Cruz del Tercer Milenio

Built for the year 2000, the Cruz del Tercer Milenio stands 93 metres tall on Cerro El Vigía, the hill behind Coquimbo, and its arms span 40 metres. It is one of the largest crosses in the Americas and can be seen from all over the bay. A lift takes visitors up to a viewing deck inside the arms, some 60 metres above the ground and around 200 metres above the sea, for a 360-degree view over Coquimbo, La Serena and the Andes foothills. At the base are a chapel with gifts from Pope John Paul II, a small museum and a plaza with a bronze copy of Michelangelo's Pietà. Morning cloud often hides the view until late morning, so it's worth doing after the lower town if the sky is grey. Take a taxi or Uber up; the road is steep.