The historic centre of La Serena is compact and easily walked — the Plaza de Armas to the Mercado de la Recova is two blocks, and the colonial churches are all within ten minutes' walk of each other. Buses (micros) and colectivos (shared taxis on fixed routes) cover the longer distances out to Avenida del Mar, the Japanese garden, or the bus terminal. Taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced.
To reach the Elqui Valley independently, regular buses run from the terminal up to Vicuña (1 hour) and Pisco Elqui (2 hours). Otherwise, organised day tours can be booked from any hotel.