Talca
Talca is in Central Chile. It is the capital of Talca Province and of Maule Region.
Understand
Talca personifies the Chilean characteristics of being isolated, insular and very local. Most travellers from Santiago to the south pass right through and have no experience of Talca, a busy medium-sized city with cars, taxis, buses, bicycles and horse-drawn carts in the streets.
- 🌍 CONAF, Calle Tres Sur 654, ☎ +56 71230038, e-mail: consulta.oirs@conaf.cl. Provides all the information on nearby national parks and hiking opportunities.
Get in
By car
Talca is accessible by the main highway of Chile, the Ruta 5, a modern and well-maintained toll road with a 120 km/h speed limit which is part of the Panamerican Highway system. Getting in to the city from the highway involves many unmarked turns that leave you feeling that the city is not interested in visitors.
Regional paved roads lead eastward from Talca to the Pacific Ocean. To the west, the San Clemente road is paved to within 80 km of the Argentine border at the rugged Paso Pehuenche which is open for about 2 months of the year, otherwise closed and impassible because of snow.
By bus
Bus service to and from Talca is frequent and goes in all four directions.
- Venta Pasajes. Buses from Santiago's Borja station every 3 hours. The trip takes 3 hr 5 min. CLP$5800-8200.
- Tepual. Buses from Santiago's Borja station twice daily, 3 hr 20 min. CLP$8200.
By train
There is train service north and south with a special and rustic train that makes the trip to the coast.
- Tren Central. 3 hr 6 min, twice daily. CLP$8200 coach, CLP$21,700 preferential class.
Get around
By colectivo
Small black cars that run routes through the city, their cost are CLP$450-600 for a ride. They are quicker and more comfortable.
There are 36 lines of colectivos:
- 1,2,3,13,14,19,20,23,24,25,34,2A: Southwest - downtown - Northwest
- 18,22,15,16,28,30,31: Southwest - downtown - Northeast
- 4,6,9,10,21,27,27A,29,32,33: Northwest - downtown - Northeast (or Northwest)
- 15,16: Southwest - downtown - Northeast
- 15A: Colín, Maule - downtown - Northeast
- 5,7,8,12: Southeast - downtown - Northeast
By bus
Buses (called micros) go to all parts of town for CLP$400, CLP$130 students.
There are 12 lines of micros:
- 1,2,4,6 Ex-Matadero, Sotratal S.A.
- 3,3B,5,7 Abate Molina
- A,B,C,D Taxutal
Ramal
A special and rustic train that makes the trip to the coast at Constitución.
Talca
- Colin - Pichamán: CLP$1200
- Forel - Maquehua: CLP$1800
- Contitución: CLP$2100
Constitución
- Maquehua - Curtiduría: CLP$1200
- Corinto - Colín: CLP$1800
- Talca: CLP$2100
See
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Talca has many historical buildings:
- Intendencia Regional (Regional Intendance), 1 Oriente w/ 1 Norte (In front of Central Square Park (Plaza de Armas)). Built in the last years of 19th century, declared a National Monument in 2001. In 2010, after the Great Earthquake, was seriously damaged and remains closed. Here, until 2010, was settled the Regional Intendance (regional government) and the Regional Council (regional assembly).
- Edificio de los Servicios Públicos (Public Services Building), 1 Oriente 1150 (In front of Central Square Park, Plaza de Armas). Built in the 1930s, next to Regional Intendance, was seat of the Apellation Court. Now, in this place resides the Internal Taxes Service (SII), the Tourism Office, the General Treasury of the Republic, the Post Office, and many other public offices. Declared a National Monument in 2008.
- Museo O' Higginiano y de Bellas Artes de Talca (O'Higgins' and Arts Museum), 1 Norte w/ 2 Oriente. In this house Bernardo O'Higgins signed the Independence Act in 1818. Declared National Monument in 1971.
- Museo de Huilquilemu (Huilquilemu Museum). Colonial-style house located in the road to San Clemente, 10 km (16 mi) away. It haves a prolific collection of fine and popular art, archeological treasures and other exhibitions. Was declared National Monument in 1986 and belongs to the Catholic University of Maule.
- Mercado Central (Central Market), Square: 1 Sur - 5 Oriente - 1 Norte - 4 Oriente. Inaugurated in 1890, declared National Monument in 1998, was until 2010 the principal market of typical and popular products. With the Great Earthquake, remains closed due to several damages, except in a narrow part.
- Escuelas Concentradas (Conjoined Schools), Square: 1 Sur between 3 and 4 Oriente. Declared National Monument in 2013 in order to avoid the demolition after 2010 Earthquake. In front of Cienfuegos Park. In this building were the Primary Schools for Boys (Carlos Salinas school) and Girls (José Balmaceda school).
Another important buldings are:
- Cathedral Church (1 Norte w/ 1 Poniente C. Silva Henríquez)
- Abate Molina Lyceum (4 Norte btwn. 5 and 6 Oriente)
- Railway Station (11 Oriente S. Allende, in front of La Loba square and 2 Sur Ms. Larraín)
- Regional Center of Provision (4 Norte w/ 11 Oriente)
- Public Prosecutor building, former Talca Bank (1 Sur w/ 1 Oriente)
- In general, the Central Square Park and 1 Sur street concentrates many old buildings of great value.
Do
- 🌍 Descabezado Grande (3953 m). To the east of Talca the Region del Maule offers vast hiking opportunities exist with Volcano Descabezado being one of the more popular destinations. Also, Parque Nacional Radal Siete Tazas, Altos de Lircay National Reserve, Lengua de Vulcano, Laguna La Invernada, Cerro Azul and Cerro Calabozos can be found here. Check out the CONAF website and the local office in Talca center for more information.
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