Copa America 2015: Is this football's most scenic tournament?
Football

Copa America 2015: Is this football's most scenic tournament?

By Matias Grez

Updated 1022 GMT (1822 HKT) June 26, 2015
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Chile's capital has two stadiums hosting matches during Copa America 2015. The Andes mountain range provides a stunning backdrop to Santiago, which regularly has problems with lingering smog. MACARENA MINGUELL/AFP/Getty Images
The Estadio Nacional, which has a capacity of 47,000, hosted all of Chile's group stage matches and is also the final venue. The other stadium in Santiago is El Monumental, home of Chile's most successful football team, Colo-Colo. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Image
The capital also boasts the Gran Torre, the tallest building in South America. The tower, which contains a shopping mall and hotel, has an estimated 250,000 visitors every day. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
The city of Valparaiso is one of the most important South American ports on the Pacific Ocean. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003. Claudio Reyes/AFP/Getty Images
The city holds the Estadio Elias Figueroa, named after arguably the greatest Chilean player of all time. It is the home of first division side Santiago Wanderers. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
This haunting photo shows part of the damage caused by a bushfire in 2014 that killed 16 people and destroyed nearly 3,000 homes in Valparaiso. ALBERTO MIRANDA/AFP/Getty Images
Chile is over 2,600 miles long and boasts one of the most varied landscapes of any country in the world. In the north lies the Atacama desert, the driest in the world, and the south has fjords, glaciers and snow-capped mountains. GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images
La Cuarta Region (the Fourth Region) has some of the clearest skies in the world and boasts no less than six observatories. At the right time of year, galaxies can be seen in the sky without a telescope. Because of this, Chile has become a world-leading country in the field of astronomy. La Serena's Copa venue is the renovated, 17,194-capacity Estadio La Portada. CLAUDIO SANTANA/AFP/Getty Images
Concepcion is situated 310 miles south of Santiago and is the largest industrialized region in the country. In February 2010, Concepcion suffered a devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake that killed 521 people and injured thousands more across the country. It is home to the Estadio Municipal Alcaldesa Ester Roa Rebolledo, which has a capacity of just over 30,000. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Geologists measured that the earthquake displaced the city by three meters, but fortunately it avoided the subsequent tsunami. This image shows Caleta Tumbes cove -- the sea is extremely important to Chile's economy and provides the livelihood of thousands of fishermen. ARIEL MARINKOVIC/AFP/GettyImages
Estadio El Teniente is the home of 2014 first division champion O'Higgins -- named after Bernardo O'Higgins, who helped free Chile from Spanish rule during the Chilean War of Independence, and has a capacity of 14,087. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Image
The safari park in Rancagua is a popular attraction and offers visitors a unique and extremely closeup experience with the wildlife. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
This probably wouldn't pass health and safety regulations in Europe and the U.S. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
The city of Antofagasta lies 685 miles north of Santiago, situated in the wealthiest area of Chile. It generates the majority of its money through mining and is developing rapidly. On one side of the city's stadium -- Estadio Regional de Antofagasta -- lies the sea... MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
... and on the other the arid Atacama Desert, the driest in the world. It is an unusual combination that allows for an almost year-long summer on beautiful, sandy beaches. MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images
Chile's "Garden City" is a beautiful resort location with a Mediterranean climate. The manicured beach fronts are a popular holiday getaway for wealthy Santiago residents, and the nightlife here is arguably the best in the country. Vina del Mar's Estadio Sausalito has a capacity of 22,340. Built in 1929, it was completely renovated for the 2015 Copa. Photo by Panagra/Archive Photos/Getty Images
The Villarrica volcano lies less than 50 miles south of the city of Temuco. It erupted in March 2015, causing thousands to evacuate their homes. Temuco provides easy access to the coast and Andean valleys, making it a hub of agriculture, forestry and livestock. It is home to second division team Deportes Temuco, which plays at the 19,000-capacity Estadio Municipal Germán Becker.