Chile is renowned for its religious festivals

Chile is a very religious country and the vast majority of the population are staunch Roman Catholics.

Beautiful churches and chapels are everywhere you look and they really add to the character of the nation.

Chances are that your luxury holiday in Chile will coincide with a religious festival of some variety and being in the middle of one of these ceremonies can be an unforgettable experience.

The Fiesta de Cuasimodo is celebrated every May and is one of many old rituals that have stood the test of time. People dressed as knights form a huge procession through the country's towns and cities and it is a very colourful affair.

As well as this, there is the Feast Day of the Virgen del Carmen in July, which sees Chileans flock to the Maipu National Sanctuary around 20km outside Santiago.

Here they honour and worship the patron saint and protectress of the nation, as well as the armed forces, before celebrating with traditional dances.