Santiago is the capital city of Chile. It is located 543 meters above sea level, in the central zone of Chile. It has become a modern city of more than 6 million inhabitants, and it concentrates a large part of the country's cultural, economic, industrial and commercial activity.
It has a warm temperate Mediterranean climate,
with an average annual temperature of 14.5ºC.
Spring begins in September, the weather is mild and cool,
with maximum temperatures up to 28 degrees during the day, and it drops at night from 6º C (43º F) to 12º C (54º F).
Occasionally it can also rain.
Santiago is a cosmopolitan city that has a good quantity of places to see, in addition to a beautiful natural environment that you can enjoy on a short escape from the city.
San Cristobal Hill is the biggest park in Santiago, and it's one of its most emblematic places.
It is located in the northeast sector of Santiago, at the meeting point of four communes: Providencia, Recoleta, Huechuraba and Vitacura. It is characterized by extending much of its southern slope around the banks of the Mapocho River. The summit of San Cristóbal is presented as the second highest peak, with 863 meters above sea level.The easiest way to get there is to get to the Baquedano subway station on line 1, and walk towards the hill.
There are two large areas located to the north and south of the NorthWest Highway, made up of 2 and 4 hills, respectively. To the north, there are the peaks closest to the mountain range: Polanco and El Carbón, and to the south, those that go into the interior of the valley: Pirámide, Los Gemelos (two peaks, hence its name), Chacarillas and San Cristóbal.
You can go up the cable car in a few minutes or choose to do it on foot (almost 2 hours) or by car or bicycle. The first stop of the funicular is at the National Zoo of Chile, an ideal option to do with children (it only stops there) and the second and last stop is at the hill itself where there are viewpoints, some food stalls and a sanctuary.
Following the paths that leave the viewpoint, we can see gardens and places to picnic. You can relax among the cherry trees, lotus flowers and beautiful ponds of the Japanese garden. You can also visit the public swimming pools.
In its 722 hectares you'll find the Virgen del Cerro de San Cristóbal sanctuary, the cable car (dating from 1925), Chile National Zoo, swimming pools, picnic zones, children playgrounds, sports
courts and even an astronomical observatory.
Chile National Zoo is the most important zoo in Chile, home to 158 species, several of which are native to the country. The zoo focuses its work on
rescuing and conserving native species, especially those of them threatened with extinction.
You can see the famous Humboldt penguins, Darwin frogs and the imposing Andean condor, among others.
If you want to see it in all its magnitude, you should go up the Costanera Center (Sky Costanera) viewpoint.
The Cajón del Maipo is an amazing tourist destination, formed by wonders that can be found just at the Andes mountains, like its rivers, waterfalls, valleys, hot springs, and also its vegetation and wildlife, unique in the country. It is only steps away from Santiago. It has endless attractions waiting to be discovered by you.
You can try the local gastronomy: 'empanadas' cooked in a clay oven, kneaded bread and dried fruits extracted from home gardens. If your palate calls for something sweeter, its tea rooms are famous for their handmade chocolates and pastries dipped in caramel sauce.
Its main town is San José de Maipo, capital of the commune, and its the ideal place to start to know the area. In the middle of a colorful architecture, visitors will find a series of services to enjoy the area. Besides that, other areas with great touristic attractions also stand out, as El Yeso, El Colorado, San Gabriel, El Manzano, among others.
Some places have access to the river (case of campsites adjacent to the river) where you can also swim. Another cheaper alternative is the area of El Manzano, where there is a popular spa. In this place, people leave their vehicles and bathe in the river, which has very little flow before emptying into the Maipo River.
With great attractions throughout the year, this is a great place both to enjoy nature and to practice different sports. In winter, the snowy mountain range offers wonderful views, and centers for sports practicing such as skiing; and in summer, visitors can relax in its campsites and cabins. In both seasons it is possible to go trekking, hiking and horseback riding in search of spotting condors and peucos.
Generally, when it rains in the city, there is the possibility of snow in the Cajón del Maipo, from San Gabriel to the higher areas. You should be careful with vehicles in the extreme hours of the morning and afternoon, because the snow can turn into ice, which can be dangerous.
Also remember that these areas have gravel roads, so it is better to go in powerful vehicles.
During winter season, you can access the Lagunillas ski center, either in your own vehicle (hopefully 4 × 4, you must have chains), or also by hiring private transport on site or from Santiago.
Within the category of ski centers, Lagunillas is the cheapest in relation to the others (Farellones, La Parva, Valle Nevado, El Colorado in the Mapocho area and Portillo in Aconcagua).
The Costanera Center tower -officially Gran Torre Santiago– is a 300-meter-high, 62-story building inaugurated in 2014.
The construction of this building began in June 2006 and ended in 2013, at a cost of about 495 million dollars.
This building was also designed and built following certain sustainable criteria, such as efficient water management, or the use of anti-radiation glass.
It is part of the Costanera Center commercial complex, comprising a shopping mall, two hotels, and two office towers.
Inside it, there are 24 elevators that allow you to move around the building.
Until 2020 it was the tallest skyscraper in Latin America, but that year it was surpassed by only 5 meters by Torre del Obispado in Monterrey, Mexico.
It is also the third tallest tower in the southern hemisphere, after "Queensland Number One" (323 m) and Australia 108 (318 m), both from Australia; and it is the fifth tallest structure, taking into account the Sydney Tower (309 m) and the Sky Tower (328 m) from New Zealand.
The design of the skyscraper was in charge of the Argentine architect César Pelli, owner of Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects of the United States; leaving the design of the commercial complex in charge of Watt International of Canada and the offices of Alemparte Barreda y Asociados architects from Chile.
The most used materials in the construction of this tower were steel, concrete, glass and aluminum. The Gran Torre Santiago building is designed to be able to withstand large earthquakes and strong winds, with an oscillation in its upper part of up to 35 centimeters.
Sky Costanera is a viewpoint and tourist attraction located on the 61st and 62nd floors of the tower (at 253 m and 261 m above the city surface, respectively). It was opened on August 11, 2015 and has a glazed observation deck on the 61st floor and an open-air platform on the
62nd (which is accessed by escalator).
This viewpoint is a "must" for those who visit Santiago, since it allows you to appreciate emblematic points of the capital in 360 degrees, such as the Andes mountain range and the Metropolitan Park.
You can buy the access ticket in the lobby of the Mall Costanera Center.
Sky Costanera schedule:
The easiest way to get there is to go to the Tobalaba subway station on line 4 or line 1. Once you arrive, you will have to walk about 4 to 5 streets, and you will reach the main entrance to the shopping center.
Its name is due to the estuary that rises from Cerro Ramón, a hill over 3,000 meters high that is right in front of the park. The park itself is located in La Reina Alta, going up Calle Onofre Jarpa from Plaza La Reina. The entrance is on Álvaro Casanova street, and you can enter from 8 AM.
It's easy to get to the park. You have access using public transport; you can use the buses from zone D (D18 and D08), get off at Plaza de La Reina and then walk approx. 25 min. along Avenida Onofre Jarpa to the entrance of the park.
There is also the subway option, Príncipe de Gales station. Then you can take the 412 bus to the Principe de Gales intersection with Valenzuela Llanos, and then walk to the end of the street.
This park has four trails:
It is recommended not to use flat shoes due to the risk of falls and accidents, and you can't go with dogs either, as they can put the local fauna at risk, such as foxes and birds, which walk at ground level.
The trekking routes enter the valley, where you can see hanging bridges, picturesque waterfalls, river crossings and amazing views in an absolutely striking natural environment. In winter, patches of snow can be seen on the route.
Located 50 km east of Santiago, within the Metropolitan region. You travel 35 km along the paved road to Farellones, and then 6 km more until you reach La Parva
The La Parva ski center is located within the Barnechea mountain range and, with El Colorado and Valle Nevado, it's considered the largest ski area in South America. It has 38 kilometers distributed in 30 extensive and varied slopes, designed for all ski levels, which can be interconnected with those of Valle Nevado.
It has an impressive 800,000 hectares of skiable terrain, although most of them do not have slopes. Specifically, there are 38 kilometers of signposted routes that are divided into
40 tracks of the following difficulties: 13 are easy, 17 are intermediate and 10 are difficult. In addition, there are 5 kilometers specially prepared for cross-country skiing and it also has a snowpark. La Parva also offers the possibility of heliskiing and night skiing on weekends (in the La Paloma and Golondrina areas).
As for slopes, La Parva has green slopes for beginners, blue for intermediate, red for advanced and black for experts, whose slopes range between 30 and 983 meters. These are prepared overnight by snow plows and snow planers, in order to offer ski slopes in optimal conditions.
The center has 14 lifts: 2 quadruple chairs, 1 triple chair, 1 double chair and 10 drag chairs.
The La Parva station reaches a maximum height of 3,574 metres, and a minimum height of 2,653 metres, which means that it has a drop of 921 metres. As for its infrastructure, it has four chair lifts, eight ski lifts and a conveyor belt; in total, it has the capacity to transport 13,740 skiers per hour.
In Villa La Parva you will find all the services that visitors require: lodging, restaurants, equipment rental, ski school, bar, transportation, cafeteria, discotheque, clinic and parking.
La Parva also has a team of 70 instructors who teach skiing classes following the School Camp method, which ensures fun and risk-free learning for young and old.
All visits to slopes and lifts are carried out with an expert person.
In winter season, it's mandatory to use chains, and the transit is carried out ascending only from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and descending from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
There are three ticket sales points with eight cash registers in total, which are located in Hostería La Parva and at the bases of the Alpha (triple chair) and Manzanito lifts.
Santa Lucia Hill is one of the most visited public green areas in Santiago.
Located steps away from the civic center of Santiago, Santa Lucía Hill is an historical and cultural icon of the city and the Metropolitan Region.
It is a 69-meter-high hill, which has an altitude of 629 meters above sea level and has an area of 65,300 square meters.
It is bordered to the south by Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Avenue (with the Santa Lucía subway station at its feet), to the west by Santa Lucía Street, to the north by Merced Street, and to the east by Victoria Subercaseaux Street.
Called 'Huelén' by the natives from the area, it was named Santa Lucía in honor of Saint Lucia of Syracuse (a Christian martyr known as 'La Santa de los Ciegos') by Pedro de Valdivia after the arrival of the Spanish in American lands on December 13, 1540. The first hermitages were built there: Virgen del Socorro in 1543, Patron Saint of Arms; Santa Lucía, base of the Convent of La Merced); and later the one of San Saturnino, protector from quakes). It was on its slopes where the conqueror Pedro de Valdivia established his camp before founding Santiago de la Nueva Extremadura.
During much of the colonial period, the hill maintained its natural character, although its intervention began with the construction of some forts.
In 1872, the remodeling of the Santa Lucía hill began during the government of Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna, who tried to eradicate the grinding houses and the houses lacking drinking water in the middle of the city. The hill, which represents the lifestyle of high society in the 19th century, was intervened with large green areas, small squares, a bypass road, viewpoints, statues, fountains, lighted paths, an irrigation system and a chapel built on the top. However, the redesign of Cerro Santa Lucía continued once the work of Vicuña Mackenna was completed, a period in which the neoclassical-style entrance, designed by the architect Villeneuve, was created.
Besides various tree species, ornamentation of European origin and relics of the Chilean colonial past, there are attractive places that stand out on Santa Lucía Hill, such as the Castillo Hidalgo, and the Neptuno and Caupolicán terraces.
In 1983 it was declared a National Monument in the category of Historical Monument, in accordance with its historical and patrimonial importance as one of the great vestiges of the urban history of the city.
Currently it plays an important role as a tourist attraction, being one of the most interesting public walks in the capital.
The Sculpture Park is an open-air museum in which a large number of works created by renowned Chilean artists are exhibited, with the aim of promoting national talent and promoting the growth of future artists, through the exhibition of their works, temporarily or permanently.
Located on the north bank of the Mapocho River, by Santa María Avenue, between Pedro de Valdivia and Nueva de Lyon street.
The venue was inaugurated in December 1986, at the request of several artists from the Providencia commune to the regional government. The idea, however, had a delay due to the flooding of the Mapocho River in 1982, which destroyed a good part of the gardens on its side.
It has an area of 21,000 square meters in which a total of 40 permanent works are exhibited and it has also an indoor exhibition room, in which as many non-permanent sculptures are exhibited. Over time, the number of sculptures has increased, thanks both to donations from the artists themselves and companies.
At each entrance, a map shows the location of each sculpture and the stations to visit the place. Likewise, there is detailed information about the trees present throughout its 18 hectares.
Among them we can see "Pachamama" by Marta Colvin, the first one to be installed in the park; Federico Assler's "Sculptural Ensembles"; "Eruption", by Sergio Castillo; "Pehuén", by Sandra Santander; "Seeds" by Cristián Salineros and "Libre Albedrío", by Alicia Larraín.
Assler, Castillo and Colvin, along with Lily Garafulic and Samuel Román are the National Sculpture Prize winners present at the place, which was admitted in 2008 as an open-air museum by the International Council of Museums.
In this park there is an underground exhibition hall, where different cultural activities are carried out, highlighting the traditional "International Jazz Festival", the one that during the month of January, it fills the riverbanks with music.
If you take the subway, you can get off at Los Leones station on Lines 1 or 6, and walk north, in the same direction as if you were going towards San Cristóbal Hill. The park has three entrances, but the main one is on Avenida Santa María.
You can also get off at the Pedro de Valdivia station (Line 1), walk north towards the Costanera Andrés Bello, and cross the bridge over the Mapocho River. The park is located between Pedro de Valdivia and Nueva de Lyon streets.
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago is in the same place where the Spanish conquerors built the Iglesia Mayor, on the western sidewalk of the Plaza de Armas.
The current building dates from 1748, with extensions and reconstructions carried out until 1906. It harmoniously combines neoclassical architecture with baroque elements. Its facade was designed by the Italian architect Joaquín Toesca, the same builder of Palacio de la Moneda.
By 1830 it was almost finished, except for the front piece, and in 1898 a renovation began that changed the face of the Cathedral, leaving it as we know it today, by the hand of Ignacio Cremonesi, with a Tuscan-Roman inspiration.
This architect made important interior modifications, which caused controversy at that time: the height of the church was increased, the facades were unified, the two towers were built, the vault in the central nave, the metal structure dome over the main shrine.
The shape and dimensions of the windows were changed. Only one wing remained unchanged, with exposed stone walls, in the southern sector, near the courtyard.
Finally the Cathedral is consecrated in 1906.
Inside there are tombs of personalities, bishops and aristocrats, as well as altars that commemorate the Chilean saints Santa Teresa de los Andes and San Alberto Hurtado, among others, as well as the tombstone in memory of the Carrera brothers, heroes of the Independence of Chile.
The complete cathedral occupies an entire block, bringing together the Sagrario Chapel and the Archbishop's Palace, also historical monuments. In the center of the temple is the crucifix built in Munich in 1912.
Later, in the year 2000, due to the extension of line 5 of the Santiago subway, the voussoirs of the arches were intervened, as a way of consolidating their structure, thus maintaining, to this day, the external image we can appreciate.
It is also one of the newest parks in Santiago, its first stage was inaugurated in 2007 and the second in 2011, so its facilities are modern and in perfect condition.
It was designed by the architect Teodoro Fernández and is located on the edge of the Mapocho River. It contemplates 30 hectares of green areas with some 4,000 native and introduced trees, grass esplanades, trails and two artificial lagoons with black-necked swans, flamingos, fish and floating plants.
Inside it has around 4,000 trees, of which more than 1,300 are native species, and they are protected by the Chilean Ministry of the Environment.
Its great attraction is the North lagoon, with entrance through Isabel Montt street, where black-necked swans, flamingos, coots, herons and triles coexist.
The Vitacura Civic Center is also located in the park, a building of 20 thousand square meters, built on the basis of reinforced concrete, marble and glass.
The facilities of the Bicentenario Park have public restrooms, with vehicle access through the northern waterfront, with different promenades and gastronomic shops, with stalls for recreational and sports activities, with a dog park, and several parking lots through the access by Bicentenario avenue.
It is also recommended, if you plan to visit the park, to bring your own food and other items related to spending a long time, as well as comfortable clothes for walking and, in the case of doing activities such as climbing, to wear sportswear.
There are several access points to the Bicentenario Park:
You can visit it at any time of the year. However, it's important to note that in colder seasons, you have to dress warmly, because the wind and cold can be very tricky. During the months of July and August (mid-winter in Chile) there are usually temperatures below zero in the mornings, which causes the grass and some pools of water to freeze.
You'll have to be careful not to slip.
On the other hand, in the hottest months (January, February and March) it's necessary to carry an umbrella or some similar device, because the sun hits very hard and the trees are not yet big enough to provide strong shadow.
Currently the seat of the Chilean government, it is considered the main work of neoclassicism in Chile.
Designed by the architect Joaquín Toesca, inaugurated in 1805, to house the Real Casa de Moneda de Santiago. In 1846, at the request of President Manuel Bulnes, the building became the presidential residence and seat of government, although minting work was carried out there until 1922.
Located between Morandé and Teatinos; Plaza de la Constitución is located on its front, on Calle Moneda, and
Plaza de la Ciudadanía is projected on its facade towards the Alameda, which houses the La Moneda Cultural Center in the basement.
Surrounded by ministries such as Public Works, Agriculture, Finance, Justice, Intendancy of the Metropolitan
Region, among others.
Throughout its history as a government palace, it has fulfilled various functions, including being the residence of the presidents of Chile, a destination for works of art of great value, the venue for meetings with politicians from all corners of the world and a landmark meeting place for social demonstrations.
Currently, and after 10 years of reconstruction, it's a majestic white building that gives an idea of what colonial architecture was like in its maximum splendor time. On its inside, it has several courtyards, such as the Patio de los Naranjos or the Patio de los Cañones, where two old cannons from the colonial era are still preserved.
The famous Morandé street gate was created in 1906 for the private use of former president Pedro Montt. The event in which this door takes on great historical importance was in 1973, when the body of the late former president Salvador Allende was removed from there after the military coup. In 2003, former president Ricardo Lagos re-inaugurated the door that had been removed from its original location and coins minted with the portraits of all the rulers and presidents of Chile were installed in that room.
The Palacio de la Moneda has official and free guided tours inside the enclosure, which must be requested in advance by filling out an online form.
Guided tours were suspended during the pandemic, but they have now resumed, with much less frequency and available spaces, so it is important to make the request at least one week before the desired date.
The tour of the Palacio de la Moneda includes a visit to 3 main halls, the chapel and its courtyards.
In 2010 a new square was inaugurated next to the palace: the Plaza de la Ciudadanía. Under the square is the most important cultural center in Chile: the Palacio de la Moneda Cultural Center. You can access it through walkways that descend to the atrium. There are 2 exhibition halls that house temporary exhibitions and a permanent collection. The center mainly exhibits works by Latin American artists and photographers. The permanent exhibition shows historical pieces of Chilean art and items such as clothing and jewelry. The center also includes a cinema, a library, an educational center and several restaurants and cafes. Admission is free from Monday to Friday morning.