Things to do in Santiago Chile

The capital and largest city of Chile, Santiago de Chile is a city that introduces you to Chilean tradition, colour and charm. A city full of history, with a busy cultural agenda, skyscrapers, bohemian neighbourhoods and hills from which to admire its grandeur. Discover all the things to do in Santiago de Chile and get to know the most iconic places that represent the essence of the Chilean capital.

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Things to do in Santiago, Chile

Historic Centre

Much of Chile’s history has been written around the Plaza de Armas. Lose yourself in its streets and find old buildings, such as the Santiago City Hall, the Cathedral Church, the National Historical Museum and the Courts of Justice. Alternatively, just sit and watch the hectic city life unfold on the classic Paseo Ahumada.

The centre of the capital has a wide range of food on offer. Elegant restaurants welcome diners passing through the streets, but if you want to recharge, don’t miss the famous “picadas”.

San Cristóbal Hill

Discover and explore the San Cristóbal hill, the green lung of the capital and part of the Metropolitan Park. Put on your best sportswear and walk, jog or cycle to the top of San Cristóbal. At the summit you can refresh yourself with a delicious mote con huesillo (a traditional Chilean drink).

See the city with a spectacular panoramic view from the top and make sure to bring your camera. Visit the Metropolitan Zoo, located at the foot of the hill, where you can find various species of animals from all over the world and also native to Chile.

Lastarria and Bellas Artes neighbourhoods

Along with the wide variety of food outlets, the theatres, cultural centres, cinemas, bookshops, art galleries, design and antique shops, make this neighbourhood an oasis of culture. Walk around this gastronomic nucleus and enjoy the intense nightlife in its streets and multiple venues. Be sure to visit the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre (GAM), the Forestal Park and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Bellavista Neighbourhood

Relax and chat with friends over a tasty drink in the Bellavista neighbourhood. Known for its bohemian reputation, it’s the ideal place to take a break and “tirar la talla” (joke around). An endless list of restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs await you every night, because Bellavista never sleeps!

During the day, you can visit the house-museum La Chascona, which belonged to the poet Pablo Neruda, and visit several theatres of great national importance, such as the San Ginés, the Centro Mori and the Bellavista theatre, among many others.

Central Market of Santiago de Chile

The Central Market of Santiago is a favourite among locals and tourists to taste typical Chilean food, especially fish and seafood. It opened in 1872 to replace the old Mercado de Abastos.

The structure, with wrought iron floral motifs, was designed by Edward Woods and Charles Henry Driver. This is the ideal place to try the most typical flavours of Chilean cuisine with traditional dishes such as pastel de choclo (corn pie) or empanadas, but above all fish and seafood dishes.

Providencia

With its great commercial opportunities, rich and varied restaurants, as well as entertaining nightlife, Providencia welcomes you to the centre of Santiago’s celebrations. Visit Las Esculturas and Balmaceda Park. Enjoy the bookshops, cafés and small boutiques in Barrio Italia and the intense nightlife of Bellavista.

Put on your trainers and challenge your stamina as you climb to the top of San Cristobal Hill and tour Santiago’s Metropolitan Park on foot or by bike.

Italia Neighbourhood

Enjoy a delicious coffee, admire interesting works of art in a gallery or buy yourself a good book. This is the Barrio Italia, a labyrinth of shops and showcases that invite you to wander through its streets and boutiques in search of avant-garde objects or curious collector’s items.

Lose yourself among antique shops, Chilean restaurants and food from all over the world. Enjoy live music, clothing, lighting and decoration shops and also bars.

Sanhattan: Las Condes and Vitacura

Get to know the largest skyscrapers in South America, which are proof of the great growth that the capital has experienced in recent decades. Enjoy the view of Santiago from 300 metres above sea level at the Sky Costanera. This is the highest viewpoint in Latin America and offers a 360° panoramic view of the capital.

Bicentennial Park

The Parque Bicentenario is a green lung on the edge of the capital’s financial district, also known as Sanhattan. Discover this modern and well-kept park and enjoy walking through its extensive grassy esplanades. There is a nature-focused tour; 1,300 of its 4,000 trees are native species, in an effort to maintain the environmental balance. 

La Chascona

Pablo Neruda’s famous house La Chascona is at the foot of Cerro San Cristobal and goes unnoticed by many tourists. However if you are interested in poetry, the arts, or even architecture, this visit is recommended. We like the house of the Chilean icon and include it in the tour because it conveys the spirit of its inhabitant, allowing us to learn more about the poet’s life. It is full of objects used by the artist and has unique decor and architecture.

Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

Things to do in Santiago Chile and its surroundings?

Pomaire

Pomaire is a small town near Santiago. Its handicrafts made of brown coloured clay, such as cups, pots, plates and zoomorphic figures, are the perfect souvenir for your return home.

If you want to save up for your next trip to Chile, you should buy the typical “chanchitos de greda”, a piggy bank that you will have to break in order to get the money out.

Cajón del Maipo

Located 60 kilometres from Santiago is San José de Maipo, the capital of the commune nestled in a canyon of the Andes. It is a place surrounded by snow-capped mountains, where you will find restaurants, cabins, spas, camp sites and places for adventure sports such as trekking, climbing and extreme fishing.

Rafting on the river is one of the experiences that we always schedule on this visit. If you have time, 50 kilometres from San José, you can go deep into the mountain range to the El Yeso Reservoir and the San Francisco Glacier. It is an activity site where you can also enjoy the local food. The route, which can be done during the day or overnight, invites you to make stops along the way.

Things to do in Santiago de Chile in one day?

• Historic Centre
• San Cristóbal Hill
• Lastarria and Bellas Artes Neighbourhoods
• Bellavista Neighbourhood
• Bicentenario Park
• La Chascona

Things to do in Santiago de Chile in two days?

If you have two days in the city of Santiago you will be able to visit the most important spots in the city and discover its beautiful surroundings, such as:

• Pomaire
• Cajón del Maipo

How to get to Santiago de Chile?

• The fastest and most common way to get to the capital is by plane. Santiago is the main gateway to the country and Chile’s largest international airport, Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez (SCL), is 26 kilometres from the city. The airport has 16 international airlines that connect Chile with the rest of the world.
• It is also possible to get to Santiago by bus from Argentina. The border crossing that connects Santiago with the city of Mendoza is called Los Libertadores.
• On the other hand, Chile is not a country with a highly developed rail service. Train lines link the capital with the Bernardo O’Higgins, Maule and Bío Bío regions.
• Another option is to go by private or rented car, as the roads are well paved and signposted.

Where to eat in Santiago de Chile?

• Chipe Libre is a Latin American and Chilean cuisine restaurant serving mainly fish and seafood based recipes. It also offers vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Its price range is between €30-50.
• Bocanáriz is a wine bar restaurant serving traditional Chilean recipes with high quality products. Its price range is from €22 – €61.
• Mesón Nerudiano is a restaurant located in the Bellavista neighbourhood. This restaurant offers traditional Chilean cuisine, with a focus on seafood. They also have vegan options and their price range varies between €30-50.
• Mestizo is a high quality restaurant located near the city’s Parque Bicentenario. They serve quintessential Chilean cuisine with superb quality and flavour. Their price range is around €40-60.

Where to stay in Santiago de Chile?

• Casa Bueras Boutique Hotel is a 5-star boutique hotel located in the Lastarria district. This hotel has a swimming pool surrounded by a fenced garden, spa services and beauty treatments. The price per night is around €200 for two people.
• Providencia Bed & Breakfast is an accommodation in a historic building that offers perfectly equipped and decorated rooms in the residential area of Providencia. The price per night for two people is approximately €95.
• Located 1.3 km from Araucano Park, The Place offers a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a communal lounge and a 24-hour reception. There is also a garden and a sun terrace. The price per night is around €150 for two people.
• Hotel Luciano K is a 4-star hotel located a 2-minute walk from Plaza Italia Square and a 5-minute walk from the Bellavista district. It offers a wellness centre with a spa and sauna. The price per night is around €150 for two people.

Tips for your trip to Santiago de Chile

• The official currency is the Chilean Peso and is used everywhere.
• When exchanging currency, avoid exchanging at the airport and in large shopping centres. The bureau de change in the city centres usually have a better rate.
• Avoid $20,000 pesos notes because they are the hardest to change.
• Drinking on the street is not allowed in Chile. 
• Be careful with your bags and suitcases to avoid petty theft.
• Agree on a fixed price with the taxi driver before you get in a taxi, especially from the airport.
• Carry copies of important documents, such as your passport.
• Avoid walking alone at night in the outskirts of town.
• Don’t carry valuables that attract a lot of attention on public roads.

How to organise what to do in Santiago de Chile?

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• Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
• Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
• Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
• Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
• Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
• Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
• Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.

If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.

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