Santiago, the capital and largest city of Chile, is located in a breathtaking valley at the foot of the Andes. Most visitors enter this long, skinny South American country here, and for good reason: it’s close to a lot of exciting things, like ski resorts, wineries, and the shimmering Pacific Ocean.
Top 10 Places to Visit in Santiago
Santiago, Chile, or Santiago de Chile as it is commonly called, was founded by the Spanish in 1541 and has since evolved to become one of the greatest cities in the Americas.
Neighborhoods like Barrio Bellavista and Lastarria have a lively bohemian air and are covered with amazing street art, while other districts are home to old colonial and neoclassical architecture.
Many isolated hills, such as San Cristobal and Santa Lucia, provide breathtaking panoramas of the capital and the surrounding snowy mountains. Although the Andes and artistic Valparaiso are close by, visitors should spend at least a few days in Santiago de Chile visiting the city’s top attractions before venturing further.
1. Cerro San Cristobal
Visit the peak of Cerro San Cristobal at the city’s north side for breathtaking panoramas of Santiago. The enormous hill is home to the Chilean National Zoo, a Japanese friendship garden, and much more besides, and is well famous for, its breathtaking vistas.
The 880-meter-tall landmark is easily accessible via picturesque funiculars and cable cars, and it provides breathtaking views of the nearby popular neighbourhood of Barrio Bellavista. In addition to taking in the breathtaking Andean scenery, visitors can also visit the nearby chapel and snap photos of the impressive Virgin Mary statue.
The mountainous Metropolitan Park, perfect for a day of hiking or mountain biking, is included in the famed mount’s boundaries. It’s no surprise that the Cerro is a popular destination for city dwellers and visitors alike, what with its flower-filled botanical gardens and intriguing animal exhibitions.
2. Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral
The Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral has been a landmark on the Plaza de Armas for almost 260 years, long after earthquakes had levelled previous churches there.
The square has been dominated by the cathedral since construction began in 1748. The neoclassical cathedral was built entirely of stone, and it is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of South American religious architecture.
The remains of Chile’s first cardinal are housed in one of the towers. Around 1765, carpenters fashioned the cathedral’s wooden interior doors. Within is the Museum of Sacred Art and a lavishly designed altar. The vast, ornamented naves heighten the feeling of awe and wonder.
3. La Chascona
Noted One of the three homes that Pablo Neruda, the Nobel Prize–winning poet from Chile, had was La Chascona; the other two were located in Valparaiso and Isla Negra. The eccentric character of poet Pablo Neruda is reflected in his home. His mistress’ unruly, red, curly hair is the inspiration for even his name: La Chascona.
Tourists go to the ship-shaped home to gawk at its kitchen, which is styled after a ship’s cabin, and its living room, which is styled after a lighthouse. (The ocean was very important to Neruda.) At the back, there’s a garden straight out of a fairy tale.
4. Cerro Santa Lucia
Cerro Santa Lucia, one of the city’s most beautiful landmarks, located a short distance to the southeast of the square. There is a beautiful park atop the small hill, and from there you can see the city spread out below you and the snowy mountains in the distance.
The hill, which rises to a height of 629 metres, is all that remains of a volcano that created some 15 million years ago. It was first used as a church by the missionaries, and then it was converted into two forts and designated the birthplace of Santiago by Pedro de Valdivia in 1541.
Currently, elaborate stone stairways adorned with magnificent fountains and terraces wind their way up the steep hillside to a breathtaking vista point. Check out the elegant Neptune Fountain and the nearby hermitage in addition to the statue of the great conquistador and first royal governor of Chile.
5. Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
Santiago’s Museum Chileno de Arte Precolombino is a must-see for anybody interested in the pre-Columbian art and culture of Central and South America. An impressive collection is housed in a beautiful old palace near the city’s central Plaza de Armas at what is undoubtedly one of the city’s most significant cultural institutions.
Founded in 1981, the museum showcases about three thousand masks, carvings, sculptures, and ceramic items from nearly one hundred distinct cultures across South America.
Well displayed, they span about 10,000 years of art history, from magnificent Mayan bas-reliefs to Incan quipu with complex knotwork and pre-Columbian Chavin painted textiles.
Many consider it to be among the top museums on the continent because of its collection of musty old mummies and elaborate miniature copper sculptures, all of which are accompanied by instructive literature.
6. Sky Costanera
The Sky Costanera is a massive skyscraper in the centre of Santiago, visible from practically anywhere in the city. Its 64 floors make it the tallest building in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere’s highest inhabited level.
It has six levels below ground and a height of 300 metres (984 ft). Torre 2 of the Costanera Center, also known as Costanera Center, is home to South America’s largest shopping mall. Approximately a quarter of a million visitors come here every day. The higher levels provide an observation deck with panoramic views of the city.
7. Museum of Memory and Human Rights
The Museum of Memory and Human Rights was established because Chile’s track record on human rights hasn’t always been great. The museum was only open for a short time, but it serves as a memorial to the victims of human rights abuses in Chile under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973 – 1990).
The museum’s first stone was set in 2008 by Michelle Bachelet, the former president of Chile and a torture victim under Pinochet.
The museum displays torture equipment used by Pinochet’s soldiers, as well as letters written by prisoners to their loved ones and testimonies from survivors. You can find Victor Jara’s final poem written on the door. The poet fell prey to Pinochet’s tyranny early on.
8. La Moneda
La Moneda, formerly a mint, is now the official residence and workplace of Chile’s president. The neoclassical building, which occupies an entire block in central Santiago, is home to a number of other important government employees.
In 1828, its use as a mint came to an end, and by 1845, it had become the Chilean government’s seat of power. It was destroyed in a 1973 coup that installed Pinochet in power, but has since been rebuilt. Every other day (or every other day of the month), there is a changing of the guard ceremony.
9. Visit a Winery
Santiago is the gateway to the world-famous wineries of Chile, and no trip there would be complete without tasting some of the country’s acclaimed whites, reds, and roses. The rich plains to the west of the capital city are home to innumerable estates and vineyards, all of which provide fantastic tours and tastings alongside stunning landscapes and natural wonders.
Grapes have been produced extensively in Chile since the sixteenth century due to the country’s ideal characteristics, including its arid climate and warm, sunny weather. The huge Maipo and Casablanca valleys, two of the country’s most important wine-producing areas, are less than an hour’s drive from the city centre.
Here, you may find out about the country’s long and storied tradition of winemaking and then experience some of the finest Sauvignons, Chardonnays, and Pinot noirs in the world. The Cousino Macul and Concha y Toro wineries have both been producing wine since the 1800s and are widely regarded as two of the best in the world.
10. Go Skiing at El Colorado
One of the nicest things to do in Santiago de Chile is to travel to El Colorado in the Andes Mountains and ski or snowboard down its gentle, powdery slopes. The ski resort, located about an hour and a half’s drive northeast of Santiago, features more than a hundred runs appropriate for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels.
The picturesque ski resort, located atop the renowned hill of the same name, has been a favourite of visitors for decades. Its slopes may take you as high as 3,333 metres, and the resort is known for its 900-meter vertical drop.
Stay in one of the area’s cosy lodges or condos after a day of skiing or snowboarding, and the next day dine at one of the area’s excellent restaurants with breathtaking views of the Andes.
