Santiago sits in a broad valley, with the snow-capped Andes on one side and the lower coastal range on the other. On a clear day, the mountains seem to hang over every street. It is a modern, orderly capital, often treated as a stopover on the way to Patagonia or the Atacama, but it rewards two or three days with good food, thoughtful museums and a wine country within easy reach.
ChapterThe historic center
The Plaza de Armas is the heart of the old city, with the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National History Museum and shaded benches. The Palacio de La Moneda, the presidential palace, has a changing of the guard, and a cultural center underneath. The Mercado Central, a Victorian iron hall, is known for its seafood restaurants, which are touristy but atmospheric. For a more local experience, La Vega Central, nearby, is a vast, lively produce market.
Food & drink · Mercado Central, Santiago
ChapterHills with views
The Cerro Santa Lucía, a small, landscaped hill in the center, is a pleasant, free climb for a city view. Cerro San Cristóbal, in the Bellavista area, is larger, with a funicular, a cable car and a statue of the Virgin Mary at the top. On clear days, the view of the city and the Andes is spectacular. The Sky Costanera, an observation deck on top of the tallest building in South America, offers a modern alternative.
Outdoors · Cerro San Cristóbal, Santiago
ChapterNeighborhoods
Lastarria is a small, walkable quarter of cafés, bookshops, small theaters and the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center. Bellavista has La Chascona, one of the poet Pablo Neruda's houses, and lively nightlife along its streets. Barrio Italia is a design neighborhood of antique shops and workshops, and Providencia is a leafy, modern district.
ChapterMuseums worth the time
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights, which documents the abuses of the Pinochet dictatorship, is moving and important for understanding recent Chilean history. The Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, in the historic center, has a beautifully displayed collection of artifacts from across Latin America.
Arts & culture · Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Santiago
ChapterWhat to eat and drink
Chilean food is hearty and seafood-rich. Empanadas de pino, baked pastries filled with beef, onion, olive and egg, are a classic snack. Pastel de choclo, a baked corn and meat casserole, and cazuela, a stew with meat and vegetables, are comfort dishes. A completo, a hot dog piled high with toppings, is a street-food favorite. Sopaipillas, fried pumpkin dough, and mote con huesillo, a sweet peach and wheat drink, are summer treats.
The pisco sour, made with the local grape brandy, is the national cocktail. Chile is one of the major wine producers of the world, and Carménère, a red grape once thought extinct elsewhere, is its signature variety.
ChapterWine and mountains
The Maipo Valley, close to the city, is known for Cabernet Sauvignon, and several wineries offer tours and tastings. The Casablanca Valley, toward the coast, is cooler and known for white wines. Plan transport so that no one drives after tasting.
The Cajón del Maipo, a canyon in the Andes about an hour away, has hiking, hot springs and mountain scenery. From roughly June to September, ski resorts such as Valle Nevado and Farellones are within a couple of hours of the city.
ChapterThe coast
Valparaíso and Viña del Mar are about ninety minutes away. Valparaíso is a colorful, steep port city of murals, funiculars and a bohemian feel. Neruda's house, La Sebastiana, is there. Viña del Mar is a more polished seaside resort.
ChapterPractical notes
The metro is efficient and the best way around. Pickpockets operate in crowds and near tourist spots, so keep belongings close. Winter can bring smog, and summer is hot and dry. Remember that the seasons are reversed.
ChapterWhen to go
Spring, from September to November, and autumn, from March to May, are the most pleasant. Summer, from December to February, is hot and dry, with many Santiaguinos leaving for the coast. In mid-September, the Fiestas Patrias fill the city with parties, barbecues and traditional dances.
Check current details: Chile Travel.
