JOSÉ IGNACIO

WHERE ST. TROPEZ MEETS COACHELLA

José Ignacio is one of those places that is difficult to explain to someone who has never been here. During the height of the temporada, I liken it to St. Tropez meeting Coachella — an extraordinary international crowd of wealth, fashion and glamour, all melded with a bohemian spirit of bare feet, crochet tops and DJ sets.

For a remarkably short period each summer, this tiny fishing village becomes one of the most sought-after destinations on the South American coast. The same tiny streets suddenly fill with an international summer crowd, reservations become precious and José Ignacio becomes one of the social centers of the temporada. Then the season passes and the village gradually returns to its wonderfully quiet rhythm.

THE CASCO

At its heart is the casco, the original village surrounding the lighthouse. The casco is geographically defined by the small peninsula on which it sits, jutting out into the Atlantic with the lighthouse at its rocky tip and the sea on either side. This natural boundary gives the village an unusually intimate feel. With very little land and virtually nowhere to expand, property in the casco is exceptionally scarce and commands the highest prices in José Ignacio.

BEYOND THE VILLAGE

José Ignacio, however, isn't only the casco.

Just west of the village, La Juanita has developed a personality of its own. It is younger, more informal and more residential, with beach houses, cafés and restaurants and a strong connection to the ocean. It offers the José Ignacio lifestyle while feeling distinctly more relaxed than the village itself.

On the other side, Arenas de José Ignacio offers another version of coastal living, surrounded by dunes, open landscapes and the Atlantic. Here the feeling is quieter and more residential, while remaining within easy reach of the casco.

And then there are the chacras.

Follow Camino Sainz Martínez away from the coast and the landscape changes almost immediately. Beach houses give way to hectares of countryside, horses, fields and extraordinary open views. This is one of my favorite aspects of José Ignacio: you can have the privacy and space of a country estate and still be only minutes from the beach and village.

DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIVING

Perhaps that's what makes José Ignacio so interesting from a real-estate perspective. Within a surprisingly small area, there are completely different ways to live.

You can choose the casco, where everything is within walking distance and property is at its most scarce. You can live by the beach in La Juanita or Arenas, or retreat into the chacras around Camino Sainz Martínez, surrounded by countryside but still connected to the village.