The Province of Linares offers a wide variety of discoveries: protected nature, reservoirs and hot springs sit alongside museums, village history and regional traditions. When planning your trip, it’s worth choosing your focus first: would you like to explore landscapes and trails, spend time by the water or visit historic places? These interests can also guide your search for hotels in Linares.

Nature and trails in the Province of Linares

In the municipality of Colbún, the Los Bellotos del Melado National Reserve protects a natural population of the endemic Belloto del Sur (Beilschmiedia berteroana). The protected area is currently closed to the public. The Los Bellotos Trail is 4.5 kilometers long and takes about two hours to complete; it is of moderate difficulty. Check the access status before setting out.

Another protected natural area is the Cajón del Río Achibueno Nature Sanctuary in the Province of Linares, in the Maule Region. Its habitats include Belloto del Sur, Lleuque and Guindo Santo, as well as deciduous ecosystems characterized by Ñirre and Lenga. Trekking, recreational fishing and horseback riding are offered in the Ancoa River Valley, in the foothills of the Andes in the Province of Linares. Check local conditions before your visit.

Water, water sports and hot springs

Lake Colbún is an artificial reservoir in Colbún that is used for water sports in summer. For seasonal tourist activities, it’s worth checking current availability. Water sports, recreation and nature observation are the main activities at Laguna Amargo; it is also associated with excursions and horseback riding. Local conditions may vary.

Boat trips are offered at the Bullileo Reservoir, where recreational fishing is also possible. The Digua Reservoir offers opportunities for sport fishing, hiking and recreation. Use of the banks is restricted because water levels continue to fluctuate—a key distinction when planning activities by the water.

The Quinamávida Hot Springs combine a large park and native forest with springs, heated outdoor and indoor pools, and thermal, mud and steam baths. Check current facility availability before your trip. The Panimávida Hot Springs are a thermal spa in Panimávida, in the municipality of Colbún. The complex includes a park, statues and fountains.

Museums, village history and local traditions

The Linares Museum of Art and Handicrafts preserves five collections protected under Chilean heritage law, with more than 3,000 objects. They cover art, handicrafts, history and anthropology, archaeology, and numismatics. The museum also promotes the visual arts and local and regional handicrafts. In Villa Alegre, the Historical Museum and House of Culture presents the town’s tangible and intangible heritage in five rooms.

Villa Alegre is considered Chile’s national capital of chicha. This century-old local specialty is associated with the town’s vineyards; vineyards and orange trees shape the landscape, and the orange blossoms fill the town with their fragrance. The vineyards of San Javier belong to the Valle del Loncomilla wine region, a subregion of the Valle del Maule.

Yerbas Buenas is considered a rural colonial village with important architectural and historical heritage. At Plaza La Recova, colonial infrastructure meets rural customs and folklore. The Casa del Brigadier Pareja, now the Yerbas Buenas Historical Museum, is a protected historic monument: Spanish Brigadier Antonio Pareja stayed in the building on the night of April 26, 1813.

A look at the Maule Region

The wider Maule Region destination also includes the Talca-Constitución branch railway. The 88-kilometer railway line between Talca and Constitución is single-track and uses meter gauge. Each station preserves and shares old traditions with visitors. If you’d like to include the route in your travel plans, check current operating and visitor conditions in advance.

Discover more destinations: Linares, San Javier, Colbún, Parral, Talca Province, Curicó, Cauquenes.

Go to the regional travel overview: Maule Region.