Month guide · Santiago · Chile
Santiago in May
What May is really like in Santiago: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Miguel hernandez, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
May is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 18°C (64°F), lows of 6°C (43°F), about 4 rainy days and roughly 10.4 hours of daylight. Cooler with the first rains; smog can build up on still days before the winter fronts arrive.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 18°C (64°F) / 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days
- About 4
- Daylight
- About 10.4 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in May
May is the 9th-warmest month in Santiago: days average 18°C (64°F) against a yearly average high of 23°C (73°F), and nights fall to about 6°C (43°F). Rain falls on roughly 4 of its 31 days. Compared with April (23°C (73°F)), May is cooler; by June highs drop to around 15°C (59°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 07:27
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 17:51
- Daylight
- About 10.4 hours
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.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 2 for crowds (the peak is September at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in January). That makes May one of the better-value months to book.
Events in May
- Día del Patrimonio — free entry to normally closed historic buildings (usually late May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
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
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
Combine the façade and plaza with an exhibition at the underground cultural centre, entered from the south side of the palace.
- 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
What to pack
For highs near 18°C, lows near 6°C and 4 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Santiago?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, March–April and October–November are better overall. Compare every month.
Santiago in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Santiago?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cooler with the first rains; smog can build up on still days before the winter fronts arrive.
+How warm is Santiago in May?
Average highs are around 18°C (64°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Santiago in May?
Expect rain on about 4 days of the month, so it is usually dry.