Wine and gold and fruit and copper; these are the things that make up the soul of the city of Coquimbo. The junior partner of the Greater La Serena Metropolitan Area, Coquimbo has a unique history and tradition of defiance and freedom.

Originally a native fishing settlement, the region has been inhabited for generation upon generation, and it was only in 1550 that Pedro de Valdivia seized the region for the Spanish crown. Even then, however, the independent spirit of the people of Coquimbo could not be so easily put down-- the natural harbor benefits not just royal treasure fleets, but armadas of pirates and privateers. Between the natural coves, the bottomless gold mines, and the cultural inclination towards "laissez-faire" leadership, Coquimbo was a true den of men-of-marque; even in the modern age, the Coquimbo Unido football club is nicknamed "Los Piratas."

The city is by no means a cultural or economic center of Chile, but the people are fierce and happy and free, and the beaches are white and sandy.