November 15th – 23rd, 2017
Santiago is the capital and the largest city in Chile and also one of the largest cities in South America. It is a beautiful city with a rich heritage accompanied with neoclassical architecture. It is located in the country’s central valley surrounded by the beautiful Andes.
We stayed here for 2 weeks (November 14 – 29th, 2017) and loved every bit of it. We took in the sights at a very leisurely pace visiting one place a day and relaxing. We took a free walking tour the day after we arrived here and this gives you the best taste of the city. Especially for tourists pressed for time, a tour of this kind will show you the highlights and a bit of history so that you can design your visits based on your interests. I highly recommend taking this tour whether you are here for 1 or 2 days or even a week – http://www.freetoursantiago.cl
PLACES TO SEE:
Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas is the main square, the centerpiece of the city where everyone congregates. There is always something happening here and has a very lively and upbeat feel to it. It is the old town and the first to come into existence any time a city is being built during the colonial times. Built around this plaza are the cathedral, city hall, the post office and also the building that houses the Pre-Colombian art museum and the National History Museum. The square itself is very interesting in the fact that it has a beautiful fountain in the middle, a statue of Pedro Valdivia, a park like setting all around with trees, and plenty of park benches everywhere. In the area across from the cathedral you will find people selling artwork and other wares, along with people performing humorous acts. On the opposite side, they have an area where tables and chairs are laid out and the Chess Club of Santiago meet everyday to play chess. There is also a circular gazebo style stage where you find music performances regularly and on Sundays, people of all ages gather and perform Cueca (the traditional Chilean dance). We also happened to catch a performance of Salsa dancing here on a Saturday afternoon. Anybody can join in, age or experience, no bar.
Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago facing the Plaza de Armas in the city’s historic center is the seat of the Archbishop of Santiago de Chile. It is one of the largest and most impressive churches in Chile with its magnificent naves and splendid ceilings.
Basilica de la Merced
Basilica de la Merced is a great religious sight in Santiago originally build in 1566 by Mercedarians which was destroyed by an earthquake and later rebuilt in 1736. The basilica is said to house a sliver of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified, which was reportedly donated to Chilean mercenaries by King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Although this factor has made it a major attraction, the simplicity of the church along with its splendid neo-Renaissance architecture is what draws you to it. It is located between Plaza de Armas and Santa Lucia hill on Merced Street.
La Moneda
Palacio de La Moneda is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile. Originally built in 1805 as the colonial mint (hence the name La Moneda – moneda means coin or currency) and was used to produce coins until 1929. It was later used as the seat of the government. During the military coup d’état in 1973, the Chilean Air Force bombarded the palace at the request of the army. Reconstruction and restoration projects were completed in 1981, although some bullet marks have been preserved and can still be seen today. Free guided tours are available at the La Moneda website and are given in several languages. They must be requested at least seven days in advance, however we couldn’t find any available dates during our 2 weeks stay so we were unable to tour the Palace.
Cerro San Cristóbal
Cerro San Cristóbal is a hill in the northern part of Santiago at the edge of Barrio Bellavista. The main attraction with Cerro San Cristóbal is that you can get a 360 deg view of the entire city of Santiago along with the snow capped Andes surrounding it. The peak is at 300m above the rest of Santiago and is the second highest point in the city. The summit can be reached by foot (about a 45-minute walk), by car via the road joining the Santiago Metropolitan Park, or by the Funicular (tram) of Santiago (the base of which sits next to the Zoo at the North end of Pio Nono in Barrio Bellavista). Although the Funicular was not functioning the day we went there, there was a bus service (2000 pesos/$3 USD per person) that would take you to and back. On its summit, there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, with a 22-meter statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an amphitheater and a chapel. The statue of the Immaculate Conception measures 14 meters tall, and the pedestal on which it rests is 8.3 meters in height. Within the pedestal there is a small chapel in which Pope John Paul II prayed and blessed the city of Santiago on April 1, 1987.
At the foothills of Cerro San Cristóbal are the Chilean National Zoo and a Japanese-style garden, and up there are also two municipal pools, Tupahue and Antilén. Cerro San Cristóbal houses Santiago’s largest public park: the Santiago Metropolitan Park (Parque Metropolitano).
Cerro Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia is a small hill located in the center of Santiago, Chile (our airbnb apartment was just ½ block from Santa Lucia). The hill comprises a 65,300 square metre park adorned with ornate facades, stairways and fountains. At the highest point there is a viewpoint popular with tourists visiting the city. Although not as expansive a view as the one you get from Cerro San Cristobal, the view from the top of Santa Lucia is spectacular. You get to see the city of Santiago, albeit the downtown and its immediate vicinity. It is in a very peaceful park like setting with gardens and trees and has two forts or castles one north and another south of the hill.
Museums of Santiago
- The Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino (Pre-columbian art Museum) is an art museum dedicated to the study and display of pre-Columbian artworks and artifacts from Central and South America. It houses collections of artifacts ranging from over 10,000 years. The museum is located on the western end of Plaza de Armas. Entrance fee is 4500 Chilean Pesos (Approx $7.50 USD)
- Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos (Museum of Memory and Human Rights) Opened in 2010, this museum isn’t for the faint of heart: the exhibits expose the terrifying human rights violations and large-scale ‘disappearances’ that took place during the Chilean civil-military regime led by Augusto Pinochet between the years of 1973 and 1990. It is located at Matucana 501, Santiago. You can take the metro to Quinta Normal station to get there. Entrance to the museum is free.
- Museo Histórico Nacional (National History Museum) This museum displays Colonial furniture, weapons, paintings, historical objects and models charting Chile’s colonial and republican history. Located at the north side of Plaza de Armas, the building itself has a rich history. Following its inauguration in 1808, at the beginning of independence, it has been the seat of the Royal Audience and became the epicenter of political events of that time: it was the seat of the First National Congress in 1811, and the house of government during the Old Homeland between 1812 to 1814. In the period of the Spanish Reconquista it was again the seat of the Royal Audience. In 1818, the Palacio de la Real Audiencia was officially designated as a government house by Bernardo O’Higgins, calling it “Palace of Independence”. This building was used as the house of the president and headquarters of the ministries of State and other public offices until the end of the first government of Manuel Bulnes. After that, the property continued to house various institutions and public bodies. In 1969 it was declared a National Monument and was taken over by the National Historical Museum, which restored it between 1978 and 1982 and refurbished it to house its collections. Entrance to the museum is free.
Museo Histórico Nacional
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts) This fine art museum is housed in the stately neoclassical Palacio de Bellas Artes, built as part of Chile’s centenary celebrations in 1910. The museum features an excellent permanent collection of Chilean art. Entrance is free.
Barrio Lastarria
Lastarria neighborhood is a historical neighborhood in central Santiago, one block east of Santa Lucia hill. It is a popular tourist hub with a bohemian and intellectual flavor, consisting of numerous cafés, bars and cultural centers. Activities such as festivals and live performances are commonly held throughout the streets of Lastarria given its strong cultural flavor and you can also pick up some souvenirs sold on the street here during evenings and weekends.
Barrio Bellavista
Barrio Bellavista (Bellavista Neighborhood) is an area that lies between the Mapocho River and San Cristóbal Hill in Santiago, Chile. It is known as Santiago’s bohemian quarter, with numerous restaurants, boutiques, avant-garde galleries, bars and clubs. Many of the city’s intellectuals and artists live in Bellavista, and Pablo Neruda’s house in Santiago, La Chascona, is in the district. The area is served by the Baquedano Metro subway station, located across the river to the south.
Get around:
Santiago’s metro system is extensive and very good. It is the second largest and the most modern underground metro system in South America. It has 6 lines and over 100 stations and it is the best way to get to any place in the city of Santiago. You can get a Bip card (for 1500 pesos/$2.40 USD) which can be refilled at any station and kiosks all over town and can be used on buses too. The fare per ride depends on the time of day which generally ranges from 650-720 pesos (approx. $1-1.15). However, we never got to use the buses here due to the metro’s excellent connectivity.
Shop:
Santiago, like all metropolitan cities has its share of shopping centers and shops lined streets. Since we were staying in the downtown area, I can only talk about shopping in this vicinity. I found the best place for souvenirs, is the Centro Artesanal Santa Lucia located behind Santa Lucia Hill. Here you find Alpaca sweaters, shawls, and accessories along with other handmade items such as colorful shoes from Peru, silver jewelry and other articles.
The other place you can find similar souvenirs is in the corner of Bellavista and Pio Nono streets where the stalls open every evening from 6pm onwards.
Eat:
- Empanadas in Chile are different from the ones you find in Argentina. They are bigger and deep fried and very good. And the best empanadas are the shrimp or camarones.
- When you talk about seafood, you have to try the fish market at Mercado Central located 4 blocks from Plaza de Armas. And the dish to try is the Paila Marina, a soup containing various fish, clams, shrimp, and other seafood.
- While Hamburgers are the go to fast food item in Argentina, the most common fast food in Chile is Hot dogs. The food courts are filled with many hot dog places and you can find Chileans standing and eating their hot dogs at the counter in all of these joints.
- Pisco Sour is another alcoholic speciality of Chile that you cannot leave without trying. Originally a Peruvian drink, Chile has its own version of this popular drink made with Pisco, lime juice and ice. The Pisco Sour found here contains 14% alcohol and is generally served as a welcome drink in small shot glasses. You can also order a glass of Pisco Sour at any restaurant.
- Mote con huesillo is a traditional Chilean summer-time non-alcoholic drink made from wheat and peaches and often sold in street stands or vendor carts.
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