5 days in Santiago

Day by day

1. Day 1: Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano and La Chascona

   Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano, La Chascona and Plaza de Armas and Metropolitan Cathedral, then Sky Costanera in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Cerro San Cristóbal and Parque Metropolitano

      Go up in the morning after rain or wind, when the smog has cleared and the Andes are sharpest; walk down through the woodland to Pedro de Valdivia. (Half a day, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      La Chascona

      Pair it with Neruda's seaside house at Isla Negra or La Sebastiana in Valparaíso if you plan a coast day trip. (1 hour, mid-priced).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Empanada de pino

      Bakeries and empanaderías across the city, especially on Sundays and around the September national holidays.

   4. Afternoon

      Plaza de Armas and Metropolitan Cathedral

      Start a walking tour of the centre here, then continue to the Mercado Central four blocks north and La Moneda five blocks south. (1 hour, free).

   5. Evening

      Sky Costanera

      Time your visit for late afternoon so you see the city by day and the lights after sunset.

2. Day 2: La Moneda Palace and Mercado Central

   La Moneda Palace, Mercado Central and Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino, then Barrio Lastarria and GAM in the evening.

   1. Morning

      La Moneda Palace

      Combine the façade and plaza with an exhibition at the underground cultural centre, entered from the south side of the palace. (1 hour, free).

   2. Late morning

      Mercado Central

      Ignore the waiters who wave menus at the entrance and eat at a smaller counter on the outer aisles at lunchtime. (1 hour, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Completo

      Fuente de soda counters and sandwich bars in the centre and Providencia.

   4. Afternoon

      Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino

      Allow time for the basement Chile gallery, which many visitors miss after the main floors. (1.5–2 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Barrio Lastarria and GAM

      Visit on a weekend afternoon, when the stalls are out and the café terraces are full.

3. Day 3: Museum of Memory and Human Rights and Museo Nacional de Historia Natural

   Museum of Memory and Human Rights, Museo Nacional de Historia Natural and Cerro Santa Lucía, then Bellavista in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Museum of Memory and Human Rights

      Plan at least two hours and something gentle afterwards, such as a walk in the Quinta Normal park opposite. (2 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Museo Nacional de Historia Natural

      Combine it with the Museum of Memory, across the road from the park's north side. (1.5 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pastel de choclo

      Traditional picadas and market cocinerías, mainly from December to March.

   4. Afternoon

      Cerro Santa Lucía

      Enter by the grand stairway on the Alameda and leave by the Lastarria side for coffee afterwards. (1 hour, free).

   5. Evening

      Bellavista

      Bars and clubs along Pío Nono and Constitución, Patio Bellavista's terraces and the city's main LGBTQ+ venues.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Valparaíso

   About 1 hour 45 minutes by bus each way. Getting there: Frequent buses from Terminal Pajaritos or Terminal Alameda.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Valparaíso

      About 1 hour 45 minutes by bus (Frequent buses from Terminal Pajaritos or Terminal Alameda); about 120 km.

   2. Day

      Valparaíso

      Chile's historic port climbs a ring of hills covered in brightly painted houses, street murals and old funicular lifts. Best for culture, couples and first-timers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Santiago

      Dinner: try Cazuela.

5. Day 5: La Vega Central and Cementerio General

   La Vega Central, Cementerio General and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, then Lastarria in the evening.

   1. Morning

      La Vega Central

      Go in the morning, carry small notes and keep your phone in a front pocket in the crowded aisles. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Cementerio General

      Ask for a map at the main gate on Avenida La Paz; the grounds are large and tombs hard to find. (1.5 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cazuela

      Set-lunch menus (menú del día) and cocinerías in La Vega Central.

   4. Afternoon

      Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

      Walk through Parque Forestal along the Mapocho afterwards towards Lastarria. (1.5 hours, free).

   5. Evening

      Lastarria

      Wine bars, craft-beer pubs and cocktail terraces in the cobbled streets near GAM.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for La Moneda Palace and La Chascona before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Lastarria keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Bellavista ($$) suits nightlife, budget, solo travellers and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 20–23 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in June to 14.4 hours in December, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Santiago
• 2 days in Santiago
• 3 days in Santiago

Questions travellers ask