Travel guide · Chile
Santiago travel guide
Andes views, hilltop parks, wine valleys and a fast Metro
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Miguel hernandez, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Santiago spreads across a basin with the snow-capped Andes on its eastern edge, and on clear days the peaks rise behind every avenue. The compact historic centre around the Plaza de Armas and La Moneda Palace sits beside the restaurant and gallery streets of Lastarria and Bellavista, while the leafier eastern districts of Providencia and Las Condes hold most hotels. The Metro links nearly everything, and the Maipo and Casablanca wine valleys, the port of Valparaíso and the ski slopes are all within two hours. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are March–April and October–November.
Key facts
- Country
- Chile
- Best time to visit
- March–April and October–November
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- SCL
- Mid-range daily budget
- $110–$200 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Andes skyline, Chilean wine, Pisco sour and Cerro San Cristóbal
Why visit Santiago
- Two hills inside the city, Cerro San Cristóbal and Cerro Santa Lucía, give free or low-cost panoramas of the city against the Andes.
- The Maipo, Casablanca and Colchagua wine valleys are close enough for winery visits as day trips, some reachable by Metro and taxi.
- Serious museums cover pre-Columbian cultures, Chile's recent history and Pablo Neruda's life, several of them free to enter.
- Valparaíso's painted hillsides and the Pacific beaches of Viña del Mar are about an hour and a half away by frequent bus.
- From June to September, ski resorts such as Valle Nevado and La Parva are roughly 60 km from the city.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Park · Bellavista
Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano
Santiago's largest park covers Cerro San Cristóbal, a hill rising about 300 metres above the city and topped by a white statue of the Virgin Mary.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- Active
Landmark · Centro Histórico
Plaza de Armas and Metropolitan Cathedral
Laid out when Pedro de Valdivia founded the city in 1541, the palm-shaded main square is framed by the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Central Post Office and the Museo Histórico Nacional in the old Royal Audience building.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Palace · Centro Histórico
La Moneda Palace
The neoclassical seat of the Chilean presidency was designed by Joaquín Toesca as a colonial mint and completed in 1805.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Free
- Iconic
Market · Centro Histórico
Mercado Central
A wrought-iron hall prefabricated in Britain and opened in 1872 houses fishmongers and seafood restaurants serving caldillo de congrio, paila marina and machas a la parmesana.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Architecture
- Iconic
Museum · Centro Histórico
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
One block from the Plaza de Armas in the former Royal Customs House, this museum displays pottery, textiles, gold and stone sculpture from cultures between Mexico and southern Chile.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Quinta Normal
Museum of Memory and Human Rights
Opened in 2010, this museum documents the human rights violations committed during the military regime of 1973–1990 through testimonies, photographs, letters and broadcast footage.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Rainy day
Where to stay
Lastarria is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, culture and food lovers
Lastarria
Cobbled streets, bookshops, cafés and theatres below Cerro Santa Lucía
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, solo travellers and culture
Bellavista
Murals, Neruda's house and late bars at the foot of San Cristóbal
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families, solo travellers and shopping
Providencia
Tree-lined avenues, mid-range hotels and easy Metro Line 1 access
$$ · Best for shopping, food lovers, couples and quiet stays
Barrio Italia
Design shops, patios and brunch cafés along Avenida Italia
What to eat
- Empanada de pino — Chile's classic baked empanada is filled with pino: minced beef and onion seasoned with cumin and paprika, plus a slice of hard-boiled egg and a black olive.
- Completo — A Chilean hot dog in a soft bun piled with toppings; the 'italiano' carries avocado, tomato and mayonnaise in the colours of the Italian flag.
- Pastel de choclo — A clay-dish bake of beef pino, chicken, egg and olives under a layer of puréed sweetcorn and basil, sprinkled with sugar and browned.
- Cazuela — A clear broth served with a large piece of beef or chicken on the bone, a potato, a wedge of pumpkin, corn on the cob and rice.
- Sándwich chacarero — Thin-sliced steak (churrasco) in a soft round bun with green beans, tomato and chilli.
- Machas a la parmesana — Razor clams baked in their shells with white wine, butter and parmesan.
When to go
The best times to visit Santiago are spring (October to November) and autumn (March to April), when days are warm and dry without the intense summer heat and the wine valleys are at their most attractive. Visit from late June to August if you want to ski, accepting cold mornings, some rain and occasional smog.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | December–February | Hot, dry and sunny, with afternoons often above 30°C; locals head to the coast in January and February and some restaurants close. |
| Autumn | March–May | Grape harvest and autumn colours in the vineyards, comfortable days and the first rains by May. |
| Winter | June–August | Cool and grey with most of the year's rain, frosty mornings and occasional smog, but snow-capped Andes and ski season from about late June. |
| Spring | September–November | Blossom, green hills and the September national holidays, with steadily warmer and drier weather. |
Getting there and around
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) is about 17 km west of the centre. Airport buses run to Los Héroes and Pajaritos Metro stations, and shared vans and official taxis can be booked at counters inside arrivals; by road, the ride to Providencia takes about 30–45 minutes depending on traffic.
Santiago's Metro is clean, frequent and the easiest way to cross the city; Line 1 runs east–west under the Alameda and Avenida Providencia past most sights and hotels. The centre, Lastarria and Bellavista are walkable together, while the eastern districts are spread out.
Plan your days
Two days covers the centre, Lastarria, Bellavista and the view from San Cristóbal. Four days adds a winery visit and a day in Valparaíso; a week leaves time for the Cajón del Maipo or, in winter, a day on the slopes.
Practical information
- Currency
- CLP
- Language
- Spanish
- Plugs
- Type C and L sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated and generally considered safe, though its high mineral content leads many visitors to prefer bottled water for the first few days.
- Emergency number
- 131 ambulance, 132 fire, 133 police (Carabineros)
- Tipping
- A 10% tip is customary in restaurants and is usually added as a suggested line on the bill when you pay.
Pickpocketing and phone snatching are the main risks, especially around the Plaza de Armas, Paseo Ahumada, the Mercado Central and Bellavista at night. Chile is earthquake country: note your hotel's emergency instructions, and expect smog on still winter days.
Flights to Santiago
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Santiago?
Two days covers the centre, Lastarria, Bellavista and the view from San Cristóbal. Four days adds a winery visit and a day in Valparaíso; a week leaves time for the Cajón del Maipo or, in winter, a day on the slopes. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Santiago?
The best times to visit Santiago are spring (October to November) and autumn (March to April), when days are warm and dry without the intense summer heat and the wine valleys are at their most attractive. Visit from late June to August if you want to ski, accepting cold mornings, some rain and occasional smog.
+What is Santiago known for?
Andes skyline, Chilean wine, Pisco sour, Cerro San Cristóbal, Pablo Neruda, Completos and empanadas and Ski resorts nearby. Two hills inside the city, Cerro San Cristóbal and Cerro Santa Lucía, give free or low-cost panoramas of the city against the Andes.
+Is Santiago expensive?
Santiago is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $110–$200 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Santiago?
Not in the city, where the Metro and ride-hailing cover everything and traffic is heavy. A car is useful for the wine valleys, the Cajón del Maipo or the coast, though organised tours and buses reach them too.