Visiting Santiago: what are the best things to see and do in Chile’s capital?
Santiago has always had its measured charms: fine cuisine, perfectly landscaped gardens, a famous seafood market and a magnificent backdrop of the Andes. But in recent years, the Chilean capital has undergone a cultural metamorphosis. To celebrate Chile’s bicentenary in 2010, the city devoted millions of pesos to the construction of new cultural centers, well-designed museums and beautiful green parks. The upscale neighborhoods of Vitacura and El Golf blossomed with elegant new art galleries, celebrities began flocking to trendy bars, and the forgotten Barrio Brasil district regained its vibrancy thanks to art and funky youth hostels.
Santiago may not be as glamorous as Rio or as dynamic as Buenos Aires, but it’s no longer just a stopover on the way to Chilean Patagonia or the Atacama. Underrated but full of promise, Santiago is now a destination in its own right. With a Mediterranean climate and virtually no rain from October to May, it’s easy to enjoy everything the city has to offer all year round. If you’re planning a trip to Chile, consider devoting a few days to the capital. To help you explore the city, here are the top things to do in Santiago:
1. Cerro San Cristóbal
Flickr – Jorge Láscar
Start your stay with a glimpse of the city’s expanse. Dotted with hills, it’s possible to enjoy breathtaking views of Santiago, so head for the peaks and vantage points of the Parque Metropolitano, better known as Cerro San Cristóbal. At 722 hectares, the park is Santiago’s largest, but it remains resolutely urban: a funicular transports you between the various hills(cerro), and cars use the roads that cross the green space. The park lies to the north of the Bellavista and Providencia districts, from which it can be accessed ( Baquedano metro station).
Here you’ll find a 14 m-high statue of the Virgen de la Inmaculada Concepción. At its foot are benches where Pope John Paul II said mass in 1984.
Jardín Japonés – Flickr – Jack Zalium
On this hill you’ll also find the Jardín Botánico Mapulemu (a botanical garden), as well as a children’s park with wooden games and interactive fountains(Plaza de Juegos Infantiles Gabriela Mistral), and two huge public swimming pools to cool off on hot days: Piscina Tupahue and Piscina Antilén. 400 metres further east, the Jardín Japonés is small but beautifully landscaped.
As you can see, this hill can keep you busy for a good day if you like to walk and enjoy panoramic views. Another place with similar views is Cerro Santa Lucia, right in the center of Santiago.
2. Plaza de Armas, with its cathedral, museums and palaces
Flickr – Rafa Alves
Since the city was founded in 1541, the Plaza de Armas has been its symbolic heart. In colonial times, a gallows was the square’s centerpiece… Today, it’s a fountain celebrating the Libertador (liberator) Simón Bolívar, shaded by over a hundred Chilean palm trees. The parallel pedestrian streets Paseo Ahumada and Paseo Estado see Santiaguinos strolling through the square on weekends and sunny weekday afternoons.
The neoclassical Catedral Metropolitana, built between 1748 and 1800, dominates the Plaza. Bishops celebrating mass on the sumptuous main altar may feel uncomfortable: below them is a crypt where their predecessors are buried.
If you’re interested in religious art, you can go behind the cathedral to the Museo de Arte Sagrado, which boasts a courtyard and colonial architecture.
If you’re a history buff, don’t miss the Museo Histórico Nacional in Santiago’s Palacio de la Real Audiencia. This museum features furniture, weapons, paintings, objects and historical models tracing Chile’s colonial and republican history. After a quick look at pre-Columbian culture, the ground floor covers the country’s conquest and colony. The second floor covers Chile’s independence through the industrial revolution, right up to the 1973 military coup led by Augusto Pinochet, but goes no further. The last room in the museum is chilling: Salvador Allende’s broken glasses.
Also from the busy daytime square, don’t hesitate to enter and admire the interior architecture of the post office building(Correo Central).
3. The Palacio de la Moneda
Flickr – .:GIO::IAB:.
Just a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas, the Palacio de la Moneda houses Chile’s presidential offices. The richly decorated neoclassical building was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca in the late 18th century, and was originally the Hotel de Finances, its name meaning « the currency ». The north facade was severely damaged by aerial missile attacks during the 1973 military coup, in which President Salvador Allende, who refused to leave, was overthrown here. A monument to Allende now stands in the Plaza de la Constitución, opposite the palace.
You can book a free guided tour of La Moneda, but you need to plan it a week in advance on the government website. You can also visit the Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda, located beneath the square behind La Moneda, which has several cultural exhibitions. Admission is free if you get there before noon.
4. La Chascona
Wikimedia – Marcelo Ois Lagarde
One of the three museums of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, all housed in his former homes, is located in the middle of Bellavista, the bohemian district of Santiago, where he lived with his third wife Matilde Urrutia. Matilde gave her name to the house because it was nicknamed La Chascona, in reference to the abundant, tousled hair of his mistress, who later became his third wife. The museum is decorated with an incredible collection of objects from all over the world that belonged to the poet, including his Nobel Prize. Rooms in the house are designed to create the feeling that you’re on a boat, and you have beautiful views over the city.
Neruda’s other two houses are not too far from Santiago (one is in Valparaíso, the other is in Isla Negra, a town south of Valparaíso) and are all worth a visit if you have the time. To get to the latter, stop at the Baquedano metro station.
5. Mercado Central and its seafood products
Flickr – Jimmy Baikovicius
The heaps of fresh fish and shellfish gleaming on the stalls will thrill gourmets, fishermen and photographers alike at the Mercado Central, which is surrounded by the streets 21 de Mayo, San Pablo, Paseo Puente and Valdés Vergara. While fishmongers compete noisily for customers in one half of the market, touts for the many seafood restaurants make a similar racket in the other. For a slightly quieter, more authentic dining experience, opt instead for the seafood restaurants around the market that locals frequent at lunchtime.
For fruit and vegetables, don’t miss the La Vega market.
6. The Bellavista barrio
Flickr – Kyle Pearce
Bellavista is a district located in the center of the city and is one of the best for street art and nightlife in Santiago. In the evening, restaurants, bars and nightclubs offer you plenty of opportunities to go out late into the night.
During the day, this touristy district is brimming with craft stores (including art made from lapis lazuli stone) and souvenir shops. Visit Patio Bellavista, where restaurants and chic boutiques surround a courtyard.
7. Visit Santiago’s must-see museums
Wikimedia – Jorge Barrios
A city of culture, Santiago has many museums. Here are some of the best:
– Museum of Memory and Human Rights(Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos): Opened in 2010, this brand-new museum is not for the faint-hearted. Exhibits showcase the horrifying human rights violations and large-scale « disappearances » that took place under Chile’s military government between 1973 and 1990. Although this museum is harsh, it informs us about the 40,000 victims subjected to torture and execution, and helps us contextualize Chile’s tumultuous recent history.
– National Museum of Fine Arts(Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes): Part of the Palacio de Bellas Artes, this museum boasts an excellent permanent collection of Chilean art. The building itself is impressive, dating from 1910.
– Museum of Contemporary Art(Museo de Arte Contemporaneo): Temporary exhibitions featuring contemporary photography, design and sculpture are presented at this museum, housed in the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Paintings by 20th-century Chilean artists make up the bulk of the permanent collection.
– Museum of Science and Technology(Museo de Ciencia y Tecnologia): In the center of Parque Quinta Normal there’s an artificial lagoon where you can rent a rowboat. Beyond the lagoon, the museum has interactive exhibits on astronomy, geology and other aspects of science and technology. In the same park, you can also visit the Museo Infantil and the Parque Museo Ferroviario.
Also worth seeing are the museums mentioned earlier in the article, as well as the Museo de la Moda and the Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende.
8. City parks
Flickr – Carlos Reusser Monsalvez
For fresh air, walks, picnics and outdoor exhibitions, take the time to explore at least the following parks: Parque Las Esculturas, Parque Forestal, Parque O’Higgins, Parque Quinta Normal and Parque por la Paz.
9. Other ideas for visits to Santiago
- Cementerio General de Santiago, where the graves of Bernardo O’Higgins and Augusto Pinochet are located
- The trendy, bohemian atmosphere of Barrio Lastarria
- Plaza Ñuñoa comes alive at night
- Eat homemade ice cream in one of the heladerias
- Visit Villa Grimaldi to learn more about the Chilean military coup and dictatorship
- Watch a Fútbol match
- Rent a bike
- Barrio Italia
- Barrio Yungay
10. What to do around Santiago?
- From late June to September/October, it’s possible to ski less than 1h30 from Santiago. Head for the resorts of Valle Nevado, El Colorado or La Parva. If you want to ski for 1 week, go to Portillo. If you’re a beginner, Lagunillas is the closest resort to the capital, located in Cajon de Maipo.
- Visit Valparaíso
- Discover the vineyards around Santiago, such as the Colchagua and Casablanca valleys.
- The villages of Pomaire and Viña Undurraga (avoid Mondays, as artisans don’t work on Mondays)
- Enjoy nature activities in the surrounding mountains, such as rafting in Cajon de Maipo.
Santiago: How to get there? Where to sleep?
A few airlines stand out when it comes to flying to Chile and Santiago. Air France, LAN, Iberia and TAM often offer the cheapest flights. Of course, this may change depending on the period of your stay. To check, use the Skyscanner flight comparator.
Santiago is a sprawling city, so try to choose a centrally-located hotel for greater convenience. Look in the Providencia or Bellavista districts, for example. To find a cheap hotel in Santiago, perform a search on this hotel comparator. An interactive map allows you to search for your hotel according to its geographical location.
Have you visited Santiago in Chile?
Map of hotels and accommodation – Santiago,cl