings to the Patta Hoyri.
San Pedro de Atacama is famous for having one of the clearest and darkest skies on the planet. Thanks to its isolated location and low light pollution in the region, conditions are ideal for astronomical observation. That is why it has attracted the attention of astronomers and amateurs from all over the world, who come here hoping to be fascinated by the wonders of the universe.
