What to See / Do / Feel !!!!..
Please keep in mind Santiago is a 6 million people Latin urban conglomeration, housing 50% of Chile population, and above 90% of he country's economic transactions and wealth. It is a city to enjoy, walk and explore specially Downtown and Mid-town areas which will be more appealing and more authentically Chilean/Latin. Crowded, busy, noisy, friendly and unique? Like buses? Santiago has thousands, all yellow color and a wide variety of street art. Street dogs...all over. ......well that's all about Latin America ...come and see it all !!!!!! HOLA, GRACIAS, COMO ESTAS? make yourself familiar with these expressions.
Check what art expressions are on stage the days of your visit
Downtown area: (all walking distance)
* Pedestrian streets Paseo Ahumada and Huérfanos are the heart of Downtown area. A full hand of money exchange houses, street vendors, street actors, and all the possible people watching of urban tribes. Ripley and Falabella department stores are a great show of good offers. Watch your belongings! A camera can be somebody's monthly salary equivalent !
* Congreso Nacional, Corte Suprema old buildings
* Plaza de Armas and surrounding Cathedral, Post Office, Historical Museum and Town Hall. Nearby is Casa Colorada (Red House old colonial house), start up of walking tours guided by Tourist Office. English is little spoken.
* Nearby Merced and Agustinas churches offer very nice decorations, art and ceilings
* Mercado Central has 2 main and costly restaurants but there are several good choices of small eateries in the area surrounfing. Have your cameras ready for the seafood sold in the stalls. Great and tasty seafood and shell fish. Watch belongings and cameras as well. Nearby interesting Mapocho old railway station is the site of some live concerts and exhibitions. That area used to be a busy commercial and popular area in the early century. Nearby old Cementery General, and Recoleta churches are great visits
* La Moneda government building and Change of Guard (ask schedule)....including underground art museum. You can walk through Moneda building from north to south crossing the gardens but not go into the halls. Enjoy the cannons and orange trees.
* San Cristobal hill with funicular, cable car, zoo, 2 swimming pools on top open air, Japanese garden and great views from the top Virgin Mary statue. Great views at 5pm in winter and 9pm in summer.. Funicular closed on Monday mornings but can get to the top by taxi with maximum rate 3,000 pesos. From top continue with the hanging Teleferico and get off ground at Pedro de Valdivia Norte street. Great views of the Andes, the ritzy part of town.
* Do not miss Pre-Columbian museum and nearby old Congress building and gardens, and Justice palace. Museums are normally closed on mondays but are free on sundays.
* Famous Chilean Literature Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda’s La Chascona house two blocks from the entrance of San Cristobal hill.
* Palacio Cousino house/museum mansion belonging to Chile ’s richest family in last century. Owners of coal and nitrate mines. Related to Cousino winery
* Paris and Londres streets & San Francisco church and Colonial museum form a unique typical architecture area
* Santa Lucia hill, fountain, stairs, old castle converted into events hall. Ideal place for lovers and thieves. Indigenous market at the botton and Handcraft shops in front, at Feria Artesanal
* Barrio Lastarria area surrounding Diego Portales building. Streets Lastarria, Rosal and Jose Miguel de la Barra. Great cafes, eateries, antiques, old books, art galleries
* Nearby Bellas Artes, fine arts museum and Parque Forestal are wonderful sites next to river Mapocho along Jose Miguel de la Barra street. Noticeable gay area.
* Murals (showing Chile history) inside Universidad de Chile station and paintings (Chile sites) inside Moneda Metro station are very very interesting.
* Metro Universidad de Chile is very handy as it has: ATMs, ticket offices for TurBus bus company, and Train company EFE, money exchange, pharmacies, internet and long distance booths)
* Barrio Concha y Toro area , and Barrio Brasil quarter…..between Republica & Los Heroes metro station, north side. Great old architecture, eateries and restaurants.
* Sunday antique fair in Estado pedestrian street
* Fantasilandia amusement park on line 2 of metro system Parque O'Higgins station. Also inside is Arena Santiago shows arena.
* Cinemas are cheaper on Wednesdays. Cinemas specially in downtown Huerfanos street, and also in all the shopping malls.
Providencia area:
v Sernatur tourist office and nearby Red Phone Box restaurant and old and English used books plaza. In front of Divina Providencia church.
v Shopping arcades surrounding Los Leones metro station, and Pedro de Valdivia station
Las Condes:
v Parque Arauco shopping center and trendy Alto Las Condes shopping center. Both accesible from Escuela Militar metro station with connecting buses. Inside Parque Arauco you will find a great restaurants indoor and boulevard open air area. Also ice skating available.
v Hyatt hotel design and eye catching swimming pool
v Los Dominicos antiques village at the end of Apoquindo avenue.
v Alonso de Cordova avenue will surprise you with its trendy and modern style stores in classic houses and mansions. It is the place to be!
SANTIAGO GASTRONOMY AND NIGHTLIFE. SEE THE MUSTS IN SEPARATE SHEET
DAY TRIPS. SEE MY RECCOMENDATIONS IN SEPARATE SHEET
1. Valparaíso and Viña del Mar cities. Valparaiso port, hilly and colorful houses, cable cars, world heritage area, bohemian life and art displays. Vina del Mar is the summer resort, beaches, casino, picturesque coastline
2. Ski resorts nearby Santiago (cheap transportation, tickets and equipment rental)
3. Cajon del Maipo canyon.Banos Morales-Colina hot springs, El Morado glacier- park, Cascada de las Animas park, Casa Bosque restaurant, great views, water rafting and trekking)
4. Isla Negra and Pablo Neruda 2nd house
5. Pomaire pottery center
6. Rancagua, San Fernando, Santa Cruz central valley and wineries
7. La Ligua textil town
Enjoy SANTIAGO ’S Nightlife .…and Cuisine.. by Jose Estay 09-8406140
You can drink tap water safely. Drink plenty as you dehydrate easily
* UNIMARC supermarket , across the park, o Portugal street, is open until 10pm.
* Empanadas (types: meat "empanada de horno", cheese “empanada de queso” are a great deal. very filling) . In some places they offer shrimp or seafood “empanada” . Typical Drinks: "Pisco Sour", Wine. New wine-sour and mango sour. All can be bought bottled.
* Near home specially cheap and great variety in supermarkets like Jumbo, Lider, Unimarc, Santa Isabel ), Beer (Cristal, Escudo, Kuntsmann, Austral), “mote con huesillos” (dried peach boiled, corn, sweet/cold great drink). Specialties in food: "Pastel de Choclo" (corn cake with meat or chicken, in clay pot), "Cazuela" (stew. meat or chicken, green beans, potato, pumpkin, rice) any type of Seafood and Shell Fish, "Biste a lo Pobre" (steak, French fries, onion, fried eggs), "Hot Dogs" (in Chile served with avocado, tomato and mayonnaise make up the “italiano”), typical Chile cakes "Alfajores", "Chilenitos" & "Cuchuflis" (cakes filled with caramel), sandwiches like "Churrasco" (steak and cheese) and "Chacarero" (steak, green beans, tomato and mayonnaise). Marmalade made of local fruits: Alcayota, Membrillo. Desserts: Ice creams, and fresh fruits ("Chirimoya", "Papaya", "Lucuma", great apples, bananas, pears, peaches, berries)
* Wines recommended. Carmenere is currently the most famous type of red wine. Unique in Chile . Also any type of Late Harvest sweet wine. For all types of wines the most famous brands are Concha y Toro, Santa Ema, Misiones, Ventisquero, Undurraga. Any wine costing between 2,000 and 4,000 is very good. Above 4,000 pesos is a more refined taste Reserva
* As for Pisco the best is Alto del Carmen 45 degrees, or Pisco Sour Capel Sour Pica.
* Plaza Italia area: Fuente Alemana, next to KFC, is a must for sandwiches (open mon-sat up to 11pm). Valle de Oro, at the corner of Portugal and Alameda , is a must for pizzas. (open mon-sun) or “La Hacienda” at the corner of Carbineros de Chile and Vicuna Mackenna. Los Huastecas, at the corner of Alameda and Ramon Corvalan is a handy coffee sandwich place.
* Barrio Lastarria's "R punto", "Gatopardo, "Les Assasins", "Café Escondido", "Berry", . Outdoors cafes specially on Jose Miguel de la Barra and Rosal streets: "Brain Works", "Cafe Santiago "
* In Downtown Huérfanos street you will find several good places to eat: Bar Nacional , Domino’s hot dogs, Bravissimo ice creams, Havana café, Sushita sushi, Naturista vegetarian food, Majestic Indian best food
* Downtown’s “Adobes de Argomedo” has a great folk show and great food. Eateries around Plaza de Armas have a wide variety of cheap and simple food. The outdoor cafe in the plaza is great for people watching. Watch your valuables. Famous “Cafe con Piernas” is part of Chile kitsch culture (indoors coffee shops were waitresses wear tiny lingerie or topless or fully naked. Women are OK to go inside) Find them in covered alleys near Ahumada or Huérfanos pedestrian streets.
* Mercado Central has 2 main and costly restaurants but there are several good choices of small eateries. Great and tasty seafood and shell fish. Donde Augusto is a must but high prices. Budget great places are Rincon Marino and Pailas Blancas.
* Bellavista bohemian quarter with popular restaurants like GARLIC superb menu at Loreto/Dardignac (another finding) , "Eladio" (great steak), " Havana Salsa" Cuba Tropicana type of show), "Galindo" (great Chile food, pisco sour, cafe) and trendy "Etniko" (great sushi with electronic music ambiance), "Como Agua para Chocolate" (the best international cuisine). Bars like "Tapas y Copas, "La Boheme", "Off the Record". Clubs like "La Feria" (trendy electronic music) & "Punta Brown" (for latin, pop, etc). LA SALITA Merced 142 . Many pubs offering "Schop" (draft beer). PECADO CAPITAL--Ernesto Pinto Lagarrigue 192
* Barrio Brasil's “Boulevard Lavoud” is my latest finding!! (An incredible 100 years house turned into a live museum, plus the famous barbers shop Peluqueria Francesa in the 1st floor. Located at Compania 28855 corner of Libertad) "Los Buenos Muchachos" (great show) and “Ocean Pacific”. Near by, next to Metro Station Union Latinoamericana you will find gothic/techno/80’s pop underground great club “Blondie”
* Bellavista Gay scene includes: trendy club "Bunker" (great on Saturdays), "Bokhara" (specially crowded on thu and fri), "Fausto" tue to sun and dark room on wed), and restaurant "Capricho Espanol". Saunas in the same area include famous Bellavista 282. Ask for shows and venues, "Sarita Colonia" is a trendy bar, in Bilbao street : CLUB MIEL Av. Bilbao
* Avenida Italia's MUCCA-- at # 830 , "De Cangrejo a Conejo" great deal . YAGAN. El Sofá club. AHUAHIERBA--Marín 0285
* Plaza Nunoa's various students pubs and great deal restaurants surrounding areas of the plaza
* Manuel Montt st, metro same name, gather several pubs and live music bars, also great Peruvian restaurant Barandarian, sushi bar Wasabi
* Providencia street's "Liguria " and trendy “Pinch of Pancho", "Red Phone Box" pub. Near Manuel Montt street gathers a great variety of pubs and restaurants. “El Huerto” is a great vegetarian restaurant, Orrego Luco st. SANTO REMEDIO--Ricardo Lyon 45 local 3. BALSAMICO--Ricardo Lyon 45 local 3
* Avenida Suecia's crowded dozens of "happy hour" bars, some live music at "Mr.Ed", "Green Bull")
* Avenida El Bosque and Isidora Goyenechea gather most of business type and up scale restaurants. Also pubs like "TG Fridays", bars like “Hooters", coffee shops "Starbucks", great happy hours at “Publicity”
* Irish Flanerys/Dublín pub in Tobalaba metro, and Red Phone Box restaurant (metro Manuel Montt) gather UK visitors, and Sephia bar. Vitacura avenue's "Las Urracas". Las Condes has several Go-Go girls bars like Platinum, Champagne , Lucas Bar , Shampoo (be ready to pay a cover US$ 30 and drinks at US$ 20 each just for the company of a girl). Lucas Bar in Av.Suecia and Passapoga located in Providencia. MITTO--Av. Vitacura 8653. SALA MURANO--Plaza San Enrique, Lo Barnechea
ORGANIZED TOURS BY TOURISTOUR TELEPHONE 488-0400
Jose Estay recommends SELF ORGANIZED TRIPS :
HALF DAY in SANTIAGO
Wineries: Concha y Toro. (ALSO ASK FOR COUSINO MACUL WINERY AND SANTA RITA WINERY)……..(IN MARCH AND APRIL SEVERAL HARVEST RELATED EVENTS TAKE PLACE ) CALL AT LEAST 1 DAY BEFORE. CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. TELEPHONE 476-5269
Take Metro line 5 from Baquedano station and reach station Vicente Valdes. Then transfer to Line 4, up to Puente Alto station. Bus #74 or # 80 (must have a sign PIRQUE). It drops you in the front gate of the winery. Call at 9am , 1 day in advance. Must leave home at least 1 hour 1/2 before tour starts. at 9am. For Saturday tours call far in advance. US$ 10 per person. 1 hour tour and 3 wine tasting
San Cristobal hill: zoo, swimming pools, Japanese garden, restaurants, cable car and funicular. Nearby is "La Chascona" Pablo Neruda amazing museum-house. FUNICULAR CLOSED MONDAYS
Funicular opens daily at 10am and close at sunset. Mondays funicular is closed.In the viewpoint enjoy the 2 eateries.
Ski resorts: Farellones, La Parva, El Colorado , Valle Nevado.great deal in prizes...tickets, rental equipment and transfers (ALSO SUMMER TIME ACTIVITES)
Ski TotaI Total vans (www.skitotal.cl) leave from Omnium shopping center, 2 blocks from metro station Escuela Militar, heading to the mountains along Av.Las Condes. You can go for the day and the round trip ticket is 8,000 pesos. You can buy tickets for lifts for 14,000 esosand rent equipment for 22,000 pesos. Instructor per hour at 24,000 pesos. Vans leave 730am and return 5pm.
FULL DAY TRIPS FROM SANTIAGO
Valparaiso and Vina del Mar ( VALPARAISO IS THE HISTORICAL,BOHEMIAN,CULTURAL, PORT CITY ……VINA DEL MAR IS THE RESORT RITZY CASINO BEACHES CITY )
Take Metro line 1, reach Pajaritos station. Connect with buses leaving every 15 min. to Valparaiso (locally commute to Vina del Mar ) starting at 6am. Cost is 5,000 round trip. Ride takes 2 hours. Watch out for peak Friday nights going to the coast or returning Sunday night. Return is same way. Last metro rund 10pm
Cajon del Maipo. Also enjoy El Morado glacier and Banos Morales rustic hot springs. Protect from strong sun and dehidration. (ALSO ASK ABOUT OUTDOORS MOUNTAIN ACTIVITIES INSIDE CASCADA DE LAS ANIMAS RESORT)
Turismo Antaña vans leave next to Telefonica building in Bustamante street, next to Baquedano metro station at 7am. Ask Jose to make the booking for Friday,Saturday or Sunday. You can also reach the town of San Jose after Vina Concha y Toro but for short hours. Buses do not run often. Better the full day organized trip.
Isla Negra, in the coast southwest of Santiago houses the 2nd famous Pable Neruda museum-house. TELEPHONE 181-35-461284
Take Metro line 1, reach Universidad Santiago station. Connect with buses leaving every 15 min. starting at 6am. Every 1 hour. Pullmann Bus company. Cost is 5,000 round trip. Ride takes 2 hours. Watch out for peak Friday nights going to the coast or returning Sunday night. Return is same way. Last metro rund 10pm
Pomaire pottery center & countryside (stopover at Undurraga winery)
Take Metro line 1, reach Estacion Central station. Walk to Terminal San Borja bus terminal. Connect with buses leaving every 30 min. to Pomaire direct or stoping/connecting in Melipilla city. Start at 8am. Cost is 5,000 round trip. Ride takes 2 hours. Watch out for peak Friday nights going to the coast or returning Sunday night. Return is same way. Last metro rund 10pm
..also the cities of La Ligua (textiles), Rancagua (historical),San Fernando ( hot springs ), Santa Cruz and Curico (wineries)
Sewell old mining site near Rancagua, in the Andes . Contact for tours: Soledad Diaz, manager VTS Enjoy Travel
F: (72) 210290 vts@vts.cl
All accesible by frequent buses and trains. Less than 3 hours away
IMPORTANT:Plan your trips in advance, specially fri-sat-sun. Buses are frequent and comfortable (regular, semi-recline or bed seat choices). # airlines offer discounts with advance booking via websites.
LONGER TRIPS FROM SANTIAGO (beyond 400 km or 1 hour flight/8hours bus minimum)
Long distance bus, nigh bed'seats bus or flying with LAN, Sky and Aerolineas del Sur, depending the city
La Serena and Elqui Valley. Pisco distillers, great beaches, seafood, astronomical observatories. 8hours day or night bus, or 1 hour flight
Temuco, Pucon and Lake District . National Parks, volcano climbing, extreme sports, deer meat, black sand lake beaches, summer great nightlife. 12 hours day or night bus, 9 hours train or 1.5 hr flight (AND LAKE CROSSING TO SAN MARTIN DE LOS ANDES, ARGENTINA )
Patagonia, Torres del Paine & Ushuaia. World class attractions, unforgetable views, trekking, glaciers, unspoiled lands, Antarctica trips. 4 hr flight to Punta Arenas or 5 hr flight to Ushuaia (summer only, not daily)
Puerto Montt and Chiloe island. Lake district, great seafood, Chiloe unique culture and architecture, island hopping, Carretera Austral thru unspolied landscapes. 1.40 hr flight or 14 hr bus day or night. Chiloe is accesible by bus
Bariloche & Nahuel Huapi national parks. Argentina's showcase. 2 hr flight (summer and not daily) or by bus from Osorno, Pucon or Puerto Montt
Mendoza & Andes mountains. Unforgetable border crossing, great wines and shopping, quiet city but lot of nightlife. 1 hr flight or 8 hours exciting Andes crossing ( ACONCAGUA MT EXPEDITIONS AND TREKKING EN-ROUTE)
Easter Island. One of the world's most famous islands. Enjoy diving, archeological sites, the unique Moais, volcano trekking. Almost 6 hours flight (not daily)
Arica, Iquique & Lauca park. Oasis, unique fauna, desert geogliphs, Lauca park, camping, Altiplano high plateau. 30 hr bus ride or 4 hours flight
San Pedro and Uyuni salt mines on the way to Bolivia . Tatio geysers, old hispanic and inca towns, archaeologial sites, geolical interest, fauna. 2 hr flight or 23 hr bus
(*)In all cases let Jose know in advance in order to plan ahead, make reservations and also buy tickets
