Season guide · Santiago · Chile
Santiago in autumn
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Miguel hernandez, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Grape harvest and autumn colours in the vineyards, comfortable days and the first rains by May. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 7 rainy days across March–May. March–April are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 6°C (43°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 7
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 27°C (81°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 1 | 12.4 h | 3/5 |
| April | 23°C (73°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 2 | 11.3 h | 2/5 |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 4 | 10.4 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 23°C (73°F) against a yearly 23°C (73°F), and 7 of the year's roughly 30 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Lollapalooza Chile — music festival (usually March)
- March: Grape harvest festivals in the wine valleys (usually March)
- May: Día del Patrimonio — free entry to normally closed historic buildings (usually late May)
Make the most of the weather
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Viewpoint · Providencia
Sky Costanera
Time your visit for late afternoon so you see the city by day and the lights after sunset.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
- Rainy day
Museum · Quinta Normal
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural
Inside the Quinta Normal park, Chile's natural history museum is known for its large whale skeleton hanging in the central hall, plus displays on Chilean fauna, the Atacama and Easter Island.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Rainy day
- Nature
Park · Vitacura
Parque Bicentenario
Bring bread for the playground rather than the birds; feeding the flamingos is not allowed.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
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
Park · Lastarria
Cerro Santa Lucía
Enter by the grand stairway on the Alameda and leave by the Lastarria side for coffee afterwards.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- History
- Couples
Day trips in autumn
- Viña del Mar (About 1 hour 45 minutes by bus) — Valparaíso's neighbour is a beach resort with wide boulevards, the flower clock, the Wulff Castle on the rocks and sandy beaches; the Pacific here is cold for swimming.
- Cajón del Maipo (About 1–2 hours by road) — The Maipo River canyon south-east of the city has hiking trails, hot springs, rafting in summer and the turquoise El Yeso reservoir high in the Andes.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit Santiago?
Yes: March–April are among the best months. Grape harvest and autumn colours in the vineyards, comfortable days and the first rains by May.
+What is the weather like in Santiago in autumn?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 7 rainy days over the season.